A home building boom fuelled by recent government grants and low interest rates has brought about some unexpected and unwelcome side effects. After several years with low numbers of houses being built, the sudden, unprecedented demand has left construction companies struggling to keep up, and they have increased costs to meet this demand.
Trade contractor prices have significantly increased, with some bricklayers nearly doubling their prices. Construction materials have also become more expensive, with both lumber and steel increasing by 20-25%. And even if you have the money to cover these costs, it’s getting harder to find good builders who have the time to start new projects.
Timber shortages have been hit particularly hard due to beetle infestations in North America and Europe. Warmer winters from climate change have allowed beetle populations to grow exponentially. In British Columbia, beetles have killed off 15 years’ worth of supplies, and similar outbreaks elsewhere in the world mean that local suppliers in WA have nowhere to get back-up supplies.
One thing can be sure, things aren’t looking great for new home builders. It’s difficult to predict when this surge in demand will end and the costs of materials are unlikely to drop in future. But does this mean you should put your project on hold? If you work with Leanhaus, you won’t have to.
In response to these rising costs, we at Leanhaus have put in place strategies to ensure that your build remains as affordable as possible. From the get-go, we engage with selected builders to get accurate and detailed costs from start to finish. We also communicate directly with key suppliers of materials such as timber, windows and cladding to get information on future price increases and material shortages as early as possible. Our builders have carpenters on staff, meaning they don’t subcontract carpentry work and you can always be certain about the cost and quality. These all mean that we will be able to give you an accurate quote – you will know how much your home is going to cost right from the start.
We also avoid designing homes with structural brickwork, unless for aesthetic reasons. This will ensure that you won’t be paying the increasing prices that bricklayers are currently charging. And to guarantee that your build doesn’t take longer than expected we have great relationships with our builders. We know they will consistently deliver superior quality, high performance homes and, as they are committed to continue working with Leanhaus, they will always give our projects priority.
As part of our commitment to build sustainable homes, our designs will always be lean and efficiently sized to help you achieve more for less. Because sustainability isn’t just about the environment, it’s about people too. So don’t put off your dream sustainable home. Despite rising construction costs, we can help you build it within your time frame and budget.
Words: Ellie Prober and Ben Caine