The latest Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) report, published in January, shows builders’ merchants’ like-for-like total value sales in November 2025 were -0.4% lower than the same month in 2024.
Timber & Joinery Products like-for-like vales sales increased +2.4%. With one less trading day in November 2025, unadjusted total value sales were -5.1% down year-on-year, while volume sales fell -8.5% and prices rose +3.7%.
By value, unadjusted for trading day differences, five categories sold more compared to November 2024. Renewables & Water Saving (+5.1%) and Workwear & Safetywear (+4.0%) were the best performing categories. Timber & Joinery Products sold -2.4% less, better than Total Builders Merchants, while Heavy Building Materials was the weakest category (-8.4%).
In the three months from September to November 2025, like-for-like value sales were flat (0.0%) compared to the same three-month period a year before. With no difference in trading days, the unadjusted value sales were also flat (0.0%). Volume sales were -0.5% lower but prices were up +0.5%. By value, eight categories sold more including Timber & Joinery Products (+2.0%).
Taking into account three less trading days in the most recent month, November’s like-for-like value sales were down -2.0% compared to October. Unadjusted value sales were -14.8% lower, while volume sales fell -19.3%, and prices increased +5.7%. All categories sold less.
Of the three biggest categories, Timber & Joinery Products (-13.5%) performed better than Total Builders Merchants, Heavy Building Materials (-16.8%) declined more, and Landscaping (25.2%) was weakest.
