Materials Trends
Prices are updated monthly by ENR's price reporters who call a single source for each product in 20 U.S. cities. The price represents that paid by a contractor for a specified large order. Monthly prices appear on the weekly rotating cycle.
Cement/Concrete/Aggregates
Prices for 21 products covering asphalt, cement, aggregates, concrete, brick, concrete block and mason's lime.
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Cement Prices Post Modest Year-End Rally
Cement prices showed little movement during the last six months, after producers rolled back prices 1% last April. However, ENR’s 20-city average price for type-one portland cement increased 1.5% this month to $101.79 a ton. Despite the year-end rally, cement prices are up less than 1% from a year ago. Liquid asphalt paving prices opened the month of November with producers rolling back prices 4% from October. However, asphalt prices are still coasting on huge price increases during the first.
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Pipe
Prices for 20 pipe products covering reinforced concrete pipe, corrugated steel pipe, vitrified clay pipe, PE underdrain, PVC sewer and water pipe, ductile iron pipe and copper water tubing.
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Ductile Iron Pipe Posts Largest Price Increases
The surge in iron and steel prices earlier this year had a major impact on ductileiron- pipe prices, which are up 11% over a year ago, according to ENR’s 20-city average price for 6-in. and 8-in. dia. pipe. The main thrust came between last April and July and the price escalation has slowed since then. Prices for PVC water pipe posted modest gains this month but prices are only up between 1% and 2% from a year ago. A 1.3% decline in 1/2-in. copper water tubing left prices just 1.6% above 2007’s level.
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Lumber/Drywall
Prices for 18 products covering lumber, plywood, plyform, particle board, gypsum wallboard and insulation.
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Lumber, Plywood Prices Pulled To New Lows
The dollar value of new housing put-inplace fell 11% in September from the previous month, according to the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, pulling down ENR’s 20-city average prices for lumber and plywood to new lows. Weak demand cut deeply into mill prices, according to Eugene, Ore.- based Random Lengths’ composite index for framing lumber, which posted a monthly decline of 11% in October. The index is 51% below its 2004 peak. Random Lengths’ index for panel prices shows similar declines.
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Steel
Prices for 16 products covering structural steel, reinforcing bar, steel plate, metal lath, aluminum sheet, stainless steel sheet and plate and H-piles.
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Recession Blunts Steel Price Spike
Steel prices surged to record levels during the first half of 2008. However, since then the economy has been battered by bad economic news with many economists believing we are on the cusp of a recession. As a result, steel prices have already started to retreat from last summer’s peak. ENR’s 20-city average price for channel, wide-flange and I-beams fell nearly 5% this month, marking the third consecutive monthly decline. Despite the string of price cuts, steel prices are still 13% above 2007.
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Materials Price Index
The Materials Cost Index is the materials component of ENR’s building and construction cost indexes. It tracks the weighted price movement of structural steel, portland cement and 2 X 4 lumber.
