US Residential Construction Input Prices Rise in April

A closer look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Producer Price Index for April, with analysis by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), shows that prices for inputs to new residential construction—excluding capital investment, labor, and imports—rose 1.3% in April.

Year-over-year, the inputs to residential construction price index rose 5.9%. The goods component increased 6.1%, while services rose 3.7%.

Input goods, which account for about 60% of the index, rose 1.2% month-over-month. Energy input prices increased 13.8% and were up 39.4% year-over-year. Building material prices rose 0.1% and were up 3.7% compared with April 2025.

Among input goods, No. 2 diesel fuel posted the largest annual increase, with prices up 74.4% from a year earlier. Asphalt prices rose 18.0% year-over-year after declining in March. Softwood lumber prices increased 1.1% in April following several months of annual declines. Particleboard and fiberboard prices fell 12.0%, while softwood veneer and plywood prices declined 1.7%.

Service inputs to residential construction rose 1.3% in April and were up 5.6% year-over-year. Trade services, which account for about 60% of service-input costs, increased 5.6% from a year earlier. Transportation and warehousing services rose 15.3%, while other services increased 1.6%.