Recent Stats NZ data shows that for the December quarter, the construction industry was charging out 0.5 percent more than it was in the previous quarter. This included a 0.9 percent increase in material prices and a 0.8 percent rise in labour costs for trades such as carpentry. More evidence came from CoreLogic's Cordell Housing Index Price, which found housing construction costs were up 0.4 percent in the December quarter and 3 percent over the year. 

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