Verisk Industry Trends for 1st Quarter 2019
Xactware's Pricing Data
This bulletin gives a brief overview of recent pricing trends in the property insurance, construction, and restoration industries.
As a reporter of market-specific pricing information for repairing or rebuilding structures and replacing personal property, Xactware conducts hundreds of thousands of industry surveys, and reviews millions of data points per year submitted through field estimates written by contractors and adjusters as well as electronic data feeds provided by retail merchants. This extensive library of research enables Xactware to provide a comprehensive report of important industry trends.
Pricing News — 2019 - 1st Quarter
Materials
Material costs are highly variable and are sometimes impacted by factors such as fuel costs, changes to industry practices, or natural disasters. Xactware closely monitors a wide variety of material costs across the country to ensure its price lists reflect any recent changes to pricing.
In the last quarter of 2018, Xactware observed changes to several material categories. Interior trim material costs had the largest per cent change: they increased 1.83 per cent since October and 5.83 percent since January.
The Material Composite Index report tracks a combination of several commonly used material components, including floor covering, paint, and roofing. The index showed a 0.15 per cent decrease in the final quarter of 2018 and a 3.78 per cent cost increase since January 2018.
Labour
Xactware’s Pricing Data Services also surveys thousands of contractors across the country each month to determine what they are charging for labour. The most significant change occurred in the labour cost of a brick or stone mason, which increased 3.1 per cent over the quarter and 6.4 per cent over the year.
The Retail Labour Index tracks a combination of several common trades, including floor covering, painting, and roofing among others. In the fourth quarter of 2018, the index showed a 0.82 per cent cost increase. Since January 2018, it showed a cost increase of 4.27 per cent.
Combined Trends
The Combined Labour and Materials report is based on monthly building cost data published by Xactware. It comprises a set of commonly used items and may be used as an indicator of trends within the marketplace. The combination of labour and materials makes up the majority of Xactware price list items. Tracking the per cent change for the cost of these items provides a good gauge of the general market.
The Combined Labour and Materials report showed a cost increase of 0.25 per cent in the last quarter of 2018 and a 2.92 per cent increase over the year.
Fuel Costs
Fuel costs are extremely volatile and are a factor in item pricing, since low oil prices can push down the price of some raw materials. Fuel prices decreased 16.96 per cent over the fourth quarter of 2018 and 8.81 per cent over the last year. Xactware’s Pricing Data Services carefully tracks fuel costs to ensure accurate pricing.
Where to Learn More
Annual Property Report
Xactware publishes annual property reports that focus on key trends during the previous calendar year. To order a copy of Xactware’s Property Report for Canada or the United States, please visit the Xactware Online Store.
Industry Trend Reports
Using Industry Trend Reports, Xactware customers can examine pricing trends on national, state or province, and local levels for key material and labour pricing changes in multiple trades. Trends can be viewed by the month or over extended periods of time. For more information about Xactware’s Industry Trend Reports, or to receive access to them, please contact your sales representative or call 1-800-424-9228.
Pricing Methodology White Paper
For more information about Xactware’s methodology for researching and publishing pricing information, please see the Pricing Research Methodology white paper on the eService Center.
Unless otherwise stated, the values reported in this bulletin are national averages for Canada and will vary from local prices.