Here’s Why Builders Won’t Abandon Wood Framing Anytime Soon

Builders are holding on to traditional wood framing methods in construction despite lumber prices hovering near a record high, according to a recent survey from the National Association of Home Builders in conjunction with Wells Fargo. 

Four out of five builders polled in the June 2021 NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) survey say a lack of experienced workers and subcontractors is a significant barrier to switching away from wood framing, the dominant residential construction method for new single-family homes in the US.  After that, the cost of materials is the second biggest constraint cited by 42% of builders. An additional 25% of builders said the costs of re-designing and re-engineering homes to conform to a new construction method, as well buyer resistance and difficulties obtaining inspections and approvals from local building departments would preclude them from switching from traditional wood framing. 

Taken together, the results show that “abandoning wood framing in favor of alternate construction methods doesn’t offer a quick, simple or easy solution to the problem of rising costs that are squeezing buyers with modest incomes out of the market for new homes,” the NAHB said in a recent analysis of the June data.

Lumber remains near record high levels, though recent data from Random Lengths shows the cost framing lumber has dropped by nearly half over the past seven weeks. The NAHB maintains that prices paid by builders have declined by a fraction of that amount and claims that prices quoted to builders are at record highs.