Show RELIEF IN SIGHT Building Costs To Level LeveI Off NEW YORK Construction Construction costs 1 have have- reached a peak after SOD soaring C to time all highs during the postwar postwar postwar post post- war period it is revealed in hi a survey survey survey sur sur- vey covering general tors three Fifty-three per cent of the contractors contractors tors tars queried in the poll which was made by F. F W. W Dodge corporation expressed belief that building costs have reached their highest peak and a majority felt that costs will stabilize below present levels It was pointed out that with exception exception ex ex- of lumber cement c ment tural steel and cast iron soil pipe and fittings prices for most building materials have tended tende to remain steady since the start of the year Only in the Pacific states was opinion opinIon opinion ion general that further gains of from 11 to 12 percent per cent would be witnessed witnessed wit wit- in 1947 According to the survey labor inefficIency Inefficiency In in- efficiency caused by an irregular flow of materials construction delays delays de de- de lays imposed by an inadequate supply supply supply sup sup- ply of skilled workers and an nn excessive excessive ex ex- expenditure of time in shopping shopping shopping shop shop- ping for and obtaining materials are I major contributing factors of today's high construction costs Of the reporting contractors 43 per cent said the average w wage wige ge of some building craftsmen in hi their areas of operation had increased since the first of ot the year and 76 per cent said that they expected increases increases increases in in- creases later In 1 the season In the aggregate the general contractors contractors con can tractors reported that per cent of their present work by dollar volume vol vol- ume Is being done on a sum lump-sum basis while white the tile rest is being handled handled han han- died on plus fixed ee contracts |