It has become a sort of a norm for construction activities to slow down from its usual bustling status to a crawl during the rainy season.
With the intensity of the Lagos downpour, the inaccessibility of most construction sites and the pathetic state of the sites in question, any serious developer would end up scowling to the point of exasperation.
Consequently, large-scale works are suspended and investors, workers and other industry operators count their losses daily. In most cases, coating (or painting) projects are put on hold and building materials' prices nosedive to an all-time low.

But the situation seems peculiar this time round.
Besides cement which price is now somewhat stabilising at about N1, 800 per bag, other materials appear to have recorded an appreciable increase in recent weeks.

For example, a market survey revealed that a tonne of 10mm and 12mm reinforcements (or iron/steel rods) that used to sell for between N160, 000 and N170, 000 about three months ago now goes for between N188, 000 and N193, 000. Prices, however, differ slightly, depending on the location of purchase the quantity needed.
A dealer who spoke to Daily Independent expressed surprise that despite the rains the demand for reinforcements has continued to go up. According to him, some moneybags in the country may be hoarding the product in anticipation of a predicted increase in building activities when the imported bagged cements get to the market.

The dealer, Mr. Anthony Adeyemi, who is Executive Director of Teedy United Trading Company, said the major problem being encountered by dealers in reinforcement is that of constant hike in price of the product.
Adeyemi expressed concern that though the importation of bagged cements may lead to increased activities in the building industry, "the fear of saboteurs who may want to cause artificial scarcity of other important building materials may hold back the anticipated development."

"We are not happy that the Federal Government is looking at cement importation and distribution alone. The government needs to look into other building materials also. The biggest problem we are facing as dealers of iron is that most of the products are imported while those that are being produced in the country cannot meet with the demand of Nigerians," Adeyemi stated.
Another dealer, Tiamiyu Adigun, who is at the Owode Onirin Market in Lagos, said they are have tried everything they could to make the government see reason why it should intervene but it seems the government is not bothered.

He said, "As Nigerians, we know what is good for us. We know that immediately the imported cement begins to flood the market there will be a mad rush for it and at the same time many people will want to buy iron to cast their pillars or decking. “This will also affect the price as the importation and local production of the material may not be able to meet the demand at that time. That is why we want the Federal Government to take a holistic approach in solving problems of availability and pricing of building materials in the country."

Prices of paints and sanitary wares seem to be enjoying a stable price regime in the last six months. A survey revealed that dealers in paints and sanitary wares have not only enjoyed a stable price regime, they have also had a sustained supply network as most of the paints manufacturing companies are producing at optimal capacity.

What was noticed in the market was that in the case of some exquisite sanitary wares like Jacuzzi, sauna bathroom and other top-of- the range sanitary wares, there are appreciable increases in their prices.
A paint dealer at Olorunsogo in Mushin area of Lagos, Mr. Tunde Abiodun, said the reason why there is a stable price regime is that there are certain categories of paints that could be made by just anybody who knows the composition.
"I can say one of the reasons why prices of paints have remained stable is that some people don't come to the market when they need emulsion paints, they make it by themselves, while those who come to market buy cheap products that are produced by various individuals or small scale companies."
Daily Independent gathered that one reason of the reasons why prices of paints are affordable is that some paints companies are running one form of sales promotion or the other.

For instance, a paint producer in the country is currently running a promotion that affords clients to paint their houses and pay for the paint and that of technicians who do the painting over a period of time. To some homebuilders, it has been business as usual despite the rains, but experts say it is not advisable to paint at this time as painting requires a dry surface for an easy application of the material.

Some dealers confirmed that there is a drop in the level of patronage but they affirmed that the situation will soon pick up in a matter of months because of the need to paint some of the houses that are currently under construction even during the rainy season.

In the case of sanitary items like wash hand basins, water closets and other products, the demand for them has increased while the supply looks to have been able to meet up with the demand. This is even so despite the fact that most of the sanitary wares in the market are imported.

Daily Independent learnt that the "favourable" price regime that is currently being experienced in paints and sanitary wares markets may be altered when demand for these products increase in the last quarter of the year.
According to Lamidi Suberu, a gravel and sand merchant at Oja-Oba tipper garage, the cost of sand and gravel per tipper load during the rainy season usually falls because of the relatively low demand for these products.

Suberu said that the difference in the price regime of evacuating gravel had been significant due to the high rate of demand for the product.
He said that the cost of transporting five tonnes of a tipper load of gravel was N22, 500, that, of seven tonnes cost about NN24, 750 and 10 tonnes N32, 000.
According to him, the cost variation could also be a fallout of the cost of fuelling the vehicle. He was quick to point out that the price regime is not sacrosanct due to individual bargaining power.

He said that that six months ago, the cost of evacuating five tonnes of sharp sand was N23,000 per tipper load, seven tonnes per tipper load during the same period went for N25,500 and 10 tonnes per tipper load cost about N28,100.He attributed this differentials to the forces of demand and supply.
But he lamented that the sand collectors were bearing some extra cost during the rainy season. "This period of the year when the rains are heavy is not usually good for our business because the activities of those who dig the ground or the river is 'usually unbecoming' as they tend to inflate their charges," he said.

He said that, in the last six months, the cost of transporting a tipper load of sand (5, 7 and 10 tons) from Ifo to Abule-Egba garage had not witnessed any remarkable change. He said the difference was between N1, 000 and N1, 500.
According to him, sand used for plastering houses costs less than sharp sand, which is brownish because the demand for it is not very high.
He said that the cost of sharp sand, which is got from the river at Abeokuta, Ogun State, is determined by the destination to which the product is being taken.

Suberu added that to transport five tonnes of sharp sand per tipper load from Abeokuta to Abule-Egba (an outskirt of Lagos) would cost N25, 000, while seven tonnes of same product per tipper load is put at N27, 000. On the other hand, the cost of 10 tonnes per tipper load is N30, 000.

The sand merchant said that the cost of sand used for plastering the house is mostly gotten from the river in Ifo also in Ogun State, adding that their prices range from 5 tonnes (N12, 000), 7 tonnes (N16, 000) to 10 tonnes (N22, 000).
He noted that the gravel that is usually procured by digging the ground (an exercise that is mostly carried out by the Eguns of Awori extraction) is first of all seaved in order to get the refined stones (which is called okuta titun, that is refined stones) is very expensive.

Suberu said that five tonnes of gravel per tipper load is N25, 000; 7 tons come at N27, 000 while 10 tonne is sold for N35, 000 per tipper load.

According to him, the unrefined stones (which is called Esa Okuta, that is remnants of stones) are also sold to property developers but at a cheaper rate.