Zarea.pk digitalises the $30 billion Housing Construction Industry in Pakistan

We spoke with Ali Alam Qamar, the young entrepreneur and investor who wants to digitally transform the Pakistani Housing Construction Industry with his new venture Zarea.pk.

What does Zarea.pk offer and what is the mission behind it?

Zarea.pk is Pakistan’s 1st Online Marketplace for Construction and Finishing Materials.

It aims to simplify the process of constructing your dream house or project within your budget and in your targeted timeline. Zarea.pk intends to assist their customers in their purchase process by providing a talk to an expert option via their helpline, purchasing guides and material calculators to ascertain the quality and quantity of the products required.

Founder Zarea.pk, Ali Alam Qamar, says that "Zarea.pk hopes to set new standards in the construction and finishing material purchase process by providing the most competitive rates in the market, the top quality brands, express delivery to your doorstep, multiple payment options and a dedicated customer support team."

Pakistan’s construction industry currently having revenues of over US$30 billion annually is expected to grow at a real annual rate of 8.90% (Source : Fitch Ratings). Moreover, the Pakistan Government’s amnesty scheme for the construction sector along with other incentives has helped boost activity in construction.

The Prime Minister Imran Khan’s initiative for 5 million low cost housing and State Bank of Pakistan’s directions to Banks to provide easy and affordable loans for housing, is also proof of the transition towards urban development and roaring demand for housing in Pakistan.

What hurdles does one face when constructing their house?

• Time Constraint : Majority of working professionals do not have the time to go to the market and survey the prices and quality of different brands.
• Trust issues with Contractor/ Middleman : A lot of people outsource their entire home construction to contractors including procurement of construction and finishing materials. This gives rise to a conflict of interest as the contractors agree to a commission with the shopkeepers to provide certain products and qualities.
• Inflated Prices & Information Asymmetry: Due to lack of transparency in the market, various shopkeepers/vendors offer different prices for the same products which leads to price discrimination.
• Quality Issues : There also various quality issues due to miscommitment and fraud.
• On-Time Delivery Issues : A lot of homeowners undergo stress as the goods/products they purchased do not arrive on time and are extremely delayed.

How does Zarea.pk solve these hurdles?

Zarea.pk has partnered with the top manufacturers and dealers of construction and finishing materials to provide the best and highly cost effective solutions for their customers. And so, Zarea.pk offers the most competitive prices in the market and gives 100% quality assurance guarantee.

The company has partnered with Bank Alfalah to provide easy and convenient payment solutions for its customers. It will be the first time customers can purchase construction materials via Credit/Debit card, Alfa Wallet and Online Bank Transfer.

Zarea.pk guarantees express delivery so you can timely construct your dream house or project. In Case of non-satisfaction of their customers it also provides a full payment refund. The company has a dedicated customer support team available via its helpline (0310-22-ZAREA) to assist customer queries and complaints.

Ali Alam Qamar explains that "in line with the vision of our Hon. Prime Minister Imran Khan, we want to add value to the process of constructing houses all across Pakistan by simplifying the process, empowering our customers by minimising information asymmetry, creating awareness and moving one step closer to the dream of a Digital Pakistan."

As the construction industry grows, innovative business ideas like Zarea.pk will play a huge role in further growth and development of the housing sector in Pakistan.