In the Czech Republic, there is a lack of standards for the uniform determination of construction work prices

Brno - There is a lack of standards in the Czech Republic for the uniform determination of construction work prices. Current price lists are primarily provided by private companies. However, the valuation of the same project tasks significantly varies among different methods. The Czech Chamber of Authorized Engineers and Technicians Active in Construction (ČKAIT) recommends that the government introduce a mandatory pricing list. Chamber representatives stated this to reporters today.
    The mandatory pricing list should primarily concern projects involving partnerships between private and public sources (PPP) and contracts issued by the state. According to the chamber, the introduction of standardization will eliminate additional requirements for extra work in public tenders since the subject of fulfillment will be clearly defined. "We believe that the investor should have information on how much the construction will cost," said ČKAIT Chairman Pavel Křeček.
    According to him, the pricing list will be indicative and primarily serve to inform contract issuers. The chamber received a fine of half a million crowns from the antimonopoly office years ago for a similar regulation called the fee schedule. However, it subsequently defended its approach in court, and the office had to return the fine. Křeček is not concerned that the new pricing list will also provoke dissatisfaction from the Office for the Protection of Competition.
    "ČKAIT has the legal authority to issue price lists. This power is subject to an exemption from the applicability of competition law, as confirmed by the Supreme Administrative Court in its ruling," said the chairman of the UOHS, Petr Rafaj.
    The absence of binding fee regulations and pricing lists also applies to the execution of supplies and installations of construction work. The only objective guideline for evaluating completed constructions, according to the chamber, remains the overview published by the Ministry for Regional Development and materials published by the Union of Entrepreneurs in Construction.
    The Czech Statistical Office also provides framework data on the value of construction work. "However, these cannot be considered comparative, as they do not clearly indicate the content of the items," stated Křeček.
    According to ČKAIT, pricing lists for tasks and fees have a long-standing tradition in the Czech lands, with roots that trace back to the pre-war period. According to the chamber, it is currently essential, especially for state contracts, to establish a transparent relationship between price levels and the subject of the contract.