Statistical presentation

Data description

The Construction cost indices for civil engineering projects is a quarterly statistic on those costs associated with civil engineering works. It is computed for earth work, asphalt work, concrete structures, and iron structures, as well as subindices for freight transport by road, and equipment and machinery. Moreover, an index for construction costs of roads is computed based on a weighting of indices for earth work, asphalt work, concrete structures and iron structures. Furthermore and operating index is computed from labor costs, oil fuel, and subindices for freight transport by road and equipment and machinery.

The overall costs for civil engineering projects covers the costs associated with the construction of the road network in Denmark. The cost index is a weighted index, which means that the index is calculated as a weighted average of the change in prices for materials and labor costs. The index illuminates exclusively the development of costs associated with civil engineering works, and, therefore, does not state anything about the actual level of the costs.

The index is calculated as a chained fixed weights Laspeyres index, and shows the quarterly change in costs of a fixed basket of commodities, which in the case of the cost index for civil engineering projects encompasses those materials and labor input of civil engineering works.

The weight basis for this statistic was updated in 2025, with 2021 as base year. It was developed in cooperation with the Danish Road Directorate and a number of entrepreneurs involved in civil engineering work, and is based on an analysis of a ongoing and completed civil engineering projects. Approximately every fifth year, the weights are evaluated.

The indices for earth works, asphalt works, concrete structures and iron structures are used directly in the calculation of the cost index for construction of roads. The four indices have weights of 45,35 pct. for earth works, 25,24 pct. for asphalt works, 21,36 pct. for concrete structures and 8,05 pct. for iron structures.

Construction cost indices for road work was published in the first quarter 1995, when it replaced the index for motor highways and main roads. From January 1st 2001 the title was altered to the current Construction cost indices for civil engineering.

Until April 2004 the price concept was the actual producer or import prices excl. VAT. Actual prices means that both general discounts and actual discounts are offset in the price.

Since April 2004 the import prices have been collected as purchasing prices and not sales prices as previously. Hereinafter, the price concept for imported goods are actual purchasing prices c.i.f. excl. all taxes and duties.

Classification system

The index is based on subgroups for earth work, asphalt work, concrete structures, iron structures, as well as sub-indices for freight transport by road, and equipment and machinery. Moreover, an operating index and an index for construction of roads is published, the latter of which is composed of earth work, asphalt work, concrete structures and iron structures.

Sector coverage

Civil engineering sector.

Statistical concepts and definitions

Labor costs: The labor costs are gathered from indices selected from Statistics Denmark's "Standardised index of average earnings" (SBLON1).

Material prices: The material prices are calculated on the basis of information gathered for the Price index for domestic supply (PRIS1121), Producer price index for services (PRIS1521), and Net price index (PRIS114).

Until April 2004 the price concept was the actual producer or import prices excl. VAT. Actual prices means that both general discounts and actual discounts are offset in the price.

Since April 2004 the import prices have been collected as purchasing prices and not sales prices as previously. Hereinafter, the price concept for imported goods are actual purchasing prices c.i.f.* excl. all taxes and duties.

*Costs related to transportation and insurance of the transported goods (cost, insurance and freight).

Weighting scheme for Construction cost indices for civil engineering projects: The weighting scheme for the cost index for road construction is set up in cooperation with the Danish Road Directorate, Banedanmark and a number of entreneurs on the basis of an analysis of road construction work carried out in 2021. The indices for earth works, asphalt works, concrete structures and iron structures are used directly in the calculation of the cost index for road construction. The four indices have weights of 45,35 pct. for earth works, 25,24 pct. for asphalt works, 21,36 pct. for concrete structures, and 8,05 pct. for iron structures.

For all indices there are sub-indices for labor costs and a number of main cost components. These are not published but can be retrieved through a membership service by contacting Statistics Denmark.

Statistical unit

Costs.

Statistical population

The population encompass prices on the material and labor costs required for civil engineering projects.

Reference area

Denmark.

Time coverage

1986-

Base period

2021=100

Unit of measure

Index numbers and percentage changes.

Reference period

The Construction cost indices for civil engineering projects is compiled quarterly, i.e. the relevant index number is representative for costs in the relevant quarter.

Frequency of dissemination

Quarterly.

Legal acts and other agreements

The legal authority for data collection is provided by section 8, paragraph 1 of the Act on Statistics Denmark, cf. Executive Order no. 610 of 30 May 2018.

Cost and burden

There is a miniscule direct response burden since most of the data are obtained from other statistics produced by Statistics Denmark.

For information about how the prices used in the Construction cost index for residential buildings are reported, users are referred to the documentations of statistics for Standardised index of average earnings, Producer and Import Price Index for Commodities, Producer Price Index for Services and Net price index.

Comment

Further information on the cost index for civil engineering projects is available at the statistic's subject page or by contacting Statistics Denmark, Prices and Consumption.