Property owners face continuing cost increases when undertaking refurbishments and modernisations. An analysis by the referral platform Aroundhome, based on data from the Federal Statistical Office, shows that craft and trade services on private residential property have become on average 36.0 per cent more expensive over the past five years. Producer prices for raw materials and intermediate goods rose by only 24.3 per cent during the same period. The labour factor has thus become the primary cost driver, rising roughly 1.5 times as sharply as the materials side.
Differentiated price dynamics by trade and raw material
Inflation varies considerably depending on the specific trade involved. Leading the surge in trade services are insulation and fire protection works on technical systems, with a price jump of 81.7 per cent. Significant increases were also recorded in building automation at 49.1 per cent, fitting and ironmongery work at 44.1 per cent, and glazing at 42.6 per cent. Roofing work also grew by 40.9 per cent, followed by joinery and plumbing at 40.4 and 38.9 per cent respectively. Price rises were markedly more moderate for scaffolding work at 20.6 per cent, carpentry at 22.4 per cent, and bricklaying and concrete work at around 23 to 24 per cent.
On the material side, energy suppliers in particular drove the indices upwards. Energy recorded a gain of 56.2 per cent, coal rose by 42.6 per cent, and stone and earths grew 41.9 per cent more expensive. Glass and ceramic goods increased by 32.4 per cent, petroleum and natural gas by 28.7 per cent. In contrast, segments such as timber at 13.3 per cent, rubber and plastic products at 13.6 per cent, and metals at 14.3 per cent price increases proved comparatively stable over the same five-year window.
Concrete additional costs for classic modernisation projects
The cumulative increase in labour and material costs is clearly reflected in typical measures on existing buildings:
- —Roof renovation: Retiling approximately 100 square metres of roof area currently costs an average of 13,000 Euro compared with 9,510 Euro in 2021, representing an increase of 36.7 per cent.
- —Window replacement: Installing ten plastic windows incurs an average cost of 9,300 Euro, whereas the same work cost 6,910 Euro five years ago (an increase of 34.6 per cent).
- —Facade painting: Repainting an area of around 100 square metres rose from 8,010 Euro in 2021 to around 10,200 Euro in 2025, driven primarily by 31.0 per cent higher painter fees.
Dagmar Faltis, Managing Director at Aroundhome, points out that investments in existing properties remain indispensable for preserving their value and future viability. Due to the sometimes substantial price ranges between individual contractors and trades, she advises property owners to adopt forward-looking project planning and to carefully compare multiple professional quotes.
