SCAD issues its monthly report on prices of building materials for January 2013

The dissemination of this important report, which presents a wide range of price data, is intended to serve the needs of data users in the public and private sectors for the purposes of research, planning and decision making in ways that support the construction sector as well as related and dependent sectors.

Building materials prices: January 2013/December 2012
Compared with December in 2012, building materials price rises in January 2013 ranged between 0.7% for 'Steel' and 7.2% for 'Wires for apartments', while price falls ranged between 0.1% for 'Transport equipment rents' and 11.1% for 'Construction labour costs'.

Construction labour costs
According to SCAD's report, average 'construction labour costs' declined by 11.1% in January 2013 compared with their levels in December 2012, reflecting falls in wages, ranging from 6.7% for 'Electricians' and 20.0% for "Surveyors".

Power cable
The average prices of 'Power cable' increased by 1.7% MoM in January 2013, as a result of increases in all items within this group.

Cement
The report indicates a 2.2% fall in the average prices of the 'Cement' group in January 2013 compared with December 2012, due mainly to decreases of 6.3% in the price per ton of 'Al- Etihad sulphate resistant cement/U.A.E.' and 4.5% per ton of 'Oman Gypsum'.

Glass
The average prices of the 'Glass' group retreated 2.2% in January 2013 compared with December 2012.

Wires
In January 2013 the average prices of Wires for 'Apartments', 'Residential towers' and 'Small buildings' advanced by 7.2%, 2.7% and 1.2% respectively, compared with December 2012.

Waterproofing Products
SCAD reported a drop of 1.3% in the average prices of 'Waterproofing Products' in January 2013 compared with December 2012, resulting from a decrease of 11.0% in the price of 'Oxidized cold applied bitumen (Primer D 41)/Saudi Arabia'.

Pipes
The average prices of (PVC pipes) declined 1.6% in January 2013, as most items in this group fell by 3.4-10.7%, while the prices of (uPVC pipes) increased by 1.0% MoM during January 2013.

Building materials prices: January 2013/2012
Lower prices were recorded for 12 the building materials groups during January 2013 compared with January 2012. Decreases ranged between 0.3% for 'Paints' and 11.9% for the 'Residential tower wires'.

Wires
According to SCAD's monthly report, the average prices of 'Wires' retreated significantly in January 2013 compared with January 2012. Price falls in this group were led by 'Wires for residential towers', which tumbled 11.9%, followed by 'Wires for apartments' (down 8.7%) and 'Wires for small buildings' (down 8.2%).

Transport equipment rents
Average transport equipment rents decreased by 4.0% in January 2013 compared with January 2012.

Aggregates and sand
Average prices of the 'Aggregates and sand' group decreased by 3.8% YoY in January 2013, as a range of items within the group declined by 3.4-20.0% compared with January 2012.

Rises in building materials prices in January 2013 compared with January 2012
Glass
The average prices of the 'Glass' group increased by 13.4% in January 2013 compared with January 2012, with increases in the group items ranging between 8.1 and 30.0%.

Sanitary ware
As SCAD's report finds, the average prices of 'Bathroom sets without accessories' and 'Bathroom sets with accessories' subgroups increased by 10.2% and 9.0% respectively, during January 2013, while the average prices of the 'Single stainless steel sinks with mixer' subgroup decreased by 4.0% compared with January 2012.

Construction labour costs
Average 'Construction labour costs' increased by 6.9% in January 2013 compared with January 2012 reflecting increases in the range of 11.1% to 16.7% in most of the items falling under this group during the period under review.