Construction Cost Trends


Construction Cost Trends Computations Overview

The Bureau of Reclamation’s Construction Cost Trends (CCT) were developed to track construction relevant to the primary types of projects being constructed by the organization. All the various cost indexes consist of two elements:  contractor labor and equipment costs and contractor supplied materials and equipment.

When the indexes were originally developed, the substantial amount of construction work being performed by Reclamation provided a large data reference for the 35 construction categories. Actual field cost data were used to develop the costs' baselines and their respective incremental increases over time.

Since the early to mid-1980s, the number and magnitude of construction projects being performed by Reclamation has declined. There are fewer construction projects in general and no new large dam or hydroelectric projects. The number of data references from our own construction has therefore declined as well.

Despite this reduction in the construction program, the CCTs are still considered a valuable asset used by many within Reclamation, as well as numerous clients in other government entities and the private sector. In order to perpetuate the CCTs in as a meaningful and professional manner as possible, cost models consisting of appropriate labor, equipment, and materials types are now used as the principal costs reference in lieu of actual field data. Data for the models are primarily extracted from:

  • Producer Price Indexes [PPI], US Department of Labor, Bureau of LaborStatistics
  • Department of Agriculture, Land and Rental Prices
  • Engineering News-Record, weekly publication of BNP Media

Actual field data, when available, is used to confirm the reasonableness of the models. Engineering judgment may also be used to adjust the results.

New Construction Cost Trend Idices For October 2025

Reclamation’s Technical Services Center (TSC) has develop two new Construction Cost Trends for appropriation ceiling indexing: Water treatment plants and Plastic pipelines that will be published starting for the October 2025 trends.   

As the organization and construction industry have evolved it became clear that there were certain types of projects being constructed by the organization that did not fit the 35 construction categories that made up the CCT Indexes. The Estimating Services Group utilized actual field cost data as well as published labor and material cost data to establish the baseline values and created cost models to track incremental changes overtime. Each of the cost indexes consist of four main elements: labor, equipment, fuel and material costs that are tracked from various industry sources. 

It should be noted that Reclamation Directive and Standard (D&S), FAC 09-01 — Cost Estimating, recommends “repricing” of all cost estimates that are greater than 5 years old rather than utilizing an indexing approach for updating cost estimates. More information can be found on this topic in the D&S listed above.  

Construction Cost Trends PDFs
2024 through 2027 2000 through 2003
2020 through 2023 1996 through 1999 *
2016 through 2019 1992 through 1995
2012 through 2015 1988 through 1991
2008 through 2011 1984 through 1987
2004 through 2007  
* Note:  Several indexes that were previously published from April 1997 through April 1999 were revised in July 1999.  These indexes reflect the refinement of computations that resulted in minor changes to some of the construction cost indexes.  It is believed that these adjusted numbers more closely represent actual conditions and trends for the above period.  The original published numbers, if needed, may be viewed and printed by clicking on:
Index numbers previously published for April 1997 through April 1999.
 
Next Update:  It is anticipated that the October 2025 Construction Cost Trends will be posted by late November 2025.


Projected Construction Cost Trends - TEMP. CEILING REPLACEMENT

The Java CEILING application was sunset on December 31st,2023 and is no longer being updated with the quarterly Construction Cost Trends. For a temporary work around please utilize the link below for the foreseeable future to view the Actual and Projected CCTs. The projected indicies are available internally to Bureau of Reclamation employees only. Per BGT05-01, all estimates should be re-priced every 5 years.

 Click here to access projected Construction Cost Trends



Construction Cost Trends Power BI Report

Sign in to Power BI to access the embedded CCT report right below (or link to CCT Power BI report):


 

Last Updated: 9/9/25