In conjunction with thinning inventories in the supply chain, moderate demand from the field kept October’s sales momentum well in play as November arrived but it blossomed even further once the Presidential election passed. The change of command in the political arena seemed to energize the building industry and, coupled with falling interest rates, hurricane and wildfire threats and the continued realization that lumber supplies from British Columbia were drying up, the market was set alight. By mid-month, pricing had rebounded to levels not previously seen since August of 2023, a period up until now in which many suppliers endured enough margin and profit erosion to scale back or close operations, actions of which have further exacerbated the currently tight lumber supplies. Dealers struggled to get the tallies that they wanted and often defaulted to what the mills could offer. In other cases, suppliers and manufacturers (particularly of truss plants) had to switch to the much more abundant and cost effective Southern Yellow Pine, which continued to move in the opposite direction from the rest of the framing species. As the month wore on, demand softened as dealers, who had become weary and cautious of the market, leaned more heavily towards filling immediate needs from distributors and resigned to paying their higher prices rather than trying to appease the mills with their limited tallies, escalating prices and growing lead times. As the market cooled down, buyers became more focused and concerned with whittling down their stock in anticipation of year end inventories and to avoid year-end tax penalties (incurred from having a higher inventory value year over year). The lack of production at the mill level (which is likely to worsen when they close for their annual shutdowns at the end of this month) is keeping prices firm. In addition, there appears to be growing anticipation that 2025 will start off strong, which will undoubtedly spur dealers into getting their orders in well in advance of the New Year. Based upon this, we anticipate that pricing for December will likely climb as the month progresses.
No one knows options-paralysis better than someone who is building a home. The myriads of options in just about every step of concept, design and build is overwhelming, but usually budgets and the sage advice of those who have the expertise in the field pare down the variety of choices to a select few. With that in mind (and if you have been fortunate enough to experience the excitement of a new build or remodel for yourself), how often does it occur that someone starts off determined to get one feature, appliance, application or design element only to concede to another, based on price and advice? A cavernous divide often develops between what one may want and what one may need when a professional lends out their expert opinion. The value of having the professional opinion comes from the guidance they can offer from their own career training, industry experience and connections within their circle of business partners. The advice from a professional can give clarity or another perspective to consider that may be detrimental to your entire concept of the ideal, saving you time and money spent on what would otherwise be a mistake. So, when distilling the options down, what you need often becomes what you want (whether you initially realized it or not) although it may require concessions (price, practicality or aesthetics) that you hadn’t considered. We must remember that we are all in sales and serve the purpose of providing services and products to ordinary people like ourselves who typically want it all but may not need or want to pay for it. Part of that service is not being overly prejudiced on the brands or options that we may prefer but to recommend the best brands or options that are best for the job and our customers. There are many “80/20” rules out there that are used to emphasize how much or how little something is utilized, but if it were ever true about one thing, it’s that communication is 80% listening and 20% talking. When it comes to building a home, both sides need to put in their 80% of listening, as the swirling options, emotions and budget concerns can easily muddle up clear thinking and communication…and there’s just too much at stake to get it wrong. After doing our 80%, we do the greatest service to our customers to explain the who, what, where, why and how’s. It’s critical to give them a better understanding of why we, the professionals, are suggesting what we are suggesting and why. It’s the essence of this dynamic that keeps your team at Shepley forever diligent in providing not only the greatest service, but the right products for your project.
Communication is 80% listening and 20% talking. When it comes to building a home, both sides need to put in their 80% of listening, as the swirling options, emotions and budget concerns can easily muddle up clear thinking and communication…and there’s just too much at stake to get it wrong.
One can spend a lot of time defending the quality and prices of what we deem the best options for a project, but it should only be done in the context of what is best for the application and, ultimately, our customer. Not everyone shares the same passion or has the same principle or values when it comes to products, so it’s important to respect that and be open to exploring different options when requested. If you need any assistance with your project or need advice on alternatives to items that you may have become accustomed to using, please do not hesitate to reach out to your Shepley sales representative for information. We sincerely thank you for your past, present and future business and wish you all the best during this holiday season!