Have you heard about the Lumber Shortage of 2020?
That’s right, over the past few months media outlets are all abuzz about a shortage of pressure-treated lumber. As to the reason for the dwindling supply, there are many factors leading to this quandary.
Covid-19 is to blame for part of the situation. This is because suppliers and distributors only have half the workforce in place due to virus mandates and social distances. The result is many builders and contractors are having to wait weeks for supplies they’re used to getting in days.
Another element to factor in is the simple supply and demand curve. More homeowners are using this downtime to remodel and refurbish. Stay-at-home orders have shifted much of the workforce to stay at home. This extra time at home is giving many a chance to access ways they can improve their home.
The situation has also resulted in a massive wave of DIY projects from homeowners during the pandemic leading to pressure-treated lumber selling faster than dealers and suppliers can keep up with demand. A recent survey by Bank of America found that 70% of Americans were working on home improvement projects during the COVID-19 crisis with more planned for 2021.
— Stunning pressure-treated deck and custom pergola by Archadeck of West Central & Southwest Ohio.
As is most certainly the case when the supply cannot keep up with the demand for a product, we have also started to see prices for lumber increase. According to a recent article from the Hardware + Building Supply, “As the COVID-19 crisis expanded, mills slowed production while treaters re-examined their contracts with lumber producers. Essentially, both sides of the pressure-treated production equation did not want to get caught with too much supply during the pandemic. But supply is now the issue as both mills and treaters can’t put enough pressure treated materials into the market.”
What Does the Shortage Mean for me?
Archadeck of West Central & Southwest Ohio is working diligently to thwart any delays to project timelines. Unlike a DIY’er, we have access to specific supplies and materials others do not. Since we are a professional design and build company, we work closely with our local supplier to ensure we able to take care of our customers in a timely manner.
With the lumber shortages in mind; to our prospective clients that may be on the fence about moving ahead with their project this year, we urge you to act. As supply and demand increase, so will project costs. In order to lock into current pricing, we recommend getting your contract confirmed and project placed on our schedule.
Contact Archadeck of West Central & Southwest Ohio today at (937) 563-4847, or via email at wcohio@archadeck.net.
