If your wondering why your DIY projects are costing a bit more take a look at the lumber prices for the past couple years.
This is the cost of a new home is thru the roof.
My Lumber salesman in the past was able to guarantee prices for up to a year in some cases, now it’s 1 week. Yup 1 week.
Prices have almost tripled.
This is the lumber list for the sample house.
this has been happening for like 6 months or more. Yet it still doesn’t seem to be slowing down the new housing being built in my area. There’s houses that are costing 20k and higher right now just because of the increase. 
It’s wierd. You can buy a nicer existing proprty and house cheaper than building new.
I wanted to replace an old rotting 6 foot high fence last October and the company that did the back one for me in 2016 said it would be about triple the cost for the same fence with the same materials.
What about shingles?? I need to reshingle a storage shed this spring.
What about shingles?? I need to reshingle a storage shed this spring.
I did my garage this fall and it didn’t seem to out of line, but I just used what they had available from a big box store. Asked about a certain shingle though and it was 6 weeks out.
Was getting pricing on adding on to deck this last fall and prices were only good for a day.
Shingles are up but not the % as lumber, but yes there could be long lead times on Manufacturers certain colors.
What about shingles?? I need to reshingle a storage shed this spring.
Most shingles are ok. Particular colors and special designer shingles can be out of stock aways. Cost hasn’t gone up the same as some building materials.
If your wondering why your DIY projects are costing a bit more take a look at the lumber prices for the past couple years
EPG I feel so lucky that I built my new fish house last year. If I had waited until this year I probably couldn’t of justified the expense to myself.
We’re in the middle of a big renovation. Our GC was here today and said lumber is starting to normalize but still up. We had to rebid our second phase and expect about 10% increase. We chose to delay a bit and it cost us.
We did our roof this summer and they said that saved us 20%. Asphalt prices are rising quickly apparently.
Thanks guys it’s only a 10 X 12 barn style storage shed
I know 2 couples that signed up to have new houses built months ago and neither have had their house started yet.
A house i priced out in Jan of 20 was 797,xox. Was put on hold due to lot and permit issues. Just repriced it out and it’s 1,018,xxx
Needless to say, these cost increases will shut us down
A house i priced out in Jan of 20 was 797,xox. Was put on hold due to lot and permit issues. Just repriced it out and it’s 1,018,xxx
Needless to say, these cost increases will shut us down
OUCH!
I bought 8 2×4’s from a local lumber store. $53 with tax or 6$ each. That’s just crazy.
Oh- I actually had to ask the guy loading me up for straight lumber. He immediately removed 3 of the first 5 he gave me…
I work at the local lumberyard as a little side gig in the summer running deliveries and occasionally working with a few contractors they recruit jobs for when in a bind.
The price spike was absurd, but we physically could not get materials. CDX, OSB, and any dimensions of treated lumber have been a nightmare since last April or so. There were a few weeks where stud grade 2x4s were going for $7.60 a pop and the units were flying out of the yard.
The contracted houses for next summer are still coming in regardless of prices. They did more in lumber sales (by quantity) as of Labor Day 2020 than any of the last 44 years. With artificially tanked interest rates as a tool to try and prop up the economy, people aren’t afraid to spend. The home market remains hot, but many who think they’re really “cashing-in” by selling for $50-75k more than they have into the house are unknowingly dumping that much or more at an inflated rate into new buildings with material costs.
I was really hoping these high prices wouldn’t drag out. My 12 year old box stand finally got destroyed my the wind in August. It sits a top a hill in a open field/swamp. I decided to wait to build it due to the high prices & thought I’d be better off this spring… I guess it might be worth looking into some of those pre-made box stands..
Its getting ridiculous I am not sure where the economy sucks but home building is getting busy in Crosslake. I built my work bench a few weeks ago and just the 2×4’s was $80 for like 8-9 of them.
I was really hoping these high prices wouldn’t drag out. My 12 year old box stand finally got destroyed my the wind in August. It sits a top a hill in a open field/swamp. I decided to wait to build it due to the high prices & thought I’d be better off this spring… I guess it might be worth looking into some of those pre-made box stands..
Locally the lumber yard is anticipating a similar Spring to that of 2020. There’s likely to be more stimulus $$$ passed that will be burning a hole in peoples’ pockets like last year along with free time for millions with still no concerts, sporting events, fans at some youth sports, etc. Decks, sheds, and a million other DIY projects will be going on along with homes at low interest rates. Hopefully the big time producers in the lumber industry aren’t shut down due to Covid (I doubt they will be) this time around if a vaccine and general precautions are factored in.
I’m not an expert, but if I were building something I’d try to shoot for something next Fall as some contractors start to slow down and lumber prices will hopefully be coming down. I’ve tried to talk my sibling into breaking ground on their cabin later rather than early spring, but evidently having it ready a few months earlier is worth the inflated $50-60K 
but we physically could not get materials.
I never had an issue at Menards this year, if they didn’t have it one day it was likely coming in the next or the other store 15 minutes away had it.
Home Depot and Lowes were a totally different story, their racks were basically empty all summer.
If your wondering why your DIY projects are costing a bit more take a look at the lumber prices for the past couple years.
This is the cost of a new home is thru the roof.
My Lumber salesman in the past was able to guarantee prices for up to a year in some cases, now it’s 1 week. Yup 1 week.
Actual framing lumber and rough sheet goods are a small part of the building process. If you take December prices, it’s 21.5 k difference . Have you looked at HVAC / plumbing pricing on new jobs lately?
Before I retired, my profession was a construction cost estimator. These are the times during my career where it sucked to be me.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Eelpoutguy wrote:</div>
If your wondering why your DIY projects are costing a bit more take a look at the lumber prices for the past couple years.This is the cost of a new home is thru the roof.
My Lumber salesman in the past was able to guarantee prices for up to a year in some cases, now it’s 1 week. Yup 1 week.
Actual framing lumber and rough sheet goods are a small part of the building process. If you take December prices, it’s 21.5 k difference . Have you looked at HVAC / plumbing pricing on new jobs lately?
Understood.
I was just singling out sticks.
Very comprehensive list to look at as why prices are high starting with Dirt. Don’t get me going on Wac/Sac, Plan review. Permit cost are simply insane.
So I take it if I’ve been toying with the idea of an extra garage or pole barn I might as well just put it off for awhile? Any projections on how long it will take the lumber market to normalize?
Back in May I paid $33 for a 4X8X.5 sheet of OSB. Two more payments and she’s mine! It’s insane.
Just had the buyer for my old house back out (underwriter problems). It will get relisted with a price increase.
The options are pay more to build or over pay for used. Sounds like the boat market doesn’t it? 
So I take it if I’ve been toying with the idea of an extra garage or pole barn I might as well just put it off for awhile? Any projections on how long it will take the lumber market to normalize?
IMHO – No.
All the speculators whether professional or arm chair haven’t been correct so far.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>buckybadger wrote:</div>
but we physically could not get materials.I never had an issue at Menards this year, if they didn’t have it one day it was likely coming in the next or the other store 15 minutes away had it.
Home Depot and Lowes were a totally different story, their racks were basically empty all summer.
If Menards could keep you supplied, evidently that region of China was still producing lumber.
Most of our yard’s lumber is from the United States and Canada, two developed countries that chose to shut down a lot of production. Our lumber probably costs more than Menards stuff too…but for anyone in the business they know you get what you pay for.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
