Having completed a little budgeting work on some upcoming projects, I ran into some really alarming cost differences over the previous project that was built using largely early 2017 purchased products.
In order to do some apples-apples comparisons, I looked at actual billing from the invoices. A piece of type x drywall, commonly used in many party wall and garage framing areas was then purchased for $17.41, and was quoted today for $30.50, ouch that is almost double. This is from government policy regarding trade tariffs. What a sick joke the government is perpetuating on the home buyer and building industry!
The other ugly price increase is on OSB, a very common building material. The 4x8 sheet used to sell for $12.95, quote today $25.75. The fire rated stuff is a further $10 more, which has always been a contentious issue as a particularly egregious gouge. I am hopeful that these rates will drop with the end of the endless fire season in B.C. If they don't or this is as much a product of US lumber tariffs causing production cuts and higher costs for Canadian builders, building houses is going to be a lot more expensive.
A sane person might think that, given the recession is still ongoing, taxes of every kind are going up, and more business obstacles are being applied to the building industry that the government would enact some business friendly changes? Unlikely given the current political situation we are in.
Was 2017 already the 'good old days' for buying supplies? Aren't the good old days supposed to be a long time ago rather than the same year as we are in now? Seriously though, I knew when I got started last fall that it was a good time to get a project in the ground for building costs. This fall is the opposite and the atrocious fees and costs are ruining my budget.