Almost two years later, we’re still unsure exactly how the Build America, Buy America policy is supposed to work. But the government isn’t too clear, either. One of the offshoots of ignorance and uncertainty is fear, and construction contractors worry when it’s finally decided how to implement the Buy America policy, compliance will drive prices through the […]
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There’s a story of a Dutch boy who saved his country by sticking his finger in a dam leak until the wall could be repaired. The analogy seems to fit what Americans are doing to deal with the first quarter 2023 economy. With higher mortgage rates and materials prices, the construction industry is trying to
Mortgage Rates Up; Construction Materials Higher 1Q 2023 Read More »
Construction materials substitutions are often a key cause of conflict between contractors, architects, and clients. In a spring 2022 webinar, New Home Trends Institute (NHTI) Manager Allie Martin shared information about exterior construction materials and design trends for residential indoor-outdoor lifestyles. Three of those evaluations and their findings were: 1. Re-Think Exterior Construction Materials Spending The
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The revolution of materials for new construction buildings is interesting, to say the least. And some hot ideas are emerging, like using molten lava bricks. Iceland has a lot of volcanoes. We know they rumble and occasionally spew fiery lava that is housed beneath the earth’s surface. One architect began contemplating better use of natural
Construction Building Materials: New Options Read More »
It’s sad when a company has to back off expansion plans because of an economic slump. Amazon, after acquiring enough acreage to form a small country, is now slowing down construction on planned fulfillment centers. Before you say, “Aww…poor Jeff,” here’s the scoop. E-commerce customer purchasing is increasing so rapidly that Amazon has chosen to focus
Construction Industry Supply Chain Priorities: Amazon Focuses on Shipping Read More »
Materials prices have risen about 50% within the last year. This has led to even more competitive project bidding. The wins are going to contractors that can guarantee materials will be available when needed. When the supply shortages became a crisis, some contractors resorted to hoarding, ghost orders, and pop-up warehouses. Warehouse operations are becoming as
Warehouse Operations Management for ‘Just-In-Case’ Building Materials Read More »
Cold-formed steel (aka light-gauge steel) is the term we use for products shaped by roll-forming steel at room temperature. It’s been used on construction projects since the 1850s but lacked approved information about the material’s use as well as any uniform design standards or code requirements. Since its standardization in 1946, it’s been used for: Bridges
CFS for Construction Projects Read More »
When the price of lumber rose 300%, many of us wondered if that would be another new normal: pandemics and exorbitant lumber prices. It took Fortune eight charts to explain the skyrocketing lumber prices that recently fell to earth. Lumber prices peaked at $1,515 per thousand board feet, then plummeted to $399 and rose to $630 in
Up, Down, Boom, Bust, What’s Next With Lumber Prices? Read More »
It’s not just construction industry news. Hardly a day passes without national and local news referencing the 2021 soaring materials prices. Our country’s financial well-being is driven by building permit applications, infrastructure construction, and more. The construction industry is a figurehead for economic measurables in this country. Percentages of Construction Industry Materials Increases Numbers don’t
Construction Industry Material Prices Read More »
Construction firms using software for materials tracking have a competitive edge. And during the pandemic, one company managed supply chain challenges in such a way it increased productivity. New York City’s HAP Construction shares steps to protect against contract loopholes for a more successful project lifecycle. 9 Steps Construction Firms Can Use The construction company
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