Construction Economics

ENR publishes both a Construction Cost Index and Building Cost index that are widely used in the construction industry. This website contains an explanation of the indexes methodology and a complete history of the 20-city national average for the CCI and BCI. Both indexes have a materials and labor component. In the second issue of each month ENR publishes the CCI, BCI, materials index, skilled labor index and common labor index for 20 cities and the national average. The first issue also contains an index review of all five national indexes for the latest 14 month period.

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Historical Indices

Construction Cost Index History

200 hours of common labor at the 20-city average of common labor rates, plus 25 cwt of standard structural steel shapes at the mill price prior to 1996 and the fabricated 20-city price from 1996, plus 1.128 tons of portland cement at the 20-city price, plus 1,088 board-ft of 2 x 4 lumber at the 20-city price.

Building Cost Index History

68.38 hours of skilled labor at the 20-city average of bricklayers, carpenters and structural ironworkers rates, plus 25 cwt of standard structural steel shapes at the mill price prior to 1996 and the fabricated 20-city price from 1996, plus 1.128 tons of portland cement at the 20-city price, plus 1,088 board ft of 2 x 4 lumber at the 20-city price.

Cost Index History Tables

The building and construction cost indexes for ENR’s individual cities use the same components and weighting as those for the 20-city national indexes. The city indexes use local prices for portland cement and 2 X 4 lumber and the national average price for structural steel. The city’s BCI uses local union wages, plus fringes, for carpenters, bricklayers and iron workers. The city’s CCI uses the same union wages for laborers.

ENR Cost Indexes in 20 Cities 1978-2018

Atlanta, GA

Baltimore, MD

Birmingham, AL

Boston, MA

Chicago, IL

Cincinnati, OH

Cleveland, OH

Dallas, TX

Denver, CO

Detroit, MI

Kansas City, MO