Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi (SCAD) issued today its monthly report on the prices of building materials for the month of December and Q4 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 December 2012 prices with those of November 2012 and December 2011. It also compares prices in Q4 2012 with Q3 2012 and Q4 2011. 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: December/November 2012 Varying changes were reported in the average prices of building materials during December 2012 compared with November 2012, with increases ranging between 0.2 percent for the “Wires for small building” group and 12.0 percent for the “Construction labour costs” group. Price falls were also recorded between the periods compared, ranging between 0.1 percent for the “Tiles and marble” group and 2.3 percent for the “Steel” group.
Construction labour costs Average “Construction labour costs” increased by 12.0 percent in December compared with November 2012, reflecting rises in wages for most of the trades under this group, ranging from 7.1 percent to 18.8 percent.
Power cables The average prices of “Power cable” advanced by 1.1 percent in December 2012, as a result of increases in most of the items of this group.
Waterproofing Products The “Waterproofing Products” group increased by 4.6 percent in December compared with November 2012, as a result of increases in most of the items within this group in the range of 6.3 percent for “Bitumen/Oxidized Hot (115/15) primer 180 kg/S. Arabian” and 11.6 percent for “Bitumen/60/70/Ton”.
Cement SCAD reported an increase of 1.9 percent in the average prices of the “Cement” group in December compared with November 2012, due to a rise of 6.7 percent in the price of “Sulphate resistant/Al- Etihad/U.A.E.” cement.
Wires The average prices of “Wires for residential towers” and “Wires for apartments” declined by 1.5 percent and 0.9 percent, respectively, while the average price of “Wires for small building” edged up by 0.2 percent, reflecting increases in the prices of most items within this subgroup.
Steel The average m-o-m prices of “Steel” decreased by 2.3 percent in December 2012 as most items under this group recorded price falls ranging between 0.5 percent for “High tensile Steel/Ton/Qatar” and 8.2 percent for “Steel bars, 6 – 8 mm/Ton/Turkey”.
Pipes The average prices of (PVC) Pipes advanced 5.3 percent in December compared with November 2012, as most items in this group surged by 5.3 percent for “PVC pipes/3 inch/6m/U.A.E.” to 17.2 percent for “PVC pipes/1.5 inch/6m/UAE”. During same period also, the average prices of (uPVC) pipes increased by 1.9 percent.
Building materials prices: December 2012/2011 The average monthly prices of 13 groups of building materials declined in December 2012 compared with December 2011. The price falls ranged between 0.7 percent for “Paints” and 18.0 percent for “Wires for apartments” as detailed below: Wires The average prices of “Wires” retreated in December 2012 compared with December 2011. “Wires for apartments” accounted for the largest decrease (18.0 percent), followed by “Wires for residential towers” and “Wires for small buildings”, which retreated by 15.8 percent and 12.6 percent, respectively.
Steel The average y-o-y price of “Steel” retreated by 7.6 percent in December 2012, due to drops ranging between 4.5 percent and 19.7 percent in the component items of the group. The monthly y-o-y prices of steel have been on the decline since the beginning of 2012.
Transport equipment Average transport equipment rents decreased by 7.7 percent in December 2012 compared with December 2011.
Construction labour costs Average “Construction labour costs” increased by 17.1 percent y-o-y in December 2012.
Glass The average prices of the “Glass” group increased by 11.0 percent in December 2012 compared with December 2011. During 2012, monthly y-o-y increases in this group ranged between 2.8 percent in January and 18.3 percent in May.
Cement The average prices of “Cement” increased by 9.2 percent y-o-y in December 2012, as increases were recorded in most of the items of this group.
Building materials prices in Q4 2012 compared with Q3 2012 Higher prices were recorded for most of the building materials groups during Q4 2012 compared with Q3 2012. Increases ranged between 0.3 percent for “Paints” and 11.8 percent for the “Glass” group.
The average prices of “Concrete”, “Diesel” and “Natural stone” remained stable in Q4 2012 compared with Q3 2012.
On the other hand, decreases were reported in the average prices of a number of commodity group in Q4 2012 compared with Q3 2012, led by a decline of 5.2 percent in the average prices of “Wires for residential towers”, followed by “Waterproofing products”, (down 4.8 percent), “Wires for apartments” (down 4.6 percent) and “Sanitary ware- Sink stainless steel with mixer-single” (down 4.3 percent).
Building materials prices for Q4 2012 compared with Q4 2011 Price increases were observed in most groups of building materials during Q4 2012 compared with Q4 2011, ranging between 0.1 percent for “Transport equipment rents” and 12.9 per cent for “Glass”. Other increases include a rise of 9.5 percent in “Sanitary ware- bathroom set without accessories”, 6.3 percent in “Tiles and marble”, 5.7 percent in “Cement” by and 5.4 percent in “Waterproofing products”.
Decreases ranged between 0.6 percent for “Roofing materials” and 19.3 percent for “Wires for apartments”, while “Wires for Residential towers” decreased by 15.2 percent and “Wires for small buildings” by 12.8 percent.
The average price for the “Diesel” and “Natural stone” groups remained stable during Q4 2012, compared with Q4 2011.
