[lateStarter]

Anyone else noticing the constant creep up for building materials? We are in the process of building our bug-out place, and we try to get multiple estimates for big costs items, but it seems like if we take too long to get estimates, by the time we get around to the best estimate, the price has gone up 7-8%.

Some of the contractors are even skeptical that we will even be able to get what we need, although that hasn't occured yet. Mostly they are concerned about concrete, bricks, and steel.

How is it in your area?

[killJOY]

Hi. My partner is a carpenter here in Maine (retired from the business -- bad knees). He says companies won't quote prices on metal roofing until the day of purchase (they change that quickly). Some lumberyard estimates are good for only a week.

He also says the housing crash has softened prices a little, but not much.

[Twilight]

Noticed it too. The quote you get isn't worth the paper it's written on a couple of years later. You constantly have to revise your estimate spreadsheets. It's worse for metals. You actually have to check the London Metal Exchange site to make sure you're not making a mistake.

[gnm]

lumber has actually been fairly level here following a big spike about 6 years ago... But OMG concrete and steel! Concrete is $145/yd^3 not including delivery and misc charges up from $60/yd^3 5 years ago...

Cheap corrugated type steel roofing is up to $11.50 or so from $7.50 5 years ago as well.

-G

[lateStarter]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('killJOY', 'H')i. My partner is a carpenter here in Maine (retired from the business -- bad knees). He says companies won't quote prices on metal roofing until the day of purchase (they change that quickly). Some lumberyard estimates are good for only a week.

He also says the housing crash has softened prices a little, but not much.

[jedinvest]

Just got an estimate for a concrete driveway in N. Cal and it was $10 a square foot. Kind of steep. What surprised me was that asphault was quoted at 8.50-9.00 square foot, so it is hadly worth skimping on that as concrete is consider far more durable. I noticed that in many places concrete is now being used for roads. Does this have something to do with $70/barrel oil??

[RonMN]

Damn! This thread should have a link in the "Fuel Shortages" thread.

I've heard more here from you guys, than in that thread about fuel shortages...and it means ALOT! (especially where to invest!).

[gg3]

In Northern California we hear of concrete and steel going up 50% or more over the past few years. According to mainstream news this is due to competing demand from China, which is probably in part correct, the other part being the embodied energy factor.

Well look at the bright side. This will tend to encourage people to build more reasonably-sized buildings, and it will hit McMansions hard. It may also tend to somewhat curb the appetite for unlimiited expansion of freeways.

[lateStarter]

Another update from Poland. The wife is starting to get onboard with this too. She hasn't quite put all the pieces together yet, but she is starting to come around.

For example: while I was in Norway for business this last week, she went out and bought 2 tons of cement even though we don't need it at the moment. After talking with some other people she knows, she got concerned that it would be in short supply soon. Sure enough, when she went to buy it, she was told they were not selling any to new customers. She talked to the manager and after they pulled up our buying record of purchasing building material from them, they agreed to let us have 2 tons. She also bought a shitload of insulation for the area above our ceiling, even though we don't have a ceiling yet.

I'll check the Polish news to see if I can find any additional signs of material shortages or increasing prices.

I feel like we are in one of those movie scenes where the big stone door is getting closer to the floor and we are running like crazy in an attempt to slide under before it slams shut. Probably should have started years ago.

[EnergyUnlimited]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('lateStarter', '
')For example: while I was in Norway for business this last week, she went out and bought 2 tons of cement even though we don't need it at the moment.

[lateStarter]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('EnergyUnlimited', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('lateStarter', '
')For example: while I was in Norway for business this last week, she went out and bought 2 tons of cement even though we don't need it at the moment.

[shakespear1]

China is sucking it all up. The Black hole of Building Materials

[Laughs_Last]

I've found a construction cost index prepared by the Utah Department of Transportation coving 1966 to present. in PDF. In summary, prices have been rising fast in the past couple of years, but in 2007 Q1 prices are down from 2006 Q4. This looks like a rare reversal. (Excluding individual fluctuations.) RS Means has a series of enlightening cost index graphs, Here.

Somewhere else I recently saw a chart for lumber and gypsum board prices. Both are down from a year ago, I'll see if I can dig it up.

Assuming that the housing market continues to do badly, I plan to make major home improvements next year. I expect material prices to keep edging down with lower demand and labor prices to follow as the work dries up for residential contractors. ...Wait, does this make me an optimist?

The bright spot is that large institutional projects are still chugging away on their multi-year schedules. At least mine are, anyway. Also, high-end residential remodel work doesn't seem to be much affected here either.

[shakespear1]

Here in Poland they are on a SHARP rise. The price of cement shot up nearly 30 % in less than 4-5 months.

Wish I could buy my stuff in the USA as competition is fears there

[Laughs_Last]

With some research, I find that only gyp bd and lumber are down, but not back down to pre-Katrina levels. Everything else is up, especially steel and now concrete. Lots of info at Mc_Graw-Hill, but you only get the abstract for free.