According to the most recent Producer Price Index (PPI) report published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for inputs to new residential construction—excluding capital investment, labor, and imports—were up 0.5% in February. This was while the increase in January was revised downward to 1.1%. The Producer Price Index measures prices that domestic producers receive for their goods and services, differing from the Consumer Price Index, which measures what consumers pay and includes both domestic products as well as imports. According to Eye On Housing, The inputs to the…
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Lumber Inclusion Secured in Delay of Mexican and Canadian Tariffs
In a post updated as of 9 a.m. ET on March 7, 2025 by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), it was stated that, The situation surrounding tariffs remains fluid, with a flurry of activity in Washington this week. On March 4, President Trump imposed tariffs of 25% on Canadian and Mexican goods entering the U.S. and slapped an additional 10% tariff on Chinese products, which follows an initial 10% tariff last month. Then on March 6, Trump announced a one-month tariff delay until April 2 on all products from…
Read MoreFire-Resistant Building Materials Highlighted as Rebuilding Efforts Continue After LA Fires
The urgency for homeowners and construction professionals to embrace fire-resistant building practices has reached a critical peak. especially in the wake of devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. Choosing suitable materials and adopting strategic design approaches stand as the primary line of defense, crucial for mitigating risks and strengthening structures against future fires. According to Los Angeles Times, Concrete has long been celebrated for its robustness and fire-resistant capabilities. Whitney Sander, principal at Sander Architects tells LA Times Studios that concrete is a fantastic option when considering fire-resistant materials. This sentiment underscores concrete’s unparalleled ability to…
Read MorePrices and Trends in the U.S. Framing Lumber Market Released
With updated trends recently released, the week-to-week framing lumber composite price increased 1.2% on Feb. 7, 2025. Lumber prices are now 13.2% higher compared to one year ago. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) continually tracks the latest lumber prices and futures prices, and provides an overview of the behaviors within the United States framing lumber market. The information is sourced each week using the Random Lengths framing lumber composite price which is comprised using prices from the highest volume-producing regions of the U.S. and Canada. According to NAHB’s…
Read MoreNew Report on Building Material Costs Released
Harming housing affordability, the cost of softwood lumber, steel, aluminum and other imported materials and equipment are rising, exacerbating proce volatility and driving up housing costs. Uncertainties within the production process and when supplies will be available to complete homes in a timely manner are making this rise in costs worse. Whether or not the homes will appraise at the correct price to reflect these rising costs is another key concern. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Supply and Demand: As demand for building materials increases, particularly…
Read MoreIs Engineered Quartz the New Granite?
Natural stone countertops are losing popularity amongst other popular kitchen countertop materials, as reflected in Houzz’s 2024 Kitchen Trends Study. In this study, United States homeowners currently or just completed updating countertops, or remodeling their kitchen were surveyed to gather such data. “Engineered quartz has notably increased in popularity as a countertop material, rising by 4 percentage points compared with the previous year,” the study shared. The rise comes after quartz being favored by 42% of respondents in 2022 and 2023. The jump to 46%, though not significant, has the…
Read MoreBuilding Material Prices Continue to Rise in March
According to the most recent Producer Price Index (PPI) report published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, inputs to residential construction, goods less food and energy, increased for the fifth straight month. This index, for inputs to residential construction, goods less food and energy, represents building materials used in residential construction Following a 0.54% increase in February and a 1.25% in January, the non-seasonally adjusted index increased 0.21% in March. The index continues to grow at a faster rate than 2023 as the average monthly change in 2023 was 0.15%…
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