Construction prices for conventionally built residential buildings in Germany registered a 5.5% increase in August 2026 relative to August 2025, according to data released by the Federal Statistical Office, known as Destatis. In the preceding reporting month of May 2026, the year-on-year price increase had stood at 5.0%. When compared directly against May 2026, construction prices advanced by 1.0% in August 2026. All reported price figures incorporate construction services applied directly to the structure alongside value-added tax.
Looking specifically at shell construction work, prices for these services on residential buildings were 5.4% higher in August 2026 than in August 2025. Concrete work and masonry work carry the largest weight within both shell construction activities and the broader overall index for residential building construction. Concreting prices advanced by 4.3% in the annual comparison, whereas masonry services experienced a 4.2% increase. Additional areas within structural work saw notable gains, with roof covering and carpentry timber construction work climbing 7.6% and 7.2% respectively, while earthworks recorded a 6.1% upward movement over the same twelve-month period.
Turning to finishing work, prices for these trades moved up by 5.7% in August 2026 compared to the corresponding month of the prior year. Heating systems, central water heating installations containing equipment such as heat pumps, and metal construction work account for the largest proportions of finishing operations. Prices for heating and central water heating systems rose by 5.2% in the annual comparison, and metal construction costs grew by 5.0%. Electrical, safety, and information technology installations, which encompass electric water heaters and communication systems, registered a 7.2% price expansion. Simultaneously, composite thermal insulation systems became 5.7% more expensive.
Beyond newly built residential structures, maintenance work on existing residential buildings, excluding minor cosmetic repairs, carried a price tag 6.0% higher in August 2026 than twelve months earlier. Price increases extended to non-residential categories as well. Construction prices for office buildings went up by 5.7% between August 2025 and August 2026, while commercial operating buildings registered a 5.5% price increase. Within civil engineering, road construction prices experienced a pronounced upward movement of 6.9% over the same annual period.
