The amount of time it takes to build a home has decreased for the first time since the pandemic, but experts warn there is still a "long way to go", with construction 35 per cent slower than it was a decade ago.

Analysis of the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data on building activity by Master Builders Australia (MBA) has found the average time to build a house — from approval to completion — dropped to 11-and-a-half months in 2024-25, down from almost 13 months the previous year.

In the same period, the average time to build a townhouse decreased by five weeks to almost 15 months while apartment construction sped up only slightly, to just under 33 months.

MBA chief executive Denita Wawn said the drop was "significant", crediting changes to building regulations for the imp

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