19/05/2021
I have just spoken to a timber supply company and for those building a new home or renovating, there is nothing but bad news.
I knew there were issues with the supply of pine framing and so contacted the supplier to design around the lack of supply using alternative timber species.
The response was that just about all the timber species as well as laminated timbers are in extremely short supply if not non existent.
Pine framing is unavailable and may not be for over 6 months.
The US building industry is booming and so they have snapped up (and offered higher prices to suppliers), therefore sourcing timber from OS is also difficult if not financially un-viable.
As for steel it is much the same situation, as steel stud framing is in short supply.
The alternative seems to be to consider using concrete bricks instead.
Kind of presents a moment in history if you like, whereby in years to come the 2020's could be known as the "masonry era" of building and construction.
If timber and steel is unobtainable, then houses and some renovations may be needing to be built in clay brick, concrete block or brick, precast concrete panels, or in-situ 3D printed wet concrete, Hebel panels or blocks.
If you are that way inclined it kind of forces new construction to be more of a passive design and construction which leads to low energy usage and better living comfort conditions.
Anyway, at least for now, the cost of timber frames construction is going to go up 30-60%, so much so that the alternatives which were once thought of being "too expensive" may now become financially viable.
