Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Swiss Federal Statistical Office Prices Espace de l'Europe 10 CH-2010 Neuchâtel
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
22 April 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
22 April 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
22 April 2025
3.1. Data description
Construction output price index
3.2. Classification system
NACE Rev. 2.
See below in 3.3 the equivalences between Swiss classification and CC
3.3. Coverage - sector
Activities covered: The indices cover buildings and civil engineering works in NACE Rev. 2 Section F.
Size classes covered: None
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The index is calculated for:
total construction;
building
new building
construction of administrative buildings (CC1220)
construction of multi-dwelling residential buildings (CC1122)
construction of multi-dwelling residential buildings of wood (CC1122)
constuction of one-dwelling buildings (CC 1110)
constuction of industrial halls (CC1251)
renovation
renovation of multi-dwelling residential buildings (CC1122)
renovation of administrative buildings (CC1220)
civil engineering
construction of road sections (CC2112)
construction of underpasses in reinforced concrete (CC2142)
construction of anti-noise walls
road rehabilitation
The two indices for related to administrative buildings cover construction and renovation of administrative buildings and offices (public and private sector).
The three indices related to multi-dwelling residential buildings cover construction and renovation in the public and private sector. The index for construction of one-dwelling buildings covers almost exclusively the private sector. The index for construction of industrial halls covers almost exclusively the private sector.
Planned changes in information collected: A revision is under way.
Accounting conventions: The reference period of the "April-Index" covers the months from January to June and the "October-Index" the months from July to December. For the first half-year respondents are asked to provide prices falling within the period from January to the end of April, and for the second semester between July and the end of October.
3.5. Statistical unit
Reporting unit: Establishment (local unit).
Observation unit(s): Establishment (local unit).
3.6. Statistical population
The population count about 55'000 units and the sample about 4'000
3.7. Reference area
Switzerland
3.8. Coverage - Time
From 1998
3.9. Base period
The current base period is 2021 (for FSO data base see below point 19).
Indices
Half a year
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Federal Law on Statistics of 9 October 1992 Bundesstatistikgesetz (BstatG) vom 9. Oktober 1992 Loi fédérale du 9 octobre 1992 sur la statistique fédérale (LSF) Ordinance of 30 June 1993 on the Implementation of Statistical Surveys Verordnung vom 30. Juni 1993 über die Durchführung von statistischen Erhebungen des Bundes Ordonnance du 30 juin 1993 concernant l'exécution des relevés statistiques fédéraux
Compulsory survey: fines can be given.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
The data are only sent to Eurostat
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The compilation and publication of the data are governed by the Federal Law on Statistics (10/9/92), the Ordinance on the Execution of Statistical Surveys (06/30/93) and the Federal Law on Data Protection (06/19/92). The Federal Law on Data Protection specifies that the Swiss Federal Statistical Office cannot publish, or otherwise make available to any individual or organisation, statistics that would enable the identification of data for any individual person or entity. The Laws and Ordinance are published in German, French and Italian and copies can be obtained, for a fee, from BBL, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland, Fax: (+41) 58 465 50 09, Internet:
The indices for the large regions are not published if they are not based on data for at least three enterprises.
8.1. Release calendar
The date of the next press release is always on the Internet. The publication periods of the press release are the second half of June for the April index and the second half of December for the October index.
The data are released simultaneously to all interested parties by the press release.
No internal government access prior to the release to the public.
Transmission to Eurostat of data of "residential buildings, except residences for communities" and "two and more dwelling buildings".
The survey is half-yearly. A linear interpolation is calculated for the quarterly value.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
The aggregated indices (building, civil engineering and total construction) are published each half year in a press release.
The only commentary attached to the release of the data is provided by the FSO
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
The aggregated indices (building, civil engineering and total construction) are published on the Internet each half year simultaneously with the press release and then the detailed indices for the construction types are published.
The indices are published each half year for seven types of building construction and four types of civil engineering as well as for the aggregates of building, civil engineering and total construction. The indices are published for Switzerland as a whole and for each of the 7 large regions.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
No.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
No.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Quarterly estimates are sent to Eurostat.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
A methodological manual exists (Schweizerischer Baupreisindex, Oktober 2020 = 100, Methodische Grundlagen / La statistique suisse des prix de la construction, Octobre 2020 = 100, Bases méthodologiques, Neuchâtel 2022) and is available on the Internet (for Eurostat data see below point 19).
FSO has a Quality Office and a Code of Practice (COP). The quality assurance is described in the metodological manuel (see above).
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Quality is high. Results are compared with others indicators (benchmarking)
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The data is used by the Swiss National Bank, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs and many Federal Offices (for example Federal roads office, Federal office of transport, Swiss Federal Railways,…) as well as by a large number of Cantonal and Communal Offices of Buildings or Roads.
Eurostat receives quarterly estimates based on the data.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
No statisfaction Survey.
12.3. Completeness
Index starts in 1998. Data series are available from 2000. They are now rebased on 2020.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Not available (we don't use a random sample).
13.2. Sampling error
The used sample is not a random sample so statistical error cannot be calculated
13.3. Non-sampling error
Three electronic reminders (the latter only for activities and large regions where the response rate is too low) as well as a telephone contact are carried out.
The response rate is nearly 50%.
14.1. Timeliness
Data are published approximately 2 months after the end of reference period. The data are final when first released and is not subject to revision. An interpolation is done for Eurostat between the two semestrial data calculated.
The questionnaires are sent two months before the months of April and October.
14.2. Punctuality
All the national publication dates are respected.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The CR 1503/2006 definitions are applied. The whole national territory is equally covered and results for the seven NUTS II regions are moreover calculated
15.2. Comparability - over time
There is no break in series between 1998 and today.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
The results of comparison with costs indices are good. GDP deflator of construction is based on the results of the construction output price index.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The internal coherence is assured.
