Small and medium-sized ( SME ) building firms were asked which materials are in shortest supply and have the longest wait times . The average results were as follows ( in order of longest to shortest wait times ):

• Bricks were in shortest supply with the longest reported wait time being more than one year .

• Roof tiles were second with the longest reported wait time being up to six months .

• Insulation was third with the longest reported wait time being up to four months .

• Slate was fourth with the longest reported wait time being up to six months .

• Windows were fifth with the longest reported wait time being more than one year .

• Blocks were sixth with the longest reported wait time being up to four months .

High demand due to buoyant international markets could be contributing to price increases

• Porcelain products were seventh with the longest reported wait time being more than one year .

• Plasterboard was eighth with the longest reported wait time being up to two months .

• Timber was ninth with the longest reported wait time being up to two months .

• Boilers were tenth , with the longest reported wait time being more than one year .

SME building firms were also asked by what percentage different materials have increased over the past 12 months . On average , the following rises were reported :

• Insulation increased by 16 %

• Bricks increased by 9 %

• Timber increased by 8 %

• Roof tiles increased by 8 %

• Slate increased by 8 %

• Windows increased by 7 %

• Blocks increased by 7 %

• Plasterboard increased by 7 %

• Boilers increased by 7 %

• Porcelain products increased by 6 %

The impact of these material price increases includes :

• More than half of construction SMEs ( 56 %) have had their margins squeezed , this has gone up from one third ( 32 %) reporting this in July 2017 .

• Half of firms ( 49 %) have been forced to pass material price increases onto their clients , making building projects more expensive for consumers , this has gone up from less than one quarter ( 22 %) reporting this in July 2017 .

• A third of firms ( 30 %) have recommended that clients use alternative materials or products to those originally specified , this has gone up from one in ten reporting this in July 2017 .

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• Nearly one fifth ( 17 %) of builder ’ s report making losses on their building projects due to material price increases , this has gone up from one in ten reporting this in July 2017 .

Brian Berry , Chief Executive of the FMB , said : “ Material prices have rocketed over the past year . The reason for this could include the impact of the depreciation of sterling following the EU referendum still feeding through . High demand due to buoyant international markets could also be contributing to price increases . What ’ s particularly worrying is that when prices have increased mid-project , almost one fifth of builders have absorbed the increase and therefore made a loss .”