Polish building prices: annual pressure differs from the latest monthly rise

GUS reported on 18 September that construction and assembly output prices rose 6.2% annually and 0.3% monthly in August 2026. Specialist work had the largest annual increase, 7.0%, compared with 6.2% for buildings and 5.7% for civil engineering.

The monthly order was different: buildings rose 0.5%, civil engineering 0.2% and specialist work 0.1%. The category with the largest annual rise was therefore not the one rising fastest in August. These provisional figures describe prices charged for construction output, not apartment sale prices.

For a buyer, the distinction is between work already included in a fixed purchase price and work still to be commissioned. Only the latter needs a new contractor quotation; applying 6.2% to the entire apartment price would also revalue land and other components that this index does not measure.

Who should pay closest attention?

The release is most directly relevant to buyers who must commission work after handover. The purchase price today and the future cost of making the home usable belong to different points in time. A contractor quote with a stated validity period offers a better basis than applying a national index to the whole property.

Comparing two listings without a false saving

If one apartment is move-in ready and another needs finishing, price per square metre is insufficient. Add a specification-based works budget and the period during which the second home remains unusable. A completed property still needs a condition inspection: a ready-to-move label does not establish future repair requirements.

These figures do not show that sellers can pass higher costs to buyers. Construction prices and transaction prices respond to different conditions. Negotiating evidence comes from local comparable offers and transactions; outstanding works require a current quote. The August GUS release is preliminary.