He asserted that construction is the sector that drives the economy the most, and therefore reiterated his call to the authorities to come to its aid as quickly as possible by adopting measures such as tax reductions, having the State import these materials, or authorizing small builders to do so.
SANTIAGO. - Faced with the soaring prices of construction materials, which have skyrocketed by up to 250%, builders in the low-cost housing sector in the Cibao region are uncertain about whether they will be able to stay afloat amidst this situation, while some of the smaller ones have been forced to withdraw from the market due to high operating costs.
“The rising prices of construction materials, such as steel, cement, pipes, wire, ceramics, among others, and if this upward trend continues, we will end up completely paralyzing the construction sector,” stated engineer Mario Bonilla, representative of a construction company.
Builders say that the high and unstable prices of construction materials currently on the market threaten their existence.
They requested government intervention to implement measures to prevent the sector's collapse. Some small construction companies have already left the market due to rising operating costs.
The engineering professional called on the government headed by President Luis Abinader to come to the aid of that sector.
“We urge you to meet with the Association of Housing Developers and Builders (Apocovi) and the Association of Housing Developers and Builders of Cibao (Aprocovici), to find some kind of solution, because otherwise most of the small construction companies will go bankrupt,” he stressed.
Bonilla reiterated that, in addition to the housing solutions they provide, there are thousands of employees who earn a living for the workers and their families, who could end up on the streets.
The professional from the company Bonilla & Associates explained that they represent an important segment in the area of housing solutions for the upper middle class population, where their projects also generate a significant number of jobs.
He said that through the execution of these projects they provide the opportunity to have their own roof over their heads, to the classes from which they come, "we feel committed to our people, since we studied at UASD, the university of the people.".
Bonilla explained that they are currently starting the Cerros del Yaque project, which consists of 208 housing units, at a very difficult time for the construction sector.
He asserted that construction is the sector that drives the economy the most, and therefore reiterated his call to the authorities to come to its aid as quickly as possible by adopting measures such as tax reductions, having the State import these materials, or authorizing small builders to do so.
High-quality
building materials
The chain of difficulties that began with the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent war between Russia and Ukraine has unleashed an unstoppable upward trend in the price of construction materials, with increases reaching up to 250% in the last two years.
Last month, El Inmobiliario, a digital newspaper, compiled a list of more than 30 items commonly used in building construction, whose prices have increased from 7 to 250%, a situation that has caused problems in one of the pillars of the national economy.
The products listed include reinforced concrete, gray cement, electro-welded mesh rolls, galvanized wire, raw wood, porcelain tile flooring, electrical wire foot, blocks, plumbing materials, elbows, polypropylene pipe, ceramic glue, gas pipe rolls, PVC pipe, PVC drainage siphon, among others.