Cost for the FSO is 4 full-time equivalent.
Burden for respondents is on average one person-hour per form.
17.1. Data revision - policy
The "no data revisions" policy is respected in practice.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Major methodological changes and revisions are announced in advance through a press release.
18.1. Source data
Type of source: Survey
Frame on which the source is based: The REE was used for the first stage of the sample; membership lists of employer's associations and telephone directories were used as a complementary source.
Sample or census: The collection of data is based on a sample for all of the indices for all types of construction. The first sample was a randomly drawn stratified sample. The subsequent updates have been done empirically as and when needed.
Criteria for stratification: For the first drawing of the sample the strata are constructed from large regions, and activities (according to NOGA). Establishments with less than 2 full time employees are excluded. Within each strata a random sample is drawn for each of two sub-strata based on the number of employees. Half of the sample (half of the predetermined sample size) is drawn by selecting the largest establishments; then the second half of the sample is drawn from among the remaining smaller units.
Frequency of updating the sample: Not available.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Data are collected twice a year for all types of indices.
18.3. Data collection
Questionnaires used in the survey: Specific questionnaires are used for each type of work (corps de métier) and are sent for each round of data collection to a fixed sample.
Planned changes in national questionnaires: None except those related to changes in construction methods.
Data collection media: All data collection is done by electronic questionnaires.
Planned changes in data collection methodology: A revision is under way.
18.4. Data validation
Not available.
18.5. Data compilation
Estimates for non-response: none.
Estimates for grossing-up to population levels: none.
Type of index: Simple Laspeyres index.
Method of weighting and chaining: For all types of construction, the weighting system is fixed and is only changed when there is a revision. The weights are based on an analysis of the final account of a representitive project for each type of construction. The weights for aggregating each construction type and large region are based on their share of the level of investment in construction. The values come from statistics on construction and accommodation. The weights used to aggregate the construction types into the total construction index are the construction investment made in 2018.
Planned changes in production methods: A revision is under way.
18.6. Adjustment
The method of prices for construction services is used ("prix des prestations"): the prices for a list of standardised works are collected. In order to have regional indices the same number (as near as possible) of prices for each construction service are collected for each (of 7) large regions.
The indices are calculated by taking the geometric average for each heading and for each large region of the elementary indices (the price indices for each enterprise for each heading). These index headings are subsequently aggregated using weights for each type of construction and for each large region in order to produce the building, civil engineering and total construction indices.
The current base period is October 2020 =100. The indices are published on the Internet on base 2020=100, but rebased on base 2021=100 for data sent to Eurostat.
Construction output price index
22 April 2025
The index is calculated for:
total construction;
building
new building
construction of administrative buildings (CC1220)
construction of multi-dwelling residential buildings (CC1122)
construction of multi-dwelling residential buildings of wood (CC1122)
constuction of one-dwelling buildings (CC 1110)
constuction of industrial halls (CC1251)
renovation
renovation of multi-dwelling residential buildings (CC1122)
renovation of administrative buildings (CC1220)
civil engineering
construction of road sections (CC2112)
construction of underpasses in reinforced concrete (CC2142)
construction of anti-noise walls
road rehabilitation
The two indices for related to administrative buildings cover construction and renovation of administrative buildings and offices (public and private sector).
The three indices related to multi-dwelling residential buildings cover construction and renovation in the public and private sector. The index for construction of one-dwelling buildings covers almost exclusively the private sector. The index for construction of industrial halls covers almost exclusively the private sector.
Planned changes in information collected: A revision is under way.
Accounting conventions: The reference period of the "April-Index" covers the months from January to June and the "October-Index" the months from July to December. For the first half-year respondents are asked to provide prices falling within the period from January to the end of April, and for the second semester between July and the end of October.
Reporting unit: Establishment (local unit).
Observation unit(s): Establishment (local unit).
The population count about 55'000 units and the sample about 4'000
Switzerland
Half a year
Not available (we don't use a random sample).
Indices
Estimates for non-response: none.
Estimates for grossing-up to population levels: none.
Type of index: Simple Laspeyres index.
Method of weighting and chaining: For all types of construction, the weighting system is fixed and is only changed when there is a revision. The weights are based on an analysis of the final account of a representitive project for each type of construction. The weights for aggregating each construction type and large region are based on their share of the level of investment in construction. The values come from statistics on construction and accommodation. The weights used to aggregate the construction types into the total construction index are the construction investment made in 2018.
Planned changes in production methods: A revision is under way.
Type of source: Survey
Frame on which the source is based: The REE was used for the first stage of the sample; membership lists of employer's associations and telephone directories were used as a complementary source.
Sample or census: The collection of data is based on a sample for all of the indices for all types of construction. The first sample was a randomly drawn stratified sample. The subsequent updates have been done empirically as and when needed.
Criteria for stratification: For the first drawing of the sample the strata are constructed from large regions, and activities (according to NOGA). Establishments with less than 2 full time employees are excluded. Within each strata a random sample is drawn for each of two sub-strata based on the number of employees. Half of the sample (half of the predetermined sample size) is drawn by selecting the largest establishments; then the second half of the sample is drawn from among the remaining smaller units.
Frequency of updating the sample: Not available.
The survey is half-yearly. A linear interpolation is calculated for the quarterly value.
Data are published approximately 2 months after the end of reference period. The data are final when first released and is not subject to revision. An interpolation is done for Eurostat between the two semestrial data calculated.
The questionnaires are sent two months before the months of April and October.
The CR 1503/2006 definitions are applied. The whole national territory is equally covered and results for the seven NUTS II regions are moreover calculated
There is no break in series between 1998 and today.
