Győző Vidor said the state must give the first boost to the sector of materials, adding that MEASZ has prepared a proposal for a home builders’ scheme.

Applicants would be offered a loan at a fixed 2.5% interest rate, a grant from the state, as well as a partial VAT refund on invoices of purchases. Another staterun programme could increase the rate of home renovations, Vidor added.

Despite an expected 15% rise in the construction industry in 2014, the construction materials market will only see single-digit growth, he said.

This is due to the fact that infrastructure investments, which drive the construction sector, use only few materials manufactured in this segment.

The largest growth was in window and door sales, nearly 10% last year, partly generated by imports. A lack of skilled labour could soon be a problem, too, with several regions in Hungary already lacking qualified repairmen for window fitting or instalment of insulation.

Source www.hungarymatters.hu

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