Construction cost estimates for summer: What will be the price of building materials this summer?
Renovation Bahamut: The Unforgiving Pain of Home Improvements
Image: Renovation Heaven and Hell. By Anastasia OSIPOVA.
"WE FLEW OUT TO EAT BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO MOM'S KITCHEN"
I'm a sucker for Internet humor. A viral video that hits all the feels is this guy, knees knotted in desperation, begging the universe if renovation prices will finally plummet this year. And the universe, in all its sarcastic glory, sends a fart cloud with a raised middle finger.
Home improvement - it ain't cheap these days. But take renovation? It's downright excruciating. On one hand, it can wait. On the other hand, how sexy is it to live in a palace while your apartment is falling apart like Romeo's heart at Juliet's death?
A few years back, it was merely an expensive affair. Then came the pandemic, and prices for basic materials suddenly doubled. Friends of mine were left high and dry with half-ass renovations and summer homes they couldn't finish. Experts said, "Don't panic, it'll stabilize." But then, sanctions hit, logistics issues popped up, and loan rates skyrocketed.
A colleague recently boasted, "I finally renovated the kitchen!" but with no mom's kitchen to borrow, the operative question remains: what's up for renovation season 2025-2026?
WHAT'S COMING: PRICES AND REASONS
Alright, the good news first. Construction industry specialists are whispering "stabilization" of prices this year. In normal speak for the average Joe: prices won't be increasing by 50-100% anymore.
Lemans PRO (formerly Leroy Merlin) even found some construction and repair materials that have decreased in cost over the past year, in response to our request.
The cost of goods in the "Tools" segment has decreased by 3%, and in "Lighting" by 1%. Hardware items, electrical goods, water supply appliances, and small metal fittings (like handles and screws) also show a moderate increase in cost, not exceeding 1-3%.
According to Lemans PRO data, the average construction goods purchase receipt has risen by 5.7% over the year. The forecast for the current season is a "moderate" price increase in different categories, about 10% per year.
It's the same story for country construction materials—most things went up a bit, albeit there are exceptions.
Since the beginning of the year, prices for concrete, cement, and reinforcement have approximately doubled in cost. On the other hand, prices for PSB blocks (polystyrene concrete) and metal roofing remain relatively stable.
Industry experts predict a 10-15% seasonal price increase during the summer peak.
The construction market is facing challenges. Businesses face increased costs due to a rise in tax rates, increased electricity and gas prices, and a 21% increase in wages in the construction industry in 2024, with the trend continuing into 2025. Keeping the cost of domestic construction materials under such pressure is a Herculean task for producers, says Dmitry Apanshenko, head of the "House Kits" department at TECHNONICOL.
THE PLAight OF THE MASTERS
Pop 'yer boots, it's the worker bees weepin' now. Labor is scarce, as always, so the price increase during the peak season will be steeper for labor than materials.
According to Tatyana Abrosimova, product manager at Kastamonu, the cost of work might rise by 25-30% or more due to labor scarcity.
Other experts predict more modest increases, around 20%, mainly for the services of skilled and experienced teams with a proven track record.
HOW AND WHERE CAN YOU CUT CORNERS (YEAH, I'M TALKING 'BOUT SCHEMIN' LITTLE SIR)?
Specialists warn against cutting costs on crucial stuff:
- plumbing, waterproofing, electricity, and other engineering communications,
- windows and doors,
- hidden rough work.
Be stingy on the basics, and prepare to reap the financial consequences within a couple years, warns Marina Yendovitskaya, general director of Genesis Interior.
But here's where you can trim the budget:
- Swap trendy imported engineered wood for reliable Russian laminate of class 32.
- Consider covering only wet zones in the bathroom with tiles, while painting or using washable wallpaper in the rest. This could shave 20-30% off the finishing budget.
If you're tackling a large-scale project, booking professionals in advance is a smart move to avoid price hikes during peak periods, as advised by Tatyana Abrosimova.*
Pre-planning your budget and signing contracts with fixed rates is yet another way to dodge extra costs and unexpected surprises, she assures.
