Result was similar to the one of August (1.28%) and the national cost of construction increased to R$ 660.91 per square meter

In September, the National Index of Construction (Sinapi), calculated by IBGE in partnership with Caixa Econômica Federal, increased by 1.30%, a value very close to the one of August (1.28%).  The index accumulated hike of 9.11% in the year and 10.95% in the last twelve months.  These changes were above the ones accumulated in the year, in the same period of 2007 (4.32%), and in the index accumulated in the last twelve months of August (9.99%).

The national cost of construction, which in August was R$ 652.45 per square meter, increased to R$ 660.91, with R$ 383.43 relative to expenses with material and R$ 277.48 with labor force.

Maintaining the same trend since June, material was the most significant influence on the national index, with hike of 2.03%, after increasing by 1.83% in the previous month.  Regarding labor force it changed by 0.30% in September, decelerating in relation to August (0.53%).  

Material increased in a more pronounced way in relation to the same period of 2007: 10.27%, considerably above the value of 3.50% of 2007.  Labor force increased by 7.56% until September, showing a more moderate growth in comparison to the value of 5.45% of the previous year.

In the last twelve months the hike of material reached 12.13%, surpassing the change of the twelve immediately previous months (10.55%).  A similar performance was recorded by labor force, with a hike of 9.36% surpassing the result of twelve immediately previous months (9.24%).

Northeast and Central West stood out in September

The changes of the regional indexes were very similar in September.  Northeast and Central West, with 1.38%, were followed closely by the North (1.34%) and Southeast (1.31%).  Only the South Region (1.03%) increased below the national average (1.30%).

The South Region, however, stood out with the highest rate of the year (10.13%).  Regarding the last twelve months, the major change came from the Central West (11.68%).  The lowest indexes accumulated were recorded by the Northeast Region (7.98% and 9.93%, respectively in the year and in the last twelve months). 

The regional costs brought the following values, by square meter: R$ 701.42 (Southeast); R$ 656.31 (South); R$ 650.23 (North); R$ 636.67 (Central West) and R$ 614.31 (Northeast).

Minas Gerais registered the most pronounced hike

Due to wage readjustments, Minas Gerais brought the highest change of the index in September (2.19%).  In the year, the state of Acre brought the highest index accumulated (13.23%) and the state of Rondônia recorded the most pronounced increase in the last twelve months (14.88%).

These results are calculated monthly by IBGE through a partnership with Caixa Econômica Federal, based on the SINAPI – National System of Costs Survey and Indexes of Construction.

Established in 1969, the SINAPI produces information, with national coverage, of costs and indexes in a systemized way, elaborating budgets and monitoring costs.  In 2002, the National Congress approved by the Budget Guidelines Law (LDO) the adoption of the SINAPI as the reference for the range of costs of the public constructions.

 SEPTEMBER 2008

 SOURCE: IBGE, Diretoria de Pesquisas, Coordenação de Índices de Preços.