HC Deb 15 October 1945 vol 414 c743W
Mr. Maude

asked the Minister of Works the respective price and estimated cost per house of 900 superficial feet in 1938, and for the most recent convenient date, of each of the principal materials used in the construction of a traditional house.

Mr. Tomlinson

Before the War even identical materials were sold at different prices according to circumstances, locality and size of order, and to a lesser extent this also applies to present day building. The following figures must therefore be regarded as lying somewhere within a wide range of variation:

1938. 1945
Price. Cost. Price. Cost.
£ £
Bricks 54s. per 1000 56 80s. per 1000 84
Timber— £18 36 £50 100
Excluding fabrication Per standard Per standard
Cement 47s. ton 20 68s. ton 29
Sand and Ballast 6s. cu. yd. 17 10s. cu. yd. 28
Roofing Tiles 67s. per 1000 15 140s. per 1000 31
Other Materials 130 200
The figure of timber cost refers to raw material only and does not include the manufacturing cost of such items as doors, cupboards and staircase. (Ministry of Works—11th October, 1945.)