Home improvement costs soar

The cost of home improvements has soared by a fifth in two years because of the rising cost of raw materials and a shortage of workers.

A report by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) found some jobs are almost a quarter dearer than they were in 2006.

Building a 4m² conservatory is up 22% to about £23,000, re-securing six roof tiles is up 17% to £310, and plumbing and electrical work is up 22%.

The report blames rising oil prices for increasing transport costs that are passed onto customers and global demand for raw materials.

It also says the return of many immigrant workers to their native Poland has driven up competition in the labour market, reports the Daily Mail.