Subcontractors in the construction sector have been charging more, while supply shortages are pushing up the costs of materials for builders, an influential survey has found. The UK’s construction industry has seen growth slow, with output rising, but to the smallest extent in eight months. The IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) gave the sector a score of 52.6 in September, down from 55.2 a month earlier. It is the index’s lowest score since early in the year, but is still in positive territory. Anything above 50 is considered growth. Companies who were surveyed said the slowdown was due to heavily publicized supply chain problems, but also softer demand. Unpredictable prices have caused some customers to delay decisions on who to award contracts to, the survey found. The sector is now facing something of a labor crunch. Businesses have been hiring at high speed since the beginning of …
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