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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57299350

I was in TP the other week for a few bits of stick, screws and postcrete. I'd managed to drop a 35 yr old dangerous tree straight through my own fence.

Anyway, my pal Derek who works there was saying how fast and frequent the price leaps are in basic build materials last few months. Im sure he said timber up 75%! He placed the majority of it on HS2? Made me think of an online mate who's doing a build. Wondering if there's an advantage to going up the chain to the sawmill for the timber?

It's worth a try, for instance I buy my UPVC windows direct from the factory that makes them at a pretty good price, mostly though they are not set up for retail and the small quantities involved. Always worth asking though.

sped

Joeboy wrote: ↑Mon May 31, 2021 10:31 pm Wondering if there's an advantage to going up the chain to the sawmill for the timber?

One of the guys at work was in the same situation a few months ago of trying to get timber to finish off part of his house extension, so spoke with his brother who works in a large sawmill up Inverness way and was told that their stocks were non-existent as everything was going straight out and down south.

I recently bought some more Poplar plywood and the cost has gone up £20 per sheet since last time

SWMBO had heard that the price of logs for wood burners had also shot up as the trees that would normally be marginal and go to wood burning are instead going to lumber for projects.

For that fence repair I was £165 for what looked like about £80 worth of material. If I had a full on build on the go i'd be locking in and storing as much as I could now after a look at the timescale for HS2, the prices won't come down any time soon if ever?

I used to use Mosstodloch mill but there is also Cordiners over in Banchory but i've not been in there.

Yep, daughter replaced the fence in their new house. I had a chat with the installer - he’s stopped quoting for new work (he is busy) as the rate of price change makes the quote outdated too quickly.

He’s seen a 100% increase since last year.

Additionally, daughters father-in-law is a painter and decorator - he’s struggling to get some paints specified by customers. The reason given by his supplier - shortage of paint tin lids - they’re stuck on the EverGiven still

In terms of logs, local prices (currently) are in line with last year - there’s a lot of local
Woodland management going on and, I understand, a lot of Ash trees are being preemptively cut back to try and avoid Ash Die-back.

Thankfully I had bought a fair few materials for my extension (about 3 20ft containers and an arctic of blocks, a pallet of cement and a lot of sand and gravel) and that can now be used in the new build but I've still got a lot more to buy.

Bugtownboy wrote: ↑Tue Jun 01, 2021 12:53 pm Yep, daughter replaced the fence in their new house. I had a chat with the installer - he’s stopped quoting for new work (he is busy) as the rate of price change makes the quote outdated too quickly.

He’s seen a 100% increase since last year.

Additionally, daughters father-in-law is a painter and decorator - he’s struggling to get some paints specified by customers. The reason given by his supplier - shortage of paint tin lids - they’re stuck on the EverGiven still

In terms of logs, local prices (currently) are in line with last year - there’s a lot of local
Woodland management going on and, I understand, a lot of Ash trees are being preemptively cut back to try and avoid Ash Die-back.

Same as that, we are only doing written quotes for labour now and a rough guesstimate of materials, most customers are reasonably understanding, but it is getting sillier by the minute. Have you bought a bundle of copper pipe lately,? we just picked up 40 m mix of 28mm 22mm and some 15mm, when Ray told me how much I had to have a little sit down

Sped

There is a global squeeze on building materials. Lumber prices in the US have risen spectacularly, having held steady at $475-500 per thousand board ft for many years the price has risen to $1500. We should expect prices to rise across the board, but construction materials and other commodities have less room for the inflation to be hidden behind squeezed retailer/wholesaler margins.

Unprecedented amounts of money has been "printed" over the last decade but the resulting inflation has been "pent up" and not expressed itself, it has long been felt by some that it is only a matter of time. COVID however has resulted in yet more money "printing" so some feel we should prepare for a tidal wave of inflation.

If you believe that inflation is coming, there are ways you can mitigate its effects on you personally:
- Do not store wealth as cash. Gold is the traditional hedge against inflation, but equities are good too.
- Make any capital purchases now. And keep (rotated) supplies of shelf-stable consumables you buy regularly.
- If you have a mortgage or other borrowing, ensure the rate is "Fixed".

(Not financial advice).

Prices are crazy, I have been renovating a disabled grade 2 listed shop/accommodation that my daughter bought 18 months ago. CLS timber has doubled in price, if you can get it! Luckily, I'm on the last of the window renovating part of the project and the job is 90% finished..

Another crazy anecdote - local builder we’ve worked with was round the other evening. He’s ‘rationed’ to 10 bags of cement a week by the local building supplier.

Takes it then drives to the next branch (5 miles) and buys another 10, then the next one (still 5 miles’ish for the other arm of the triangle) and buys another 10.

It’s all the same local Building Supplier (Bradfords), but everyone is happy

Not sure if there’s someone having a laugh with this, maybe somethings but others ?