How much does social distancing cost construction? John Holland boss Joe Barr puts the extra burden at up to 1 per cent of the total cost of a project, considering measures such as temperature checking equipment, on-site COVID-19 marshalls and providing extra space for distancing.

"It’s fair to say on most jobs the cost of implementing that sort of equipment and labour associated with controlling COVID conditions is something between 0.5 and 1 per cent of the project cost," Barr says.