Enab Baladi – Mohammed al-Omar
The demand for construction and cladding materials in the city of Aleppo has increased following the fall of the Assad regime, due to the return of many displaced persons to their homes, which had sustained damage during the years of war.
With the influx of returnees, the demand for construction workshops to repair damaged homes and commercial shops has risen, while the prices of materials have notably decreased after the opening of roads between Syrian cities and the entry of imported materials, alongside the end of the era of Assad regime checkpoints that imposed exorbitant fees on materials, especially those related to construction and reconstruction.
The price of a ton of cement dropped from 2 million Syrian pounds during 2024 to about 1.2 million Syrian pounds, marking a decrease of 40%, according to Nasser Kahil, who works in contracting and construction workshops.
Kahil explained to Enab Baladi that the price of a ton of reinforcing steel dropped from 11.4 million pounds to 6.6 million pounds, while the price of a meter of sand (the type used for plastering) decreased from 200,000 pounds to 115,000 pounds.
Currently, the price of concrete blocks ranges between 3,000 and 7,000 pounds each, depending on their size, and the price of a rebar stick is 350,000 Syrian pounds, while a bag of gypsum (25 kilograms) costs 35,000 pounds.
Regarding the prices of kitchen granite, they are quoted in dollars, according to Kahil, starting from 300,000 pounds (priced at $30) and reaching up to 800,000 pounds ($80) per square meter, depending on whether they are local, Spanish, or American, not including the costs of cutting and fitting for the sink area.
Granite prices range between $40 and $100 per square meter, while the price of the stone slabs necessary for installing the sink is 35,000 Syrian pounds ($3.5).
Kahil noted that the decline in prices is mainly due to the return of communication between Aleppo and northern Syria all the way to the Turkish border without the barriers and fees that were previously imposed.
He mentioned that the improvement of the Syrian pound’s value against the dollar and the easier entry of imported goods into the country, which has increased the availability of Turkish and Lebanese cement, alongside shipments of Saudi cement, has contributed to the decrease in prices.
According to the Central Bank of Syria (CBS), the exchange rate of the dollar is 13,200 Syrian pounds, while in the black market, it averages around 10,000 Syrian pounds.
Improved worker wages
Wages for laborers vary between regular workers and skilled workers with experience in specific areas of construction. Adnan al-Abdallah, a construction worker, explained that the daily wage for a regular worker who does loading, unloading, and transport ranges between 40,000 and 60,000 pounds for approximately 9 to 10 hours of work.
Al-Abdallah added to Enab Baladi that employers exploit the need of workers who gather in specific areas, such as the Bab Antakia area, where stores for tiles, marbles, and ceramics are concentrated, as customers may require workers for loading and unloading there. A worker may spend several days without getting a job, leading him to accept any wage offered for work.
In contrast, skilled workers such as construction professionals, tile layers, or plumbing experts tend to have relatively higher wages, reaching 500,000 Syrian pounds per day. Demand for this type of worker has increased due to the emigration of many to other countries and a surge in construction workshops and activities in the city, resulting in a rise in their wages.
Despite the decrease in construction material prices compared to before the Assad regime’s fall, they still remain high relative to the income of the Syrian citizen at a time when hundreds of families need to repair their damaged homes and return to them to relieve the burden of monthly rents or living in camps.