Construction supply chain issues brought on by the pandemic are taking longer than expected to stabilize in 2021.
It seems that you can’t turn on the news lately without hearing one common theme: supply chain issues. Retailers are encouraging everyone to place their holiday orders well in advance and plan for delays, while grocers are pleading with customers not to panic buy and empty store shelves. Unfortunately, these issues are widespread and are impacting numerous industries, including construction.
There is no rosy way to paint it—construction supply chain issues in 2021 are impacting home remodeling projects throughout Hampton Roads and the entire country. Here is what you need to know about the current issues and what Criner Remodeling is doing to minimize the impact on our client’s home remodeling projects.
What is causing the construction supply chain issues in 2021?
The pandemic is the underlying cause of the current construction supply chain issues. The pandemic caused many of us to shift our lifstyles from being on the go to being primarily at home. This change spurred many individuals to seek homeownership and current homeowners to prioritize home remodeling. This unexpected increase in demand put a strain on the construction supply chain. The pandemic also caused operational shutdowns, which further exasperated the situation as suppliers struggled to meet the rising demand.
What are the construction supply chain issues in 2021?
Overall, the industry is experiencing both construction material shortages and construction material delays. Increased demand for construction materials, including lumber, steel, flooring, cabinetry, and even appliances, has led to supply shortages. Additionally, high demand coupled with pandemic-related shutdowns has created freight issues, significantly delaying the delivery of construction materials.
How might these issues impact my project?
Simply put, the current construction supply chain issues can cause schedule delays and price increases to home remodeling projects.
What is Criner Home Remodeling doing to overcome the construction supply chain issues?
At Criner Home Remodeling, our clients are our top priority. Our team continuously updates our process to help mitigate the current construction supply chain issues that may impact our client’s home remodeling projects.
We anticipate delays and plan ahead by ordering long lead (items that take a long time to arrive) materials, products, and appliances in the early stages of a project. We work with our clients to complete the selection process for these long lead items as soon as possible. When materials and products arrive, they are inspected immediately to facilitate a quick return process, if needed. We create our project schedules around these long lead items to minimize delays and increase productivity.
We also monitor construction material costs, particular lumber, and pre-purchase these materials as needed. We constantly collaborate and communicate with our suppliers, vendors, and subcontractors to ensure we have the most up-to-date information about price increases and delivery delays.
Despite the current construction supply chain issues, Criner Home Remodeling has been able to keep our client’s projects on track. Contact us today if you’d like to learn more about our process and how we can help with your next home remodeling project.