Nimble-minded

Builder David Childers, Macallan Custom Homes

Challenges: Material price fluctuation. Lumber and wood products have more than doubled in cost over the past six months. It is impossible to time the market, but sometimes it’s worth taking a gamble and waiting to see if prices will come down. 

Work-arounds: We’re using our buying power and purchasing directly from wholesalers and manufacturers to reduce the amount of markup on products.

The Pulse: It is difficult to manage client expectations from a cost standpoint when costs change significantly each week. We provide as many pricing and product options as we can to keep the project moving forward.

Interior Designer Karen Ferguson, Harrison Design

Challenges: Supply chain is still a huge issue. We hear about goods coming in damaged for projects now more than ever.

Work-arounds: We are purchasing temporary pieces off showroom floors and moving them elsewhere in the house once the desired piece finally arrives. We look for in-stock and online items more often. However, most of our clients are willing to wait to get what we think is best.

The Pulse: Furniture, if it is in stock, you are typically waiting three months. Custom, six to 18 months. Appliances, count on 12 months or so.

Landscape Designer Jeremy Smearman, Planters

Challenges: I was quoted 14 months for one furniture order. We are accustomed to three to four weeks. Containers we used to get in two weeks are now six to 10 weeks. The cost is up 250% because it traveled 3,000 miles instead of 10 miles down the road.

Work-arounds: The biggest shortage is the large evergreens. Hemlocks have been a commodity. I just paid to deliver hemlocks to Highlands from the mountains of Tennessee. I also brought them in from Oregon.

The Pulse: I’ve started to see some pushback, “Wow, that’s expensive. Can we downsize?” I don’t have the luxury of moving between sizes like I used to. You take what you can get, which has dramatically altered how we design.