“We are certainly not seeing the extreme inflation experienced in the post-Covid phase, when the CCCI annual growth rate peaked at more than 10% in late 2022. During that period, there were supply chain issues for key materials such as plasterboard and rising wages also drove up costs significantly. “However, although they’re not rising to any huge degree at present, costs haven’t seen significant falls either. “The latest CCCI figures remain relatively controlled, although as the industry starts to recover more clearly in 2026, construction cost growth could pick up again,” he said. “However, a spike similar to the post-Covid phase remains unlikely.”

Source: New Zealand Herald January 13, 2026 17:34 UTC