CAN YOU SAVE BY BUYING LOCAL?
You bet your sweet bippy, buster! Local products often beat their foreign counterparts in terms of delivery times, logistics costs, and price, plus you can avoid currency exchange fluctuations. This includes materials like Tarkett or Knauf, which might look foreign but are manufactured locally using imported technology.
Locally made products have come a long way in recent years, especially in LDS (laminated wood-based panels), MDF (medium density fiberboard), paints, and flooring, says Maxim Lumpyov. The key is to choose reputable brands, not fly-by-night knockoffs from markets.
Domestic materials are no longer a compromise, but a viable option, agrees Marina Yendovitskaya. For basics like laminate, tiles, interior doors, and sanitary ware, there's no need to go international—homegrown is just fine!
WHERE TO BUY SAFE AND SMART?
Experts say large retail chains specializing in construction and home improvement materials are your best bets for solid quality at acceptable prices. Avoid The Cat and the Fiddle shops like "Cheap Ceramic Granite." There, you could get fleeced by scammers or deal with unreliable suppliers—no bueno.
A reliable seller:
- offers a warranty on the purchased goods,
- has a functioning customer support line where you can find helpful answers to your questions, and
- allows you to effortlessly return unused products.
SWAAYYYYYYY! (BEWARE!)
Construction and home improvement is a minefield. Here are a couple ways you might get scammed:
- Clone website or “mirror” page
This scam was caught by “SOYUZCEMENT”, but it could also ensnare other materials. The scheme works like this: creating fake websites that mimic authentic vendors’ websites but with fraudulent contacts. After receiving payment, “sellers” stop listening to you or deliver shoddy products, rife with unsafe and questionable materials.
To stay safe, avoid clicking on links sent via email, messenger, or online ads offering a deal too good to be true. Find the authenticated website yourself by doing some legwork and double-check the legit contacts and details.
- If the offered cement or other materials are 15% or more below market price, you're probably in the hands of scammers. Not only are you at risk of losing dough, but counterfeit materials can be hazardous to your health and safety.*
- Manipulating the estimate
Your estimate is a significant factor in choosing a company for repairs or construction, and people usually want the lowest bid. However, be wary of companies that only offer a realistic cost for initial stages (e.g., foundation or preparatory work) while understating the cost of subsequent work and materials.
- Dishonest companies may appear more affordable at first but will inflate the cost of later stages or make the material prices skyrocket to match initial competitors’ offers. The client ends up paying the same price as the initial competitors, but with less option for switching contractors.*
A ROUNDUP OF NUMBERS
A Journey Through the Past: Changes in the Prices of Simple Repair and Construction Materials Since Yesteryears (average national prices for the spring of each year, in rubles)
Material 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 5-year change
Laminate, sq.m. 750 808 1035 969 1020 1070 +43%
Linoleum, sq.m. 538 539 756 697 722 780 +45%
Vinyl wallpaper, 10m 531 553 637 1491 1618 1692 +219%
Ceramic tiles for internal use, sq.m. 612 667 786 795 831 888 +45%
Oil paints, kg 202 218 334 361 357 389 +93%
Particleboard/OSB*, sq.m. 244 318 469 305 337 400 +64%
Glass for windows, sq.m. 535 615 855 885 896 992 +85%
Ceiling lamp, each 1328 1393 1750 1880 2086 2323 +75%
Cement, 50kg 339 348 430 474 572 658 +94%
Rough-sawn timber, cubic m. 9716 12223 21236 16285 18908 22415 +131%
Metal roofing, sq.m. 368 518 691 543 697 751 +104%
- Particleboard and Oriented Strand Board (OSB)
Source: Rosstat
- "In the chaotic world of home improvements, one can only dream of a time when sports enthusiasts might find affordable renovation materials, allowing them to rebuild their workout spaces without breaking a sweat."
- "Knowing the unpredictable nature of renovation prices, it's akin to predicting the outcome of a high-stakes sports match – both filled with tension and uncertain results."
