The booming real estate market has exacerbated the shortage of necessities ranging from concrete and wood to faucets and roof tiles due to "incredible demand"

British homeowners face higher renovation costs as builders struggle to cope with soaring material costs and shortages of necessities ranging from concrete and wood to faucets and roof tiles in the booming real estate market.

"It's a bit like going to Sainsbury, they don't have any bread, milk or eggs," said Paul Bence, managing director of the builder Bence, of the out-of-control supply demand on the shelves. "Cement is our bread and butter, and we usually keep stocks for 10 days. We will not adopt the'just-in-time' model... but this is actually where we are now."

Bens said the overheating of the building materials market triggered a general price increase of more than 10%. He said that the sharp increase means that builders who set prices for work months in advance are in a difficult situation and have to go back to their customers and say: "I have to increase the price of your work."

The latest snapshot of the country's construction industry activity released on Friday shows that after the corporate report activity in March showed the biggest rebound since 2014, April was another strong month for the industry. However, the IHS Markit/Cips UK survey shows that input cost inflation has risen for the seventh consecutive month to the highest level since the survey began in 1997. Companies particularly pointed out the sharp rise in the cost of steel and wood.

Only a quarter of the materials used in the construction industry are imported, but prices in certain areas have risen sharply.

Noble Francis, economic director of the Building Products Association, said that in the past six months, timber prices have risen by more than 80%, while copper and steel prices have risen by 40%.

The cost of paints and varnishes rose by nearly a third, while polymers such as polyethylene and polypropylene rose by 60%.

Because the proportion of goods made in the UK is high, and because home improvement work is more labor-intensive than other construction industries, project costs will not increase by the same amount, "so labor costs are dominant, not product costs", Francis said.

As the delivery time of concrete tiles has increased by two to three months, the supply problem for roofers is particularly serious. According to James Talman, chief executive of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC), the cost of materials has risen by about 50% as the prices of wood strips, steel beams and plastic insulation materials have all increased.

According to the NFRC, the pressure faced by roofers is unparalleled in "memory". It has sent a letter to members telling them to "start discussing price increases with customers" and to help them explain the complex background of supply issues. customer.

Many factories and timber mills were closed, and the initial blockade severely affected the production of construction materials. As pandemic-related restrictions hindered production, and as the economy reopened and global demand surged, the reopening companies have been struggling to catch up.

The problem comes as the number of new homes being built is at its highest level in a decade, and the blocked Britons have been sending cash saved from their holidays to their homes. According to data from the Association of Master Builders, there is no relaxation this year, because in the first three months of 2021, inquiries to local construction companies have grown at the fastest rate in a decade, in the so-called "repair, maintenance and improvement" market.

There is also a labor shortage, which means that because there are not enough fitters, homeowners have to wait a few months longer than usual before installing bathrooms and kitchens. Builders are also working hard to recruit bricklayers, joiners and even ordinary workers.

BMF CEO John Newcomb said that as some builders reported a 40% increase in sales in the past year, the industry has seen "very incredible need". "You can't blame anyone because there are so many different materials that have usability issues. People who have worked in this industry for more than 30 years say they have never seen anything like this."

Newcomb said the squeeze does not mean that houses or schools are "not built" because small employment builders are on the front lines of the crisis. "We are working hard to ensure that the materials pass. It's just that people have to wait longer, of course, the prices of raw materials are rising, so they have to pay more.

"Traditionally, job seekers would go to a businessman and say I want three this and six that; those days are gone forever," Newcomb said.

This is also true for DIY shoppers who want to buy paving stones or fence boards. "The key is not to expect that you can show up at the door and take these materials away, because this will not happen."