Building materials still slow to restock for local home improvement stores

Home improvement stores like OS Lumber Supply and Company are finally starting to see inventory come back after experiencing major supply issues during the height of the pandemic.

Buddy Dixon works in the contractor sales department at OS Lumber. He took us on a tour through the doors and window department, one area where keeping up with the demand has been challenging.

Before the pandemic, it would take about two weeks for a door order to come in. Now they’re seeing wait times lasting between 12 to 18 weeks.

It’s been difficult to keep up with the demand for exterior building materials too like shingles and floor trusses.

This is something a lot of stores like this are facing across the country. Dixon said, “Even though we’ve had COVID and we’ve been in a pandemic, we’ve most definitely been busy and we stay busy. If we had more materials to get to customers, we would be busier than we are. We’re running seven to eight trucks, 10 to 12 hour days, five days a week, and we still have trouble keeping up.”

Dixon warns that if another major hurricane strikes it could be just as impactful to inventory as the pandemic.