The elevated building material costs is a current headwind for the industry. However, understanding where the rise comes from, building close relationships with dealers and transparency with clients can help you keep your projects on track. According to analysis from Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) construction input prices are 2.8% higher than a year ago. For small and mid-sized firms, simply absorbing these costs is not an option. Many ABC Carolinas members reported their projects were cancelled, rebid or significantly scaled back after updated quotes with higher budgets. “Start with…
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NLBMDA opens entries for 2026 ProDealer of the Year
The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) announced nominations are open for its 2026 ProDealer of the Year Award. This awards recognizes a company that demonstrates exceptional growth, innovation and leadership in the LBM industry. NLBMDA is also recognizing the Independent ProDealer of the Year which celebrates a standout dealer with five or fewer locations that exemplifies the values and business acumen of the independent lumberyard sector. NLBMDA is the recognized voice and resource of the Lumber and Building Material industry to federal legislators and regulatory agencies in…
Read MoreIncreasing the domestic timber supply
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced their efforts to increase the domestic timber supply. 2.5 million acres of timberlands in western Oregon are apart of this plan to sell, cut, and remove timber to be used in projects such as housing development and renovation. BLM reported that the program supports an estimated 2,000 local jobs and generate more than $1 billion for local economies. “Bringing timber production back to historic levels is essential for reviving local economies and reducing the threat of catastrophic wildfires,” said Acting BLM Director Bill Groffy.…
Read MoreUSDA guarantees $115.2M for timber production advancement
On March 23, 2026 at the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Administrator for the Rural Business and Cooperative Service J.R. Claeys announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture is guaranteeing $115.2 million across eight states through the Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program (TPEP) to ensure sawmills and other wood processing facilities have the necessary funding to establish, reopen, expand, or improve their operations. The states receiving the advancement include California, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Oklahoma, Virginia and Wisconsin. “We cannot allow wildfires to devastate and…
Read MoreBuilding material price growth up 3% from year before
Building material price growth saw a slight decline at the start of the year, only to grow in February. This data comes as the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the Producer Price Index. Analysis from the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) reports that the price index for inputs to new residential construction are up 0.7% for the month. Compared to the month before, the price of goods used in new residential construction are also up 1.1% while the price of services are up 0.1%. While looking at the year before,…
Read MoreImproved access to construction materials on public lands
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced their Materials Access Program, a new initiative to purchase mineral materials from public lands. Construction materials were up 2.8% in 2025, for particular builders and remodelers this could help ease the burden in materials costs. Levi Spellman, Public Affairs Officer, at BLM noted that in Colorado, mineral materials currently available for sale. This includes sand, gravel, bentonite, adobe clay, fill dirt, red gravel, silt, limestone, volcanic rock, river rock, boulders, rip rap and decomposed granite. “Mineral materials are the basic building blocks of our…
Read MoreBuilding material price growth declines for first time in a year
Residential building material price growth rate drops for the first time since April 2025. According to the National Association of Homebuilders’ analysis of the Producer Price Index release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, building material prices are increasing, but at a lower rate than the year before. The Producer Price Index final demand increased 0.5% in January, a continuation of the 0.4% increase in December. Specifically in the industry, metal products are experiencing the largest price growth while lumber and wood material products are stabilizing. “The goods component has a…
Read MoreLegislation aims to exclude building materials from tariffs
On Feb 27, 2026, the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) worked Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) to introduce the Housing Tariff Exclusion Act, which would automatically exempt many home building materials from current and future tariffs. The legislation would also allow importers to apply for tariff exemptions on home building materials that are not automatically exempted. “Roughly 60% of builders have already seen cost increases due to tariffs, which means higher housing costs for American home buyers and renters,” said NAHB Chairman Bill Owens. “This bill is…
Read MoreNAHB Chairman responds to Supreme Court tariff ruling
On Feb. 20, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled that the President’s attempts to use emergency powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) was not within his right. “IEEPA does not authorize the President to impose tariffs,” written by the supporting justices in the opinion decision. The National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) throughout these tariff decisions advocated for the exception of building materials in these trade agreements. They cited affordability and supply chain concerns. The association estimated in 2024, an estimated 7% of all goods used in new residential…
Read MoreSupreme Court’s tariff ruling will offer construction relief
On Feb. 20, 2026, the Supreme Court threw out a large number of tariffs that were imposed on imports. This decision is expected to have numerous impacts, including some much-needed relief for building materials and inflation as a whole. A decline in material prices, specifically specialty equipment, HVAC and electrical systems, as well as fixtures, can be an expected result after the ruling. However, tariffs on lumber, steel, copper products and lumber are still in place. Contractors can still expect an overall lessening of material prices. Read More
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