Material Shortages Cost More Than the Missing Material

If you're short one piece of trim, the cost of that trim isn't necessarily the biggest expense.

The real cost may be the time spent figuring out what's missing, pulling someone off the job, driving for material, waiting for an order, or having installers work around an unfinished area.

For a busy contractor, those interruptions can affect more than one project. A delay today can push tomorrow's schedule, which can create problems for the next crew, customer, or job.

Start With a Thorough Material Takeoff

Avoiding shortages starts with knowing what the project actually requires.

A good material takeoff considers more than the primary product. For a siding, roofing, or exterior project, the main material is only one part of a complete system.

Depending on the project, your material list may need to account for:

• Primary siding, roofing, or exterior materials
• Starter components
• Inside and outside corners
• Trim and finishing pieces
• Soffit and fascia
• Flashing and weather-management products
• Fasteners
• Mounting blocks and specialty accessories
• Window and door details
• Transitions between different materials
• Waste, cuts, and project-specific conditions

Thinking through the complete installation before ordering can help catch small omissions before they become big jobsite interruptions.

Don't Estimate Every Job the Same Way

Two homes with similar square footage can require very different material quantities.

A simple exterior with long, uninterrupted walls may use material efficiently. A home with multiple gables, dormers, bump-outs, windows, doors, corners, and transitions can create considerably more cuts and complexity.

That's why waste and accessory needs should be considered based on the actual project rather than automatically applying the same assumptions to every job.

Pay Attention to the Small Stuff

The products most likely to stop a job aren't always the biggest or most expensive ones.

A crew may have plenty of siding but still be unable to finish because it's missing the right channel, corner, flashing component, mounting accessory, or trim piece.

Before finalizing an order, walk through the installation in your head from beginning to end. Consider what the crew will need at every corner, opening, transition, penetration, and termination point.

Confirm Product Compatibility Before the Job

Having enough material doesn't help if part of the order doesn't work with the system you're installing.

Product lines, profiles, colors, dimensions, accessories, and installation requirements can vary. Confirming those details before materials reach the jobsite can help prevent an unpleasant discovery after the crew starts opening cartons.

When you're unsure about a product or accessory, that's a good time to talk with the sales counter team at Suburban Wholesale & Supply.

Our Sales Counter Team Can Help You Plan the Order

You don't have to figure out every material detail alone.

Our sales counter team works with contractors and exterior building products every day. Bring us your project information and talk through what you're planning to install.

We can help with product questions, accessories, material takeoffs, and the details that can be easy to overlook when you're trying to manage several jobs at once.

Sometimes preventing a shortage is as simple as having another knowledgeable person look at the order and ask, "What about this?"

Give the Counter Team Good Project Information

The more our team understands about the project, the more useful the conversation can be.

Helpful information may include:

• Plans, drawings, or exterior measurements
• Photos of the existing structure
• Wall, roof, and gable dimensions
• Window and door quantities
• Manufacturer and product line
• Profile, style, and color selections
• Trim requirements
• Soffit and fascia details
• Unusual transitions or architectural features
• Any conditions you're already concerned about

And if you're not sure what to bring, ask us. We'll help you determine what information is useful.

Check the Order Before Installation Day

One of the simplest habits for avoiding jobsite shortages is reviewing the order before the crew needs it.

Confirm quantities, colors, profiles, accessories, and specialty items. If the project has changed since the original estimate, make sure the material order reflects those changes too.

Catching a problem before installation day gives everyone more options for solving it.

Plan Ahead, but Expect the Unexpected

Good planning reduces shortages, but remodeling and exterior construction will always have a few surprises.

Removing old materials can expose hidden conditions. Measurements can change. Customers can modify the project. A crew may discover that an additional component is needed once installation is underway.

The goal isn't to pretend those situations won't happen. It's to prevent the avoidable shortages and have a responsive supplier behind you when something genuinely unexpected comes up.

If You Do Run Short, Daily Delivery Helps

When additional material is needed, waiting for a distributor's next twice-a-week delivery day can make a frustrating situation even worse.

Suburban Wholesale & Supply offers daily jobsite material delivery, giving contractors more flexibility when project needs change.

Proper planning should always be the first line of defense. But when the unexpected happens, having daily delivery and a knowledgeable sales counter team behind you can help get the project moving again.