Timber shortage looming

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#2682056 28-Mar-2021 17:52

Just ordered some landscaping timber this weekend. Local shortage of 100x100 H4 and H5 posts. Some lengths totally unavailable right now.

sir1963

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#2682062 28-Mar-2021 18:07

nickb800: Things are tight across the building industry.

Here in Wellington, Mitre 10 recently switched to CHH for their structural timber after Timberlink in Blenheim shut down. So who knows who they'll go to next - Red Stag won't necessarily have oodles of spare timber.

The squeeze on structural timber follows on from strong demand for residential building post covid. Prenail manufacturers in Wellington are running at double the volumes they were pre covid - they will be sucking in a huge volume of structural timber.

Several James Hardie cladding products are out of stock in NZ until mid-May and mid-June.

Great time to be building a house!

Fencing materials are also impacted.

Jase2985

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#2682068 28-Mar-2021 18:53

Just spent 5k on fencing materials, had a harder time getting the screws than the timber.

sir1963

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#2682085 28-Mar-2021 19:49

Jase2985:

Just spent 5k on fencing materials, had a harder time getting the screws than the timber.

we had to wait a couple of months to get our fencing materials.

nickb800

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#2682087 28-Mar-2021 19:51

gzt: This seems to be the tripwire for the current issue:

Stuff: A “perfect storm” had led to Carter Holt Harvey not being able to meet demand for a structural wood product called “wides” – 245mm wide timber used in a wide range of building applications, from flooring to trusses.

Presumably CHH is using the timber and available product to produce this item instead. It's not clear to me what this product is. Is it accurate? 10x2? 10" boxing?

10x2" beams, for wide open plan spaces and/or multi story houses. Small volumes are needed but obviously important and expensive.

I'm a bit skeptical that wides are driving this issue - they may be part of it, but if it was only a shortage of wides then there are good alternatives

mattwnz

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#2682229 29-Mar-2021 01:00

k1w1k1d: Are you using a builder that specializes in fencing or a general builder?

They specialise in fencing. The neighbors are the ones who are arranging it as it is a shared fence, but they were supposed to begin November then got pushed back to Feb, and they blamed timber shortages back then. I fear they haven't purchased materials, and will continue to blame lack of materials due to this latest problem, as we haven't yet paid anything. It is hopeless. Far easier and less hassle just building it ourselves. The only reason we aren't is because it is a shared cost and was supposed to be faster.

Good luck to people getting new homes built. I noticed that some land covenants require people complete building and landscaping within 18 months of starting due. That could be problem for some if material delays and high demand are going to slow building down. Delays getting materials can cause massive knock-on effects with timings.

Jase2985

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#2682232 29-Mar-2021 04:29

sir1963:

Jase2985:

Just spent 5k on fencing materials, had a harder time getting the screws than the timber.

we had to wait a couple of months to get our fencing materials.

really? i know there is a shortage but there is still timber out there to be had if you go looking for it.

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sittingduckz

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#2682326 29-Mar-2021 09:25

Has CHH actually said why there is a shortage... we grow and treat it here. If anything you'd expect exports to have slowed. Is this just creating demand to justify a price increase to cover other losses perhaps?

I just don't understand this... maybe it's a Monday brain thing 😁

I'm not a complete idiot, I still have some parts missing.

nickb800

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#2682334 29-Mar-2021 09:42

sittingduckz:

Has CHH actually said why there is a shortage... we grow and treat it here. If anything you'd expect exports to have slowed. Is this just creating demand to justify a price increase to cover other losses perhaps?

I just don't understand this... maybe it's a Monday brain thing 😁

The types of timber involved here aren't typically exported (except perhaps in small quantities to Pacific Islands) as they are made to NZ structural/treatment standards . My read is that the issue is more a surge in demand, and supply (processing capacity) hasn't been able to grow fast enough

We harvest far more logs than we need for processing locally, so the supply/export of logs isn't directly an issue here, although it has an indirect effect as smaller/independent saw mills have struggled to get their hands on raw logs in the past, which has sent some sawmills out of business, which has reduced our processing capacity

Stu

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#2682336 29-Mar-2021 09:46

We treat it here with imported chemicals (according to what I was told by the merchant when trying to order product), which is why landscaping and fencing timber has been a bit harder to come by.

Whilst we have been able to get sufficient timber for landscaping, some lengths have been out of stock with no estimate of delivery, so we just recalculated based on available lengths (200x50mm and 150x50mm, H4 rough). Both orders delivered had barely been given the chance to dry out after treatment. I guess I better get my next order in, and just expect it to arrive at some random time in the future.

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

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mdf

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#2682337 29-Mar-2021 09:48

RNZ interview this morning with New Zealand Certified Builders Association says combination of demand plus supply chain issues with timber treatments:

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018789434/building-industry-facing-logistical-nightmare-over-wood-supplies

Dingbatt

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#2682350 29-Mar-2021 10:12

Interesting that it affects Mitre10, Bunnings and ITM, but not Carters or Placemakers. I wonder who owns Carters or Placemakers?

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

mdf

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#2682352 29-Mar-2021 10:17

Dingbatt:

Interesting that it affects Mitre10, Bunnings and ITM, but not Carters or Placemakers. I wonder who owns Carters or Placemakers?

I _think_:

- CHH owns Carters.

- Placemakers stores are 50% owned by Fletcher Building and 50% the store operator/franchisee.

antonknee

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#2682353 29-Mar-2021 10:17

Dingbatt:

Interesting that it affects Mitre10, Bunnings and ITM, but not Carters or Placemakers. I wonder who owns Carters or Placemakers?

Carter's is owned by CHH so naturally they will supply themselves ahead of anyone else, and Placemakers is owned by Fletcher's who is a major supplier to Carter's. Surprise surpirse the big boys are keeping a super cozy relationship and looking after each other/themselves at the expense of everyone else and ultimately potentially the consumer.

Disc. I work in this industry and get to deal with the impact of this coziness every day.

neb

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#2682447 29-Mar-2021 12:22

mdf: Anecdotally, my local bunnings is constantly out of stock of timber products. Large shelves in the timber section have been empty for weeks.

Just talked to the builder today and he said the Mitre 10 trade area is either empty or with Sold stickers on every piece of structural timber in sight...

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