Forecasts for the second half of the year point to a further rise in the average cost of repairing an apartment in Russia. Industry observers anticipate a 10-15% uptick driven by ongoing increases in building-material prices as housing construction proceeds at current pace. This projection was shared with Kommersant by Ivan Fedyakov, who heads the Infoline consulting group, highlighting how price dynamics in the supply chain translate directly into repair bills for households and renovation projects across the country.
Fedyakov explained that the ascent in material costs is being fueled by several converging factors: elevated shipping rates, persistent procurement challenges abroad, and tighter inventories. In particular, paints and varnishes have surged, recording a 49.2% rise over six months. He additionally noted that the domestic construction-material sector remains relatively cautious about scaling production capacity, even as demand remains robust due to the active housing market. In the first half of the year, reported volumes for housing construction reached approximately 49.5 million square meters, slightly down from the same period a year earlier, when 50.3 million square meters were tracked. This pattern indicates sustained activity and suggests that suppliers are managing demand without a corresponding boost in output, which compounds price pressures for renovators and developers alike.
In the consulting briefing, Infoline cited that the average cost of materials for apartment renovations in the country for the first half of the year stood at about 8.7 thousand rubles per project. This figure marks a 10.6% increase compared with the end of 2022 and a 3.8% rise compared with the first half of the previous year. Analysts emphasize that renovation expenses have begun to trend upward after a period of softening in the latter half of the previous year, reflecting renewed inflation in inputs and the lag between material-price adjustments and project budgeting. For homeowners and renovation firms, the message is clear: expect continued volatility in material costs as global supply chains recalibrate and domestic capacity constraints persist. The broader market sentiment remains cautiously optimistic, with builders and suppliers recognizing the need to balance demand with price discipline in a market where cash flow and scheduling pressures are intertwined with material availability. Some observers suggest that the current environment will favor efficiency‑driven projects, better procurement planning, and longer lead times to mitigate the impact of price spikes on household renovation planning.