Litia Cava 
[Photo: FILE]
Building material prices increased by 1.5 per cent in the September quarter, putting further pressure on construction costs.
The rise was driven mainly by higher prices for paint and glass, electrical products and plumbing ware.
The Fiji Bureau of Statistics says the all-items building material price index reached 139.5 in the June quarter.
Paint and glass recorded the largest increase, rising by 5.9 per cent. Higher prices were recorded for several types of paint, varnishes, mineral turpentine, adhesives and obscure glass.
Electrical Products increased by 4.2 per cent, with price rises recorded for switches, LED lights, meter boxes and electrical wiring.
Plumbing ware also became more expensive, increasing by 2.9 per cent. The increase included PVC gutters, pipes, downpipes and concrete bowls.
Prices for Door and Window Frames rose by 2 per cent, while wood and related materials increased by 1.7 per cent.
Cement and related materials recorded a one per cent increase, with higher prices for cement and concrete blocks.
However, not all building materials became more expensive.
Floor and wall tiles fell by 0.1 per cent, while iron and steel prices dropped by 1.1 per cent.
The Fiji Bureau of Statistics stated that the building material price index tracks changes in the prices of a representative range of construction materials.
