Building material prices hit record high

Federal, provincial taxes, increases in gas, electricity, transport costs, contribute to this

RAWALPINDI:

New federal and provincial taxes, along with continuous increases in electricity, gas and transportation costs, have led to an unprecedented rise in the prices of all building materials.

In the market, top-quality bricks are now priced at Rs25,000 per thousand, prompting contractors to rely more heavily on old bricks.

A bag of cement is available at Rs1,350, steel at Rs255,000 per ton, gravel at Rs3,500 per trolley, sand at Rs3,000 per trolley, masonry labour at Rs2,500 per day, and general labour at Rs1,500 per day.

Prices of cement plaster, standard marble, plumbing materials and electrical supplies have also increased by up to 30 per cent. The upward trend in building material prices continues.

Contractors say building material costs have seen record increases over the past two years.

Contractor Haji Sultan Mahmood said that three to four years ago, a four-marla double-storey house could be completed for Rs7.5 to 8 million, but the estimated cost has now crossed Rs10 million.

Due to this, contractors have shifted from constructing four- and five-marla houses to building two-, two-and-a-half- and three-marla units for sale. Five-marla plots are now divided into two units of two-and-a-half marla each, with double-storey houses built on them.