As expenses climb, construction companies in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are focusing on AI, modular building, and sustainability.
In a report, project management experts Currie and Brown predict that building expenses in the UAE and Saudi Arabia will rise this year. The UAE and Saudi Arabia are expected to see 2-3% and 5-7% increases in construction prices, respectively, in 2024, after 2023’s corresponding increases of 3% and 7%. Construction companies will face difficulties as a result of the increases, and they will need to create new resources and procedures to control expenses and complete projects on schedule.
Construction costs in Saudi Arabia and the UAE
How to Navigate 2024: Balancing Challenge with Opportunity is a report by Currie and Brown that shares the conclusions. According to the paper, project teams should take the following actions to help organizations manage uncertainty and become more cost-effective:
- Take up innovative methods of operation, such as modular buildings. Lessening the impact of regional labor and supply shortages will increase building cost certainty. Additionally, closer coordination between consultants, contractors, and developers will result in more schedule clarity, enabling the early recruitment of competent staff.
- Take sustainability into account at every level. Businesses must ensure that projects will fulfill present and future standards by considering the carbon effect at every step of development. By doing this, companies will be able to lessen their future need for investments. Thanks to improved operational efficiencies, their estates will have a lower overall carbon footprint and lower costs sooner.
- Acknowledge the digital age. Digital technology is providing new methods to improve project ROI and anticipate and handle upcoming issues, from AI to sophisticated data analytics. To the extent that new technologies may benefit projects the greatest, organizations should embrace their potential and collaborate to implement them.
Managing Director of Southern Gulf, Doug McGillivray, stated: “The construction industry will face new challenges in 2024, but there will also be opportunities for businesses and their clients.”
Operational efficiency can be achieved by taking sustainability into account, adopting digital technologies, and creating new working methods. “This will improve and sustainably build built environments for everybody, while lessening the effects of rising construction costs both now and in the future.”
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Construction costs are skyrocketing not just in the Middle East but worldwide. Currie and Brown anticipate cost increases for the upcoming year in each of its operating zones. Different markets have different levels of these, but there are certain obvious common reasons. Cost increases are mostly driven by inflation, which continues to be the key concern facing the construction industry.
The inflation rate seemed to be declining towards the end of 2023. Even so, there are still inflationary pressures and things could change on the other side of the Gulf. Though this is countered by the stability of the present oil price, unpredictable price swings remain a concern for developers in the area.
Across the Gulf, regulations on sustainability are becoming stricter. Sustainability has received more attention in the area since Dubai hosted COP 28 at the end of last year. Longer-term decarbonization will go hand in hand with operational cost reduction, even though short-term costs associated with new laws may rise.
Across the region, costs are rising due to a lack of resources and skills. Restricted supply chains and the competition between Saudi Arabia and the UAE to attract skilled people from outside the region continue to be major obstacles. Weekly announcements of new projects put increasing strain on supply chains and hiring.
“Cost escalation is not new, but it remains a significant challenge for the construction industry,” Doug McGillivray continued. Since June 2023, the cost of raw materials has increased in the Saudi Arabian and UAE markets, including steel, cement, and concrete.
The industry must collaborate with its clients to devise strategies to address this enduring pattern. How can we address the causes of costs today and provide them with more assurance down the road? Concentrating on long-term patterns makes all the difference in this situation.
Planning to work in the UAE? Before that, read Ten facts you need to know about working in the UAE.
In conclusion, the region’s construction industry faces a serious threat from the rising cost of building in the UAE and KSA. However, with the right strategies and partnerships in place, construction companies can mitigate the impact of rising costs and remain competitive.
We at Dynamic Staffing Services play a crucial role in helping construction companies overcome this challenge by providing them with skilled and qualified staff at competitive rates. With over four decades of experience in the industry, Dynamic Staffing Services has the expertise and resources to help construction companies in the UAE and Saudi Arabia find the right talent to support their projects and succeed in the competitive market.
If you are a construction company looking to navigate the challenges of rising construction costs in the region, consider partnering with Dynamic Staffing Services to find the talent you need to succeed. For more details, call us at +91-11-40410000 or email enquiry@dss-hr.com.
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