Tag Archives: post frame building costs

Building Material Prices Increase in November, Led by Lumber

Building Material Prices Increase in November, Led by Lumber

Among lumber and wood products, commodities with highest importance to new residential construction were general millwork, prefabricated structural members, softwood veneer/plywood, softwood lumber and hardwood veneer/plywood. Highest year-over-year percent change (across all input goods) in November was softwood lumber, at 13.7% higher than November 2023. This is of particular note because no other top wood commodities had a year-over-year change above 3% in November. Lumber supplies have been driving prices higher over this past month as sawmill industry continues to adjust to mill closures occurring earlier this year. Higher lumber demand as residential construction rebounds due to lower interest rates is likely to continue to increase lumber prices.

In anticipation of this, as well as 25% import tariffs on Canadian products proposed by President-elect Trump, Hansen Pole Buildings invested in hundreds of thousands of board feet of lumber prior to prices spiking. Traditionally, January brings with it higher lumber prices as yards bring in stock to cover Spring building starts, creating shortages. It is all about supply and demand.

Planning on building in 2025? Now is your window of opportunity to take advantage of our huge inventory and lock in low prices and America’s strongest post frame building from Hansen Pole Buildings.

Call today 1.866.200.9657 and participate in “The Ultimate Post-Frame Building Experience™”.

Effects of Snow and Wind Loading on Building Cost

Effects of Snow and Wind Loading on Building Cost

My premise, with clients, has always been I wanted their building (in an event of a catastrophic event) to be last one standing. This resulted in my clients often ordering above minimum code requirements for snow and wind loading.

My curiosity taking advantage of my available time, I decided to take a closer looking into effects of snow and wind loading on building costs.

In our example building – I will take it to an extreme and use a 42 foot-clearspan width, 60 foot length and 20 foot wall height. For most people, this will be more than sufficient to have two full stories in some or all.

Other features I included were:

All colored 29 gauge steel roofing and siding fastened with powder coated diaphragm screws 18” enclosed overhangs
Vented eaves and ridge
Drywall ready – ceiling loaded trusses with ceiling joists, commercial bookshelf wall girts
Integral Condensation Control (Dripstop/Condenstop) factory applied to roof steel Omnidirectional Housewrap
3000f Glulaminated Columns
2400f MSR wall girts, roof purlins and ceiling joists
All framing fastened with Simpson Structural Screws
Prefabricated roof trusses
Engineering
Delivery

With minimal roof loading (20 pounds per square foot ground snow load) and wind speed (110 miles per hour and Exposure B ) $36,365 (Read my ‘cliff notes’ for understanding wind exposure here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2022/06/wind-exposure-and-confusion-part-iii/)

Change to Exposure C for wind added one (1) cent per square foot. Increase design wind speed to 140 mph and Exposure C was 43 cents per square foot above basic price. This translates to an under 3% increase in investment – even though wind force being resisted was nearly DOUBLE!

I also took very same footprint, decreased eave height to 10’ and when wind went from 110 mph Exposure B to 140 mph Exposure C, investment increase was LESS THAN ½%

How about snow? (loads listed are Ground Snow Loads or Pg):

25 added 0.4%
30 added 0.8%
35 added 1.8%
40 added 3.4% (considering snow load is DOUBLED at this point)

Even TRIPLING snow load to 60 psf adds only 8.1%

We only want your new post frame building to be built once, so why not consider having it engineered to support just a little (or even a lot) extra. Protect yourself, your loved ones and your valuable possessions. When a ‘once in 500 year’ storm rolls through – you will be ready! Read more about 500 year storms here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2018/11/500-year-storm/