Timing the construction of your outdoor living project is not as tricky as trying to anticipate the highs and lows of the stock market. You don’t have to figure out when to buy and when to sell. The only true parallel is this: we know prices will change. With stocks, prices might rise or fall. With construction projects, prices only move in one direction – up – and the timing of that movement is completely out of our control.
Today’s Price May Be Better Than Tomorrow’s
At Archadeck of Nashville, we know from observation that materials manufacturers typically raise their prices soon after the first of the year. This recurs every year. We share this information with prospective customers around November each year so they’ll know it’s wise to sign a contract with us prior to year-end. Otherwise, they can expect a price increase.
What if you’re close to making your decision to move ahead with a new deck, porch, or patio project? In November/December, after meeting with us for a design consultation, many clients prefer to wait until after the first of the year to sign a contract. The drawback to waiting is that a price we quote you in November or December won’t hold in January. We will have to apply manufacturers’ price increases and adjust your quote if it becomes stale. It’s not a bait-and-switch situation, and we never want any client to think we’re pulling a trick like that.
Wait, Can Materials Pricing Increase at Any Time?
What about other times of the year? Manufacturers’ price increases – other than those we see each January – are not predictable. They can hit at any time, and do – without warning. If prices increase while you have a contract pending, you run the risk of a price adjustment. We can hold the price we’ve quoted you for 30 days. If you wait longer than 30 days to sign a contract, you may find the price has increased.
If you’ve heard, in so many words, “The day you can get your project at the best price was yesterday," this is what we’re referring to. Manufacturers’ prices do increase – from big materials (lumber and outdoor kitchen appliances) to medium (railing posts and LED fixtures for deck lighting) to small (fasteners, screws, or nails). For hardscape projects, if the maker of your favorite pavers increases their price, the impact on your project will be significant. If you’ve waited 6-8 weeks to sign your contract with Archadeck of Nashville, you may wish you had signed more quickly. Yesterday’s price was better than today’s. Yesterday is gone. Please don’t be surprised if this happens.
Could Labor Costs Increase, Too?
While an increase in labor costs would be more extreme, it truly depends on how long you have waited to accept our contract. The longer you wait, the more likely the possibility that labor costs could increase. Labor costs are not creeping upward constantly the way materials costs seem to do. But annually or perhaps every year and a half, we do face increased labor costs.
Nashville deck builder Archadeck of Nashville is not going to hire less-skilled crews each year in an attempt to contain costs. We depend on our experienced crews to ensure Archadeck quality is built into all of our projects. Our crews are committed to building our projects “the Archadeck way,” which means always building to code and sometimes exceeding code. It’s not unreasonable to expect they’ll receive wage increases periodically. Any good contractor knows that paying wages that keep pace with the cost of living is one way to keep a good crew.
If Cash Flow is an Issue, Consider Financing Your Outdoor Living Project
Archadeck of Nashville offers a financing option many clients find extremely helpful. If you are open to financing your outdoor living project, doing so could enable you to sign your Archadeck contract before our quote expires. You can lock in the price we’ve quoted you before too much time passes and manufacturers raise their prices again.
— Archadeck of Nashville offers financing. Visit our website today to learn more!
With Archadeck of Nashville’s financing plan, you will not have to make payments during the first 12 months, nor will you be charged interest during that period. Just give us a call for additional financing plan details. We can schedule your design consultation and talk about the financing arrangements when we meet with you.
If you are looking for the most qualified outdoor living designer and builder in the Nashville area, and one that offers financing for your project, contact us today to learn more by calling (615) 640-3628.
