As this pandemic drags on, we’ve started to notice some of the ramifications it’s having on the industry. Like the rest of the world, we’re seeing things we could just never anticipate. Some of it is good, some of it is understandable, and some is, well, a bit surprising.

How the pandemic is affecting the construction industry

You’ll notice things might cost more

Manufacturers have been grossly affected by COVID-19, and we are now seeing the ramifications. Lumber has doubled in price, and in some cases it has tripled in just the past 30-60 days.

It might be hard to get your hands on materials

As prices increase and the daily operations within the manufacturers change drastically, experts are forecasting material shortages. This could mean some major delays in the projects you have on deck. Plan for this and factor in some buffer room to source your desired materials.

It might look a little different

Rules, regulations, policies and procedures. These are words that have been tossed around quite a bit in every single industry lately, and construction is no exception. Because of these important modifications, you might notice that your remodel and/or renovation project might look a little different these days. Bear in mind that though these changes might be a bit frustrating, they are in place for your safety.

What gives?

We’ve noticed that there are two major contributing factors to these ramifications. The first is that lumber milling has had to adapt to the government mandates due to COVID-19. Because of this, production is down about 15-20%.

And if you’ve stepped inside any home improvement store in the last 6 months, you’ll have noticed that home improvements are up 40-45%. This is assumed to be the case due to people spending much more time at home and they’re looking for projects to do. Or they’re finally getting around to those projects they’ve been putting off.

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