Lead Time: 4 Tips to Help You Navigate the New Normal
When it comes to new builds and remodels, it’s hard to sit on your hands and wait. We get it! We’re just as excited about your project as you are—but we’re in different times now and that unfortunately means longer lead times, too.
Wait, what the heck are lead times?
Glad you asked! “Lead time” refers to the time between placing an order for materials, to shipping, arrival date and installation on site.
We’ve all heard the news about lumber and how hard it is to source these days. It’s a hot topic for sure! But it applies to more than just lumber. Windows and garage doors, for example, are among other supplies also experiencing a longer than typical delivery time.
So, let’s talk about how lead time affects your project and how we might be able to work around or combat it.
Tip #1: Select Early
We just learned that the lead time for windows is currently 20 weeks—and that garage doors are taking even longer. One thing you can do is make selections earlier than you originally planned. While it may seem out of order to be choosing a garage door before we’ve even broken ground, it can buy you time in the long run.
It may seem daunting to choose a garage door color and style when you haven’t even seen your house or made your final exterior color selection. You don’t know how it’s framed up yet, how it will look on site, what it will look like in the sunshine or evening hours. And that’s difficult, for sure!
But if we want to keep our projects moving along, it’s important to pre-plan, select early and stick to our selections and plans. A lot of times people choose a placeholder to get it in the budget, knowing they have time to swap it out for another style or color. We unfortunately don't have the luxury of time anymore—we need to make final decisions earlier, get things ordered and get them delivered to keep the project moving.
Bonus tip: Having a place to store materials on- or off-site is beneficial. That way, if materials can be delivered out of order, but in a more efficient time frame, you’ll be prepared to accept and store them until they’re needed.
Tip #2: Practice the art of flexibility
There’s always a way to get things faster or delivered closer to when you need it—if you can be flexible. But that comes with a trade-off. And sometimes that trade-off involves money. You may have to choose a higher quality and pay a little more, or choose a lesser quality to save a little time. Sometimes being flexible with style or color can reduce lead time and help expedite your project.
Tip #3: Reacting to the chain reaction
One delayed material can delay the rest of your entire project. It’s frustrating for sure! We recently received a message that the lead time on windows for a project was extended to roughly 20 weeks. We hadn’t ordered windows yet because the original quote told us 12 weeks. Unfortunately, this meant we had to wait on windows for eight weeks longer than anticipated, and we had already dug a hole and built foundation. We couldn’t button up the house to start working on mechanicals and electrical. Translation? We were stalled.
On another project, the delivery of the tile and Schluter strips were holding us up, which held up the trim guys from doing their work, which then held up the painters. The problem is exponential because laborers can’t afford to sit around and wait. They’ll move on to another project and bump yours out who knows how far.
This chain reaction of laborers not being able to begin their craft until the previous task is complete can kill a timeline very fast. So, being flexible and choosing alternate materials can help keep everyone on schedule.
Tip #4: Know you’re not alone
There’s not a single builder who’s not experiencing longer than usual lead times. Not one. Production, semi-custom, custom, luxury—all builders are in the same boat right now, and if they tell you otherwise, you’re in for a rude awakening down the line.
The truth is, materials will come when they come. And there's very little we, or anyone, can do about it. Eventually the tide will turn and we’ll catch up and it will all work out.
In the meantime, we can select things early, stick with those selections, and accept that once it’s ordered, it’s final. We also have to accept that any little change could bump our entire project for weeks, if not months.
Like everything else these days, we really are all in this together when it comes to our custom home new build and remodel projects. No one is exempt. We just need to be realistic with our expectations, flexible with our choices, timelines and budgets, and stick to our plans. And then eventually, we will all live happily ever after in our new homes.
Have any questions?
Although we covered a lot in this post, you may still have some other questions to help you navigate extended lead times. Whether you’re involved in the custom home process now, or even just considering it, join our free Facebook group—we’ll help you answer any questions you might have! Also, feel free to invite anyone that you think would benefit from this collaborative. You’ll not only get advice from me, but from other people who have been through this, too.
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When it comes to designing and building a custom home, nothing beats having a trusted, experienced team of architects on your side. Let’s set up a call to meet, discuss your goals, answer your questions, and settle your fears. We can’t wait to meet you!