Statistics Centre Issued Its Monthly Report on The Prices of Building Materials

Statistics Centre, Abu Dhabi recently issued its monthly report on the prices of building materials for the month of November 2012. The report presents an analysis of the movements in the prices of the various materials used in the construction industry in Abu Dhabi retail market, comparing November 2012 prices with those of October 2012 and November 2011.

Varying changes were reported in the average prices of building materials during November 2012 compared with October 2012, with increases ranging between 0.3% for the Wood group to 5.6% for the Glass group. Price falls were also recorded over the period, ranging between 0.4% for the Paints group and 9.3% for the Construction labor costs group.

The average wages of construction labor by decreased by 9.3% in November compared with October 2012 as falls were recorded in wages for most of the trades under this group, ranging from a drop of 5.9% for semi skilled workers to 16.7% for both carpenters and metal fabricators.

The average prices of Power cable decreased by 2.6% in November 2012, as a result of decreases in all the items of this group.

SCAD reported an increase of 2.4% in the average prices of the Cement group in November compared with October 2012, owing to a rise of 15.4 per cent in the price of Sulphate resistant/Al-Etihad UAE cement.

The average MoM prices of Wires for small buildings and Wires for residential towers decreased by 3.4% and 3.2% respectively in October 2012, while the average prices of Wires for apartments advanced by 1.5%.

The average MoM prices of the Concrete group advanced 2.2% in November 2012, reflecting increases in all items within this group.

As SCAD’s report reveals, decreases were recorded in the average monthly prices of 12 groups of building materials during November 2012 compared with November 2011. The falls ranged between 0.7% for Paints and 20.2% for Wires for apartments.

The largest fall in November prices YoY was recorded in the average prices of Wires, led by the decrease in Wires for apartments, while Wires for residential towers and Wires for small buildings decreased by 15.6% and 14.1% respectively.