Building Supplies in Antigua: Fadi's, West Trading & Cost Pro Compared
Need concrete blocks, river sand, cement, or roofing sheets in Antigua? Fadi Building Supplies on Old Parham Road is the island's best-known bulk materials supplier, stocking stones, sand, blocks, and cement opposite Hadeed Motors in St. John's. West Trading and Cost Pro serve the same corridor with broader hardware ranges. This guide explains who stocks what, the builders merchant vs hardware store distinction, and what to buy before hurricane season hits on June 1.
Building Supplies in Antigua: Fadi's, West Trading & Cost Pro Compared
TL;DR: Need concrete blocks, river sand, cement, or roofing sheets in Antigua? Fadi Building Supplies on Old Parham Road is the island's best-known bulk materials supplier, stocking stones, sand, blocks, and cement opposite Hadeed Motors in St. John's. West Trading and Cost Pro serve the same corridor with broader hardware ranges. This guide explains who stocks what, the builders merchant vs hardware store distinction, and what to buy before hurricane season hits on June 1.
Every contractor and homeowner eventually asks the same question: "I need blocks, sand, and roofing sheets. Where exactly do I go in Antigua?"
It sounds simple. But the answer depends on knowing the difference between two types of supplier that most people lump together. Fadi building supplies and its neighbours on the Old Parham Road and All Saints Road corridors are builders merchants, not hardware stores. That distinction matters a lot when you are pricing a build or restocking before a storm.
This guide untangles the two categories, profiles the three main bulk suppliers in St. John's, and gives you a pre-hurricane checklist to work through before June 1. Whether you are a local contractor, an expat doing a villa renovation, or a property manager keeping a home storm-ready, read this before you start calling around.
What Is a Builders Merchant, and Why Does the Distinction Matter?
A builders merchant sells bulk raw construction materials: blocks, sand, stone, cement, aggregate, lumber, and roofing. A hardware store sells tools, fittings, fixtures, and fasteners. Both are useful. Neither fully replaces the other. If you need a tonne of river sand or fifty concrete blocks, you want a builders merchant. If you need PVC fittings or a screwdriver set, a hardware store is your stop.
The clearest way to think about it: a builders merchant supplies the structure, a hardware store finishes the detail. When you are pouring a foundation, framing a roof, or laying a block wall, you need a merchant with a yard and the capacity to sell in volume. When you are fitting out the inside of a property with plumbing fixtures and electrical fittings, you need a hardware store.
According to JT Atkinson, a builders merchant specialises in selling building materials and supplies to trade professionals and individuals involved in building, renovation, and maintenance projects. Their stock typically includes timber and sheet materials, bricks, blocks, and aggregates, plus sand, gravel, and cement. Hardware stores, by contrast, focus on lighter and more generalised items, including home decor, tools, and garden supplies.
In Antigua, the distinction is not always hard and fast. Some businesses straddle both categories. Fadi Building Supplies, for example, trades as "Fadi Building Supplies and Hardware," suggesting a range that covers both sides. But the core of Fadi's identity is bulk materials: stones, sand, blocks, and cement. That is what contractors come for.
Construction materials in the Caribbean cost 20 to 40 percent more than US mainland prices due to import dependence and shipping costs. Knowing which type of supplier to visit for each category of purchase saves real money and avoids wasted trips across St. John's.
Fadi Building Supplies: The Old Parham Road Specialist
Fadi Building Supplies is Antigua's most-searched bulk materials supplier, located on Old Parham Road in St. John's opposite Hadeed Motors. They stock quality stones, sand, blocks, cement, and more. Phone: 268-562-8088. A second location operates on All Saints Road. Accepted payments: cash and cheque.
Fadi operates as a focused builders merchant. The Old Parham Road location is well-established, easy to find (opposite Hadeed's is the landmark most contractors use), and stocked for the core needs of any construction project in Antigua. Facebook followers know the business for its self-description: "FADI BUILDING SUPPLIES OFFERS YOU THE BEST IN QUALITY STONES, SAND, BLOCKS, CEMENT AND MANY MORE." That range covers the essential inputs for any masonry-based build on the island.
