SANTO DOMINGO – The price of steel once again emerged as one of the most significant factors in the Direct Housing Construction Cost Index (ICDV) during the first months of 2025, according to data published in the official document. Since January, this material has shown an upward trend that has directly impacted construction costs in the National District and Santo Domingo.
In the October report, the indicator prepared by the National Statistics Office (ONE) revealed that steel showed the largest monthly increase with 21.71%, becoming the main driver of the rise in the index.
The ICDV indicates that steel maintained a significant role in the cost structure throughout 2025, due to its prevalence in single-family and multi-family housing. Its use in columns, beams, mesh, and trusses explains its high incidence.
In February
According to the results for February, materials linked to the metal system registered significant variations. The ICDV reports increases of up to 9.70% in subgroups such as wire, nails, and zinc sheets, which generated a price increase in the supply chain for inputs complementary to steel.
Although structural steel remained stable, the increase in these associated materials created a scenario of greater pressure within the index. The document indicates that this stability did not reduce final costs, but rather reaffirmed the role of steel within the construction system.
The ICDV reports that the overall index fell from 236.07 points in January to 235.56 points in February. However, this slight decrease was not accompanied by a reduction in steel-related costs. Demand for the material remained constant, according to the report's month-over-month comparison.
Steel maintained its stability, consolidating itself as one of the inputs that continues to define the cost trend in structures.
Year-on-year trends
The ICDV report indicates that steel-related metallic materials accumulated a year-on-year variation of 5.85% over the last 12 months. This performance reinforces their weight within the index, especially in projects where their participation is significant.
In single-story buildings, the ICDV (Construction Cost Index) stood at 240.63 points in February, while in two-story homes it reached 238.21 points. In both cases, steel is one of the most significant components in the cost structure.
In four-story buildings, where the index was 231.37 points, the report shows a more stable behavior, without this translating into a lesser influence of steel within the construction system.
Impact on buildings of eight levels or more
The ICDV reports that buildings of eight stories or more had an index of 232.02 points. In this type of structure, the use of steel is significantly higher, which increases the budget's sensitivity to any variation in the material.
The information contained in the document indicates that, although other inputs such as sand and gravel registered reductions of up to -1.97% in February, these decreases only partially compensated for the pressure generated by metallic materials within the overall behavior of the index.
Conclusion
According to the ICDV, steel continues to be the leading contributor to direct construction costs through 2025. The stability of the material, along with the increase in related metal inputs, keeps the construction sector under continuous monitoring.
The index details that the behavior of steel will be a key factor for developers and builders during the year, due to its weight within budgets and its direct contribution to the variation of structural costs in the market.
