The housing industry is facing a crippling concrete shortage as it competes with major construction works like the $15.4bn Torrens to Darlington project for the sought-after material.
Industry leaders say residential builders are concerned they will be at the “end of the queue” for already reduced supply, which was leading to prices rises.
Master Builders SA chief executive Will Frogley said the industry was competing with the T2D project for the in-demand material.
“It’s reducing supply, which is leading to prices going up,” he said.
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The housing industry is facing a concrete shortage, industry experts say.
Master Builders SA chief executive Will Frogley.
“We’re talking about a massive project in the Torrens to Darlington project – massive projects need a lot of materials.
“That’s going to be a massive project that goes on for many years.
“We really support the Torrens to Darlington project but it’s definitely squeezing concrete supply.”
Mr Frogley said the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital would also have an impact.
Concrete is the latest building material in short supply.
It comes after a nationwide timber shortage post-Covid caused building delays and put both businesses and jobs at risk.
A lack of imported product and demand driven by the HomeBuilder scheme were among the main factors behind the shortage.
Housing Industry Australia SA executive director Stephen Knight said major construction projects were vital but the housing industry also needed to be a priority.
“(The shortage of concrete) has been a concern for us for some time,” he said.
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The industry is competing with SA’s biggest ever infrastructure project, the Torrens to Darlington (T2D), for the sought-after material, experts say. Picture: RoyVPhotography
Housing Industry of Australia SA executive director Stephen Knight.
“For builders it’s a concern that they’re going to be at the end of the queue for concrete.
“That’s not helping us with housing availability.”
Mr Knight said it wouldn’t just impact the construction of homes but also other vital infrastructure needed to build a community, including roads and bridges.
He said there were already delays and he believed it was “going to get worse”.
It was an issue that deserved to be investigated further given the timber shortage a few years ago caused significant stress and anxiety, he said.
“What it deserves is a real study done now with some predictions around future capability requirements and what the industry capability is,” he said.
“It’s a good place to be where you have lots of work in the future.
“But if we’re going to continue to have population increases … these people who come to SA to work need to have somewhere to live.”
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