The All Saints Road branch extends reach to contractors working in the southern and eastern parts of St. John's. Both numbers are listed: 562-8088 and 562-8091. Call ahead if you are visiting to confirm stock and arrange delivery logistics.
A few things worth knowing before you visit:
Payment terms. Fadi accepts cash and cheque. If you are a contractor expecting to run a credit account, confirm that arrangement by phone before setting up a project supply line.
Location landmark. The Old Parham Road yard is listed as "opposite Hadeed Motors." That corridor runs through one of St. John's most active commercial zones. Hadeed Motors (Old Parham Road) is a well-known landmark that makes navigation easy.
Delivery. Bulk material suppliers in the Caribbean typically offer delivery for substantial orders. Call Fadi directly to discuss volume requirements and confirm whether delivery to your site is included or quoted separately.
For contractors, villa owners, and developers comparing suppliers, Fadi sits firmly in the same category as Antigua Masonry Products, which has operated as a building block and aggregate producer on the island for over 50 years. Both serve the structural side of construction. Fadi's retail-accessible format and two-site presence make it a practical starting point for most St. John's-based projects.
West Trading Antigua: Building Materials and Hardware Combined
West Trading is one of the key names Antiguans search for when sourcing building materials, appearing consistently in search alongside Fadi in the "builders merchant Antigua" cluster. The business operates on the Old Parham Road and All Saints Road corridors, the same zone that houses Fadi and several other construction trade businesses.
What sets West Trading apart from a pure builders merchant is its combined building materials and hardware model. Rather than specialising exclusively in sand, blocks, and cement, West Trading carries a broader range that includes hardware items alongside materials. For contractors who want to consolidate supply runs, that dual-category offering is genuinely useful. One trip can cover both the structural materials order and the fittings list.
Detailed pricing and stock depth information for West Trading is not published online. This is typical for Caribbean trade suppliers, where pricing is negotiated at the counter and relationships matter as much as the catalogue. The practical approach is to visit or call to get a project quote. That said, the consistent search volume for "West Trading Antigua" confirms a real customer base with direct experience of the business.
If you are managing a project in St. John's and sourcing materials from this corridor, treating West Trading as a comparison point alongside Fadi is sensible. Get quotes from both for your block, sand, and cement requirements, and ask about delivery terms and minimum order sizes at each.
Cost Pro Antigua: What to Expect from the All Saints Road Option
Cost Pro is the third frequently searched building materials supplier in Antigua, operating on the All Saints Road corridor in St. John's. Searches for "Cost Pro Antigua" generate consistent traffic, suggesting a real customer base. Like West Trading, Cost Pro operates as a building supplies and hardware business serving the construction trades market in St. John's parish.
All Saints Road runs through one of St. John's most active commercial strips for construction-related trade businesses. A&R Hardware also operates here, as does a cluster of other building and home improvement suppliers. Cost Pro's presence on this corridor puts it in natural competition with Fadi's All Saints Road branch, making comparison shopping between the two straightforward for contractors based in the southern end of St. John's.
Cost Pro's detailed product range is not extensively documented online, which is common for trade-focused building suppliers across the Eastern Caribbean. The business's search visibility (search position 6.4 with a 1.4% click-through rate, the highest in this supplier cluster) suggests it is the name searchers are most likely to act on when they do find a result. That is a meaningful signal: people are looking for Cost Pro specifically, not just any supplier.
For project managers and contractors evaluating options on the All Saints Road corridor, the comparison to run is simple. Call Cost Pro alongside Fadi's All Saints Road branch. Ask about block prices per unit, sand prices per tonne, cement pricing, and delivery lead times for your specific requirements. Both locations serve the same geography, so delivery radius and minimum order thresholds become the differentiating factors.
Comparing the Three: Stock, Delivery, and Practical Tips for Contractors
Choosing between Fadi, West Trading, and Cost Pro comes down to four variables: what you need, how much of it, where your site is, and what payment terms you can access.
Stock depth. Fadi's core identity is quality stones, sand, blocks, and cement. Its two-site model (Old Parham Road and All Saints Road) gives it the widest geographic footprint. West Trading adds hardware range on top of materials. Cost Pro sits on the All Saints Road strip with a mixed building-and-hardware model similar to West Trading.
Delivery. For any bulk material order in Antigua, delivery is a practical necessity. Confirm delivery terms, minimum order quantities, and lead times with each supplier before committing to a project supply arrangement. Suppliers on Old Parham Road and All Saints Road are well-positioned to serve most of St. John's and the surrounding parishes.
Credit terms. Trade credit is common in the Caribbean building supply sector. Contractors running ongoing projects often establish account relationships with one or two core suppliers. Fadi accepts cash and cheque. Credit account availability at West Trading and Cost Pro should be confirmed directly. Building that supplier relationship early in a project cycle saves time and sometimes money over the course of a build.
Specialist materials. For metal roofing, Henderson (2004) Ltd is the specialist. Henderson is the largest manufacturer of metal roofing in the Leeward Islands, operating from Antigua for over three decades. Their products carry a proven track record in hurricane-force weather conditions. If your project involves re-roofing or new roof construction, Henderson is the name to call alongside your bulk material quotes.
Do you supply building materials, blocks, or construction products in Antigua? An AntiguaSearch listing puts your business in front of contractors, property managers, and homeowners actively searching for your services. Add your business for free and make sure you are found before the next project starts.
For general hardware tools, fittings, and fixings alongside your materials order, the Construction and Trades directory on AntiguaSearch lists every verified supplier on the island, from bulk material yards to specialist hardware stores and trade wholesalers.
Pre-Hurricane Season Checklist: What to Source Before June 1
Hurricane season in the Caribbean officially runs from June 1 to November 30. May is the single most important month for construction prep on the island. Roofing materials, cement, waterproofing compounds, and repair supplies move fast once season begins. Buy early and buy in volume.
Antigua sits squarely in the Atlantic hurricane belt. The island has experienced direct and indirect hurricane impacts repeatedly, and experienced contractors and property managers treat May as the annual preparation window. Here is the checklist that matters for anyone managing a build or maintaining a property:
Roofing materials. Inspect your roof before season. Secure loose metal panels, check ridge cap fastening, and identify any sections needing repair. Stock replacement sheets and fixings at your site before June. Henderson's metal roofing is available locally and rated for Caribbean weather conditions.
Cement and waterproofing. Seal block walls, repair cracks, and apply waterproof render to exterior surfaces before the rains arrive. Source your cement and rendering materials from Fadi or your preferred supplier in May, when stock is freshest and supplier yards are best-stocked.
Sand and aggregate. If you have a foundation pour, floor screed, or block-laying project planned, schedule it before June rather than during the season. Wet-weather concrete work is harder to manage and material costs can spike after a storm.
Storm shutters and protection hardware. Leeward Islands Hurricane Protection has been serving the region since the late 1980s with hurricane shutters rated for Category 5 conditions. Order early. Lead times on custom shutters can stretch to several weeks.
Generator and emergency kit. A portable generator, waterproof tarpaulins, spare fasteners, and basic repair materials are worth having on-site through the season. Hardware stores across St. John's carry these items, but stock thins quickly once a storm approaches.
Roof-to-wall connections. If you are undertaking a roof repair or replacement before season, ask your contractor about hurricane straps and roof-to-wall connectors. These fittings help keep your roof secured to your home's structure during high winds and are a standard part of well-specified Caribbean construction.
Take photos and document condition. Before June 1, photograph your roof, walls, and key structural elements. Timestamped documentation strengthens insurance claims if a storm causes damage. Brysons Insurance has specifically noted that a hurricane event in Antigua could cause a shortage of building materials, resulting in further price increases, so pre-season stock is both a safety measure and a hedge against supply disruption.
For additional hardware, plumbing, and repair supplies, the AntiguaSearch hardware and plumbing guide covers every tool and fittings supplier in detail, including DEWS, A&R Hardware, Antigua Plumbing and Hardware Centre, and PEL.
The CAB-I Tax Relief: Building Smarter in Antigua
The Construct Antigua and Barbuda Initiative (CAB-I) is a government programme that qualified homeowners and builders should know about. Under CAB-I, eligible applicants receive zero Antigua and Barbuda Sales Tax (ABST) on all approved building materials procured locally. That tax relief is significant on a substantial materials bill.
The programme applies to citizens and residents of Antigua and Barbuda. Qualifying projects include new residential builds by first-time homeowners with a total construction cost of no more than EC$500,000, incomplete residential projects with similar value thresholds, and renovation and expansion projects by owner-occupants.
The process requires Development Control Authority (DCA) approval for structural projects before applying to Antigua Barbuda Investment Authority (ABIA) for CAB-I registration. Once approved, benefits are valid for one year and cover locally procured materials, which includes purchases from suppliers like Fadi, West Trading, and Cost Pro.
For anyone planning a significant build or renovation, the zero-ABST benefit on local materials changes the cost equation meaningfully. Brysons Insurance estimates the average cost of constructing a home in Antigua at EC$350 to EC$400 per square foot, a figure that has risen from EC$275 to EC$300 in recent years. Eliminating ABST on your materials bill, even for a mid-size renovation, adds up to real savings.
Contact ABIA directly to confirm current programme terms and eligibility requirements before starting your application.
Conclusion
The Old Parham Road and All Saints Road corridor in St. John's is Antigua's construction supplies hub. Fadi Building Supplies anchors it as the best-known bulk materials merchant, with quality stones, sand, blocks, and cement from its Old Parham Road yard and a second location on All Saints Road. West Trading and Cost Pro serve the same corridor with broader hardware-plus-materials ranges that suit contractors wanting to consolidate their supply runs.
Three things every contractor and property owner should remember. First, match the supplier to the job. For blocks, sand, stone, and cement in volume, Fadi is the starting point. For combined materials and hardware in one stop, West Trading and Cost Pro are worth the comparison call. Second, buy before June. Hurricane season supply pressure is real, and experienced Antiguans stock up in May. Third, ask about CAB-I eligibility before your project starts. Zero ABST on local building materials is a government incentive that too many qualifying homeowners miss.
Browse the full Construction and Trades directory on AntiguaSearch for verified contact details across every building supplier, hardware store, and trade professional on the island, covering all parishes from St. John's to St. Philip.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Fadi Building Supplies sell in Antigua?
Fadi Building Supplies and Hardware on Old Parham Road in St. John's stocks quality stones, sand, concrete blocks, cement, and related construction materials. The business operates as a builders merchant focused on bulk raw materials for structural construction. It also has a second location on All Saints Road. The Old Parham Road yard is situated opposite Hadeed Motors, making it easy to find. Call 268-562-8088 for stock and delivery enquiries.
What is the difference between a builders merchant and a hardware store in Antigua?
A builders merchant sells bulk raw construction materials: blocks, sand, stone, cement, aggregate, and lumber. A hardware store sells tools, fittings, fixtures, and fasteners. Fadi Building Supplies is primarily a builders merchant, while businesses like A&R Hardware and Antigua Plumbing and Hardware Centre focus on the hardware and fittings side. Some suppliers, including West Trading and Cost Pro, straddle both categories with combined materials-and-hardware ranges.
When should I buy building materials before hurricane season in Antigua?
May is the critical month. Hurricane season officially starts June 1 and runs through November 30. Experienced contractors and property managers stock roofing materials, cement, waterproofing compounds, and repair supplies in April and May while yard stock is at its best. Brysons Insurance has noted that a storm landfall in Antigua would likely cause a shortage of building materials and further price increases, so pre-season stocking is both a practical and financial decision.
Is there a tax incentive for buying building materials in Antigua?
Yes. The Construct Antigua and Barbuda Initiative (CAB-I) provides eligible homeowners with zero Antigua and Barbuda Sales Tax (ABST) on approved building materials procured locally. The programme applies to citizens and residents undertaking new residential builds (by first-time homeowners), renovations, and expansions on their primary residence, with project cost thresholds. DCA approval and ABIA registration are required. Contact ABIA directly for current terms.
How do construction material costs in Antigua compare to the US?
Caribbean construction materials cost 20 to 40 percent more than equivalent US mainland prices, primarily due to import dependence and shipping costs. Brysons Insurance estimated the average cost of constructing a home in Antigua at EC$350 to EC$400 per square foot as of their most recent published figures, up from EC$275 to EC$300 previously. Cement, steel, lumber, and aggregate prices have risen 15 to 25 percent since 2022 across the region, according to industry research from Hope Research Group. The CAB-I zero-ABST programme partially offsets this for qualifying homeowners.