I was in a well known DIY store on Saturday looking for cement, no luck. It was the same in the next store too so my DIY will have to wait, much to my husband’s relief. However, it is not unexpected. Whether you are a home owner looking to do home improvements, a business owner wanting to grow with better accommodation or work within the construction industry you will have heard of the shortage of materials.
This has been highlighted by those in the construction industry since January this year and is continuing. Materials were hit by Brexit, then the pandemic and now further exacerbated by the lack of lorry drivers. Brexit led to a reduction in the work force and EU imports falling by record amounts due to new customs requirements. Those in the industry had to either source alternatives more locally or switch supplies and some supplies switched to the far east. This led to increase shipping charges, increased requirements for containers and longer lead in times. (I am not going to mention the Suez Canal incident). The pandemic led to a slowdown in 2020 and an increase in demand in 2021, worldwide. It also meant that there were less containers, ships, and a reduced work force. Everyone wants to catch up and build. Productivity remains relatively the same but demand is strong and now the industry has to deal with the lack of lorry drivers.
All this has led to a severe strain on the supply chain. Some builders merchants are looking at a three fold wait in obtaining materials and due to the shortages prices are going up. The Construction Leadership Council has warned that it will get worse, others state that it is a “perfect storm” and like a storm it will blow over and that the situation will get better.
There has always been a risk of going over budget or delays but the current situation makes it more likely and the earlier you know the better. This will mean more forward planning, more communication and more sourcing of alternatives. Communication between producers, suppliers and clients will be needed to manage lead in times and price increases so that projects can still be completed. And I need to assume for the next couple of months that my local DIY store will not always have the products that I want.
There is the hope that there will be more predictable times ahead, although with the requirement to “go green” there will still be a lot for the construction industry to deal with. I have faith that they will.
