The Official Blog of The Fence Authority

The past few years have been, to say the least, unique. We all know that the pandemic impacted the world in many ways, one of which many people seemed to enjoy: more time at home. That time at home allowed many of us to tackle our never ending “to do lists” as well as spend inordinate amounts of money improving our homes. Some of the “extra“ funds were savings we all realized by not being able to vacation and travel due to pandemic restrictions. Additional funds may have come from government stimulus checks. Either way, homes were improved.

The Demands of the Pandemic Years

The boom in home improvements caused massive demand for building materials and when you combine that with decreased production due to work related pandemic restrictions, an unprecedented supply chain issue was born. The supply issues began in early 2020 and ran deep into 2021. Some persist today.

Then there is the labor component. The USA was already experiencing labor shortages and the additional demand only made it worse. The labor issues we see today are
forecasted to continue. Manufacturers scrambled to procure raw materials to produce their products and once produced they had to deal with distribution and shipping issues. Overseas shipping, rail and ground transport were all stalled for various reasons as well and it was primarily due to manpower.

In peak season, typically the warmer months, the average home improvement project took about 6 to 8 weeks to get started. During the pandemic the wait time grew to 6 months. In many cases, certain supplies took over a year to procure and in some cases that continues today. However, mostly, the demand has subsided. Home improvement demand has essentially returned to normal and it happened quickly. High inflation, rising interest rates and fuel costs have all caused the consumer to rethink where they are spending.

What Does this Mean for You?

Consumer spending is still strong on a national level. Wages are still on the climb. Unemployment is at all time lows. Consumers savings is near record levels. But the price of fencing has come down. Why? It’s simple; high inventories at the manufacturing level as well as with distribution centers aka fence companies. The cost of raw materials has not gone down. Nor have labor costs. Nor fuel costs. Simply put, companies are lowering their prices to convert inventory to cash.

But this will not last! Once companies reach comfortable levels of inventory, prices will adjust higher to reflect true costs and it will happen quickly. By the spring of 2023, the cost of fencing will surpass previous highs and continue to rise.

If you need a new fence, buy it now and save a few bucks. In most regions south of New York, you can get a fence installed all winter long.

If you’re in our service area, reach out! We’re happy to help you get the fence you need at the best price you may see in this lifetime.