Construction Materials Increasing Building Costs

"Costs for construction materials used in San Diego’s newest buildings are rising fast, and some in the industry say it might slow the building boom that has altered downtown’s skyline since the end of the recession," reports Philip Molnar.

"Slowed rent growth and increased labor costs are also seen as problems for the building industry," adds Molnar.

The price of steel, specifically, is called out for increasing costs for building, mirroring expectations in the industry since the Trump Administration started several trade wars earlier this year. "The benchmark price for steel this week was up 31 percent from the beginning of the year, said commodities tracker S&P Global Platts. Prices for aluminum also shot up when tariffs were announced but have stabilized to about where they were at the start of the year," according to Molnar.

The article continues on to tie those market realities to the specifics of of building activity in Downtown San Diego. Some effects are not yet visible, and developers are still hesitant to say that the construction industry will slow down.