Tag Archive for ‘Building Materials’

Producer Prices in December – Energy Pushes Prices Lower

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Producer Price Indexes (PPI) for December. Inflation in prices received by producers (prior to sales to consumers) declined 0.2% in December based on declining energy prices. Prices for goods declined 0.7%, but excluding food and energy, rose 0.1%. Prices for services rose 0.1%. Softwood lumber prices moved lower in December. Prices have… Read More ›

Producer Prices in November – Energy Declines, OSB Firms, Lumber Gets Free Trade

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Producer Price Indexes (PPI) for November. Inflation in prices received by producers (prior to sales to consumers) increased 0.3% in November based on rising prices for services only partially offset by declining energy prices. Producer prices declined in the prior three months, mainly reflecting energy price declines. Among wood products, softwood lumber… Read More ›

Producer Prices in October – Bad News For The Fed

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Producer Price Indexes (PPI) for October. Inflation in prices received by producers (prior to sales to consumers) declined 0.4% in October following a 0.5% decline in September and no change in August. The decline was the combination of a 0.3% decline in prices for services and a 0.4% decline in prices for goods…. Read More ›

Sale and Contract Prices per Square Foot in 2014

For single-family homes started in 2014, median prices, excluding improved lot values, range from $159 per square foot for contractor-built homes in the Pacific and New England divisions to $80 per square foot for speculatively-built homes in the East South Central division. The most expensive new single-family homes in 2014 were contractor-built homes in the Pacific and New England divisions with the… Read More ›

Vinyl is the Most Widely Used Exterior for New Homes

According to data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC) and NAHB analysis, vinyl (including vinyl-covered aluminum) was the most common exterior wall material used in homes started in 2014 (29 percent), followed by stucco and brick or brick veneer (23 percent each), and fiber cement siding (such as Hardiplank or Hardiboard) (18 percent). The principal exterior wall material… Read More ›

Producer Prices in August – ‘Tis the Season …

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Producer Price Indexes (PPI) for August. Inflation in prices received by producers (prior to sales to consumers) were unchanged in August following a 0.2% increase in July. Separately, a 0.4% increase in prices for services was offset by a 0.6% decline in prices for goods, driven mainly by falling gas prices. Excluding food and… Read More ›