Lumber prices and alternatives

Fabrik8

Fabrik8

Overcomplicator
Joined
May 27, 2015
Location
Huntersville
Daily randomness, mostly in reaction to everyone talking about lumber prices. And beer.

And wanting to finally build this damn garage.


So if dimensional lumber is so high right now, what's the outlook for when it might come down to sane levels?

Does anything else seem like a good alternative to dimensional stick-frame at the moment, like structural steel stud systems? Engineered studs (probably also affected by price increases)? At current lumber prices, SIPs don't seem so expensive any more, strange as that sounds.

Just postpone building for some undetermined length of time...?
 
Lumber sales and wholesale is our 3rd gen family business (if you didn't know).
Word is the prices won't drop until winter hits the northeast and construction slows due to weather up there. Then, supply should improve as well as pricing.
Lumber prices are insane right now. Dimensional 2x material is easily twice to nearly 3 times higher than it was in May. Each week it continues to climb.
OSB is $23 a sheet, mill direct, straight from a manufacturer. We used to pay $7.xx each. 2x framing lumber is over double with very little availability.
I hold prices for 3 days and am not chasing new accounts so I actually have material on hand for existing clients.
Anything specific you want to know, just ask.
 
Recent demand
Election
Post election recession


Im not considering anything until april/may. Then itll be pricing only until prices and PO's will be honored 30-60 days
 
This is part of the reason i was considering getting a steel building now, then frame out the inside later.
 
RatLabGuy said:
This is part of the reason i was considering getting a steel building now
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Thing is...are you the only one that has considered this path?

I would imagine the red iron building and erection business will soon be in similar demand for similar reasons.
 
Jody Treadway said:
Word is the prices won't drop until winter hits the northeast and construction slows due to weather up there. Then, supply should improve as well as pricing.
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Hmm. That's not too far away, so that's probably not much of a schedule hardship for me personally. I hope that prediction is accurate.


If OSB is going crazy, I imagine that's hitting engineered lumber and everything else as well.
 
Fabrik8 said:
Hmm. That's not too far away, so that's probably not much of a schedule hardship for me personally. I hope that prediction is accurate.


If OSB is going crazy, I imagine that's hitting engineered lumber and everything else as well.
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I ordered a ton of I joists last week from a nationwide distributor. I cleaned them out of their last 100 pcs. This is a product that they would typically have thousands of in stock. 2-3 weeks to get more in they said.
Our stock is huge right now. Can't afford to be without when lead times are 2-3 weeks instead of 2-3 days.
 
We are seeing a slight downtick in som pricing at our lumberyard/hardware store and availability is starting to improve.
Our largest supplier is telling us it will be this winter before the market fully corrects , but only if the hurricanes don’t keep whacking the South East. Unlike Jody we are keeping our inventory fairly low so we don’t get caught short when the prices come down , but we don’t do as much volume as he does. We are also not chasing new business and new construction starts have completely stopped in our county.

Steel prices are up as well, but not as much as lumber.
 
I think I posted this already somewhere. The 40 x 60 red iron building I priced recently was $25K IIRC. The salesman then said it would cost $10 - $15 per sqr foot to erect it. So that $25K building hit $50K - $66K quick.
 
ghost said:
I think I posted this already somewhere. The 40 x 60 red iron building I priced recently was $25K IIRC. The salesman then said it would cost $10 - $15 per sqr foot to erect it. So that $25K building hit $50K - $66K quick.
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That erection price is ridiculous, im my area ive been quoted $2.50 sq/ft. and up. That is erection only. There is a local metal building company around here that qoutes those kind of prices also and their work is no better than the $2.50 guy and they take longer
 
i am putting in a garage in Cornelius right now, the lumber quote went from $4k in July to $5500 3 weeks ago when i actually ordered it all. Like Jody mentioned, OSB went from $12/sheet retail to $23 a sheet
 
ghost said:
I think I posted this already somewhere. The 40 x 60 red iron building I priced recently was $25K IIRC. The salesman then said it would cost $10 - $15 per sqr foot to erect it. So that $25K building hit $50K - $66K quick.
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Does that price include insulation, insulated doors, engineered stamped plans, and delivery?
 
tknopp said:
Does that price include insulation, insulated doors, engineered stamped plans, and delivery?
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That I am not sure on. It was before covid too. The other quote I received was a tube style steel building and it was concrete and all and was about $49 iirc. Not doing anything until the office in Hartsville sells.
 
Is concrete at stupid prices too? I haven't checked, I'm just asking.

I just found out I'm likely going to have to wait a few months for a stove because of covid before getting rid of the gas line (it's cheaper to get a new stove than to move the line and the meter, and re-run everything under the house) so everything is fucked for either time or material costs at the moment. I can't pour concrete until after the gas line is moved or capped, so if concrete is really high then I may just postpone.... everything. I was trying to get the slab done when I'm finally ready, at least to accomplish something.
 
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Fabrik8 said:
Is concrete at stupid prices too? I haven't checked, I'm just asking.

I just found out I'm likely going to have to wait a few months for a stove because of covid before getting rid of the gas line (it's cheaper to get a new stove than to move the line and the meter, and re-run everything under the house) so everything is fucked for either time or material costs at the moment. I can't pour concrete until after the gas line is moved or capped, so if concrete is really high then I may just postpone.... everything. I was trying to get the slab done when I'm finally ready, at least to accomplish something.
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concrete goes up every 1st quarter. no mater what.
 
tknopp said:
Went to Lowe’s today. 19 dollars for a treated 4x4x8. :eek:
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holy moly. I haven't looked in quite awhile.

I may have to delay my shop plans by a season and hope it levels out.
 
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