Construction materials have continued to rise in the last few months and there are quite a few reasons why. Here, we explore why material prices are rising and when they might stop
Price Rises
If you’ve been looking at builders merchants jobs, such as at https://bmcareers.com/distributors-and-builders-merchants-vacancies/, and watching the industry, you too might have noticed the price increases.
Recent government data shows aggregates increased by 8.4%, fabricated structural steel rose by 8.2%, and non-aqueous paint has increased by 6.1% in 2026. A major contributing factor has been the volatility in global oil markets linked to tensions in the Middle East, which has pushed up production and transport costs across the construction supply chain. When crude oil prices rise, the cost of moving heavy materials such as steel beams and cement also increases due to higher diesel and logistics expenses, creating inflation across the sector rather than affecting just one material category.
Fabricated structural steel has been particularly affected by the rising energy costs because its production process is highly energy-intensive. Steel manufacturing requires large amounts of heat and electricity, meaning that any increase in fuel prices is quickly reflected in production costs.
Transport, Logistics and Supply Chain Effects
Transport costs remain a huge factor in construction pricing because materials are often heavy, bulky and expensive to move over long distances.
In periods of global instability, the global shipping routes can also become disrupted, which just adds further delays and cost increases, leading to longer lead times and reduced availability of certain materials, which then reinforces upward pricing pressure.