*** ATLANTA - ATHENS & NORTH GEORGIA AREA DELIVERY ***

*** ATLANTA  -  ATHENS  & NORTH GEORGIA AREA  DELIVERY ***
Engineered Wood, Lumber, Plywood, OSB, Doors, Trim, Molding, Stair Parts, Custom Millwork,Windows, Siding, Roofing and More...

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Home Improvement Materials for the Atlanta Athens Georgia Area

Cofer/Adams is your source for structural home improvement materials and replacement windows and doors. Call us for all of your lumber and building material needs, our helpful staff has answers to your questions. We can help you measure for replacement windows and doors; YKK AP Precedence™ Replacement Windows are designed to easily replace wood windows, and they qualify for the for 2009-2010 Energy Tax Credit. Another good way to beautify and make your house more energy efficient is with Therma-Tru fiberglass doors. Weather in the Atlanta - Athens GA area can be especially pleasing this time of year, a perfect time to enjoy relaxing on your new TimberTech deck! Let our experts help you with your treated lumber and composite deck project needs.
Send us a question or call us today (770) 995-3900 and let US help YOU Build YOUR American Dream Home!

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Lumber Futures Fall after CN Railway Strike Ends, Construction Down in the Atlanta Athens GA Area

The CN Railway strike by 1,700 locomotive engineers that threatened to stall shipments of lumber, building materials and other products to the U.S. is over. E. Hunter Harrison, CN chief executive officer said “CN is pleased that an agreement has been reached to end the strike by the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference immediately.” CME lumber futures closed lower yesterday, after being limit down on Wednesday.
New homes for sale in Atlanta are at a low for recent years. Only about 11,000 new homes are for sale in the Atlanta area, surprisingly low considering that about 110,000 were started in Atlanta in 2005. With only November and December numbers left to report, Atlanta is on track to start just over 4,000 new homes in 2009 (a decrease of about 96% from 2005). Home improvements in the Atlanta - Athens Georgia area have become the option of choice for most home owners; re-roofing houses, building decks and upgrading doors and windows have virtually replaced new home buying.

Monday, November 30, 2009

YKK Styleview Vinyl Windows and Doors for the North Georgia Area

Residential vinyl windows and doors from YKK AP® are beautiful, energy efficient and designed for years of trouble free use. Quality and innovation make YKK AP® windows clearly superior. By incorporating high performance glazing and corrosion-resistant hardware with a more architecturally correct profile design, YKK AP® offers windows with the look of a wood window at a price that delivers more value to you, whether you are a professional builder-remodeler or doing your own home-improvement project.
[caption id="attachment_1417" align="aligncenter" width="261" caption="YKK Styleview Windows and Doors for the Atlanta - Athens Georgia area"]YKK Styleview Windows and Doors for the Atlanta - Athens Georgia area[/caption]
Call us at (770) 995-3900 for all of your building material and lumber needs.

Lumber Futures Up Further by Possible Rail Strike on CN

Train engineers and conductors walked off the job at the Canadian National Railway on Saturday, after talks with the Teamster's Union broke down. CN was using non-union staff and management to continue services.[caption id="attachment_1446" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Lumber Prices Bounce Off Bottom in November"]Lumber Prices Bounce Off Bottom in November[/caption]As if the mill shutdowns and curtailments weren't enough, the strike by the union representing locomotive engineers at the CN railway gives lumber futures another boost, and will decrease available wood in the supply chain. January lumber closed up $8.50 per m $234.80 after trading at the $10.00 limit at $236.30 early in Tuesday's session. Lumber and building material supply in the Atlanta - Athens Georgia area is already thin, with many items actually scarce.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Highest Prices in a Year Reached for Lumber and Building Materials

People who built a new house this year bought lumber at the lowest prices we have seen in the last 25 years.
[caption id="attachment_1432" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Lumber Futures find new Trading Levels"]Lumber Futures find new Trading Levels[/caption]If you put off building a new home this year, you missed the lowest lumber prices in a quarter-century (don't worry yet though, mortgage rates are still low). Although lows for lumber typically occur in November, this year, due to a strange twist of supply and demand fate, November marks the highs for 2009. The invisible market forces of ongoing mill shutdowns / curtailments (reduced supply) and increasing new construction sales / starts (increased demand) have caused nearby lumber futures to jump 70% in only 10 months from near lows that haven't been seen since October 1985.
[caption id="attachment_1433" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Lumber Futures Monthly Nearest"]Lumber Futures Monthly Nearest[/caption]
Quantities of both new and existing homes for sale in the Atlanta Athens Georgia area are also at multi-year lows.

Lumber and Building Materials Prices Pushed Up by Low Inventories

CME lumber futures were up limit two consecutive days two weeks ago, an increase of 10% that almost pushed prices to levels that would cover production costs. OSB prices went higher and order files moved well into December. At this point, more mills are shutdown than are operating. Even though demand is still weak, plywood and other building materials are marginally stronger due to thin supply. October housing permits and starts fell significantly from September, making unclear whether housing has bottomed at this point. The outlook for construction in the Atlanta - Athens Georgia area continues to be weak, particularly with seasonal slowness ahead. Georgia has lost another 18% of construction jobs since October 2008.

Therma Tru Doors for Atlanta & Athens Georgia

"Looks good on the outside, feels good on the inside." Therma-Tru fiberglass doors outperform wood and steel. Therma-Tru doors increase comfort, energy efficiency and performance AND you will also see an increase in curb appeal. Therma-Tru fiberglass and steel entry doors add beauty and security homes. You can increase the perceived value of your home by more than $24,000 just by adding a Thema-Tru entry door system. We have the doors you need to increase your home's value.

Check with us for lumber and building materials for your new home or remodeling projects.

Friday, November 20, 2009

October 2009 Housing Permits and Starts



News from the U.S. Census Bureau that October new residential construction fell to a six month low put intense pressure on CME lumber futures. Near term January lumber futures closed down $9/m and March fell $8/m. Inventory is slim at all levels of the supply chain, and demand for the available building materials is sparse. In our area, Georgia has lost about 310,000 jobs since September 2007, and projects to lose a total of 135,900 jobs this year and 35,000 next year. Unemployment in Georgia has reached 10.2%. Building permits in the Atlanta - Athens area are off about 97% from 2005. According to Rajeev Dhawan, director of the Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State University, permits will drop about 70% this year from 2008. Mortgage applications fell last week, with the index of home purchase applications sinking