{"id":758,"date":"2021-02-16T12:17:09","date_gmt":"2021-02-16T17:17:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/?p=758"},"modified":"2023-05-05T15:28:00","modified_gmt":"2023-05-05T19:28:00","slug":"building-materials-shortages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/blog\/building-materials-shortages\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Know About Building Materials Shortages &#038; Delays"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It should come as no surprise that orders and shipments are experiencing a delay across a number of industries. With <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/2020\/03\/11\/75-of-companies-report-coronavirus-has-disrupted-their-supply-chains\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">75% of companies citing COVID-19 related disruptions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in their supply chain and shipping process, it isn\u2019t just your next-day Amazon packages that are experiencing these hold-ups. These disruptions are especially evident in the home and building industry. If you&#8217;re reading this, you\u2019re probably all too aware of the ongoing building materials shortages and delays.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But a global pandemic isn\u2019t the only thing that causes building materials shortages, as a number of outside factors routinely contribute to delays and shortages. If you\u2019re a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/homeowners\/\">homeowner<\/a> looking to build or remodel and are frustrated with the hold up, we\u2019re here to fill you in on what exactly causes delays and shortages in building materials.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lumber Shortages<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Are Prevalent<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The biggest contributing factor to the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lumber shortage<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> during the COVID-19 crisis is the delay in the supply chain process. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/press-release\/less-availability-of-building-materials-emerges-significant-pandemic-challenge#:~:text=This%20quarter%2C%2041%25%20of%20contractors,points%20from%2054%25%20in%20Q3.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">41% of contractors reporting less availability of building products<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a severe consequence of the pandemic, which means less available materials for homeowners. But the weather is also a driving &#8211; and much more constant &#8211; force in affecting the production of building materials.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With winter winding down and snow melting, wet weather makes it harder for harvesters to produce as many loads of wood per day as they could in the dry season. As a result, construction projects like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/blog\/house-siding-options\/\">housing renovations<\/a> and new residential builds are routinely delayed due to inclement weather. If you\u2019re a homeowner looking to do some exterior work on your house and are currently held up due to delays in lumber, we\u2019d recommend looking for a quality wood substitute to speed the process along. Quality wood substitutes for exterior use include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cellular PVC and poly ash<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fiber cement<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Composite and engineered wood<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Steel framing<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-761 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image1-min-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up picture of a stack of lumber with snow on it, representing the affects of weather on building materials shortages.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image1-min-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image1-min-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image1-min-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image1-min-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image1-min-1010x673.jpg 1010w, https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image1-min.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Building Product Prices<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Are on the Rise<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weather doesn\u2019t just slow down the harvesting of timber &#8212; it also impacts the manufacturing price. Lumber that can be harvested year-round falls within the category of what is called the \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.forest2market.com\/blog\/five-and-a-half-factors-that-impact-timber-prices\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">wet weather tract<\/a>\u201d. These are designated areas where timber is easier to harvest because it doesn\u2019t experience as much environmental moisture due to weather conditions. When the typical supply becomes constrained due to weather conditions, the prices go up, a prime example of supply and demand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While a sellers\u2019 market is good for manufacturers, it doesn\u2019t always make it the most ideal time to purchase materials &#8212; hence why the prices of building materials can seem to fluctuate so much. As a whole, lumber prices have continued to rise and, even before COVID-19, experts were expecting high lumber prices.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite growing concern over building materials from purchasers and manufacturers alike, the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">U.S. Chamber of Commerce\u2019s overall Index score<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for Q4 of 2020 rose to 60, up 3 points from 57 in Q3. All three of the Index\u2019s main indicators rose, meaning:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contractors\u2019 confidence in new business opportunities rose to 57 points<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Revenue expectations increased to 52 points (four points up from Q3)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Backlog rose to 70 points\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While these gains are promising, the Index still remains below the score of 74 that the building materials industry was experiencing in Q1 of 2020 prior to the pandemic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Availability of Materials<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is Dwindling<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the unpredictability of 2021 and the rising prices of building products, the pandemic has forced more and more people to stay home. This is cited as one of the contributing factors for the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.housingwire.com\/articles\/why-is-the-housing-market-thriving-in-a-pandemic\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">residential construction boom of 2020,<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> something that is likely to continue into 2021.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the exodus from big cities to more affordable living areas continues, the demand for house remodels, additions, and new construction continues to grow. As a homeowner, you may be looking to add a home office to your house, renovate a basement for a home gym, or even build a new home from the ground-up. To keep up with this demand, many manufacturers are working overtime to keep customers happy in the midst of the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">building materials shortage.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>An Influx of Prospective Homeowners<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New construction of single-family homes is set to exceed 1 million in 2021, a number we haven\u2019t seen since 2011. While this is exciting news for many, Robert Dietz, senior vice president and chief economist at the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National Association of Homebuilders<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, is quick to point out that inventory is still below needed levels, and that the pandemic left the industry on uncertain terms. Construction, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/advisor\/mortgages\/new-home-construction-forecast\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">according to Dietz<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, is up against the same problem it has been for the past few years: increased lumber prices, limited lot supplies, supply chain issues, restrictive zoning laws, costly permits, and a skilled labor deficit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still reeling from the pains of the Great Recession, the sizable exit of 1.5 million workers (who either lost their jobs or quit) has been steadily reduced by adding about 900,000 jobs to the industry, but the shortage is still painfully evident, resulting in delays. All of this means delays for homeowners looking to add-on to their current living space as well a<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">s <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">prospective homeowners looking to build a place they can call their own.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Construction Project Delays<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Are Unavoidable<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of the primary factors that contribute to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">construction project delays<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seasonality<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Extreme Weather<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Equipment Failure<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Labor Shortages<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we briefly touched on, one of the biggest challenges presenting itself to the construction industry (and therefore, project completion time) is the labor shortage, brought about chiefly by the Great Recession.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lack of Skilled-Labor<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-760 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image4-min-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Close up picture of a man welding.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image4-min-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image4-min-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image4-min-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image4-min-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image4-min-1010x673.jpg 1010w, https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image4-min.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.builderonline.com\/building\/trades-subcontractors\/why-dont-young-americans-want-to-do-construction-work_o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A promising study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> produced by an economist at George Mason University found the reason behind young adults not entering the construction industry may be more a matter of perception than anything else. Young adults, at large, don\u2019t see the skilled trades as a viable, good-paying career. But as the cost of college continues to rise, the promise of a career with growth and few barriers to entry may continue to entice the younger generation to consider entering trades like construction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While steady growth won\u2019t have a massive impact on the industry overnight, more skilled labor in the workforce means fewer hold ups for homeowners looking to complete projects.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weather<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weather, as we touched on in the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">building materials shortage<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> section, is another contributing factor that routinely delays construction projects. Extremely hot or cold days can slow the production of work, and heavy rain or snow can push jobs back by days. This, coupled with rising cases in COVID-19 during flu season, means even more delays, as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/fmlink.com\/articles\/envoy-employees-top-return-to-work-concerns\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">64% of businesses say worker health and safety is a top concern.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve ever had a project on your house delayed or pushed back because of weather, you know just how frustrating mother nature can be. Because of this, we recommend &#8211; if possible &#8211; to pad your schedule with a contractor as best as possible. If other major events in your life are dependent upon the completion of your new home, you may be setting yourself up for unneeded stress if the project experiences delays. By allowing yourself some breathing room with a flexible schedule, you can stay on track and still prepare, as best as possible, for the unexpected.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">COVID-19 Delays<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to delays in receiving the necessary building materials, it\u2019s important to directly address the \u201cgorilla in the room\u201d: COVID-19. Certainly, this has caused the biggest disruption in the<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> availability of materials<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in over a decade.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the primary reasons for the disruptions in the building products supply chain stems from the COVID-enforced global lockdowns we\u2019ve experienced. As a homeowner, it\u2019s easy to forget the fact that your shed\u2019s metal handle may be manufactured in China and the lumber for the exterior produced in Oregon. If any of the factories or manufacturing companies for these materials have been shut down or are experiencing delays themselves, the whole supply chain is thrown off, and the wait time <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">can be<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> extended by weeks or even months.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-759 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image6-min-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Picture of a construction worker on a high rise.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image6-min-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image6-min-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image6-min-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image6-min-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image6-min-1010x673.jpg 1010w, https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/image6-min.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lot of factors play into the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">building materials shortage<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> we\u2019re experiencing. Old problems don\u2019t let up when new challenges present themselves, and manufacturers, distributors, and contractors alike are working together as best they can to help homeowners receive the needed materials and move on with their building projects.<\/span><\/p>\n<h6><b>At J&amp;L Building Materials, we would love to help you navigate this unprecedented time as a homeowner. We have a team of trusted contractors that can help you complete your project. Feel free to <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/contact\/\"><b>contact us<\/b><\/a><b> and someone on our team will be happy to speak to you.<\/b><\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It should come as no surprise that orders and shipments are experiencing a delay across a number of industries. With 75% of companies [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":762,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10,11],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-758","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-building-materials","8":"category-construction-industry","9":"entry"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/758","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=758"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/758\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/762"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=758"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jlbuilding.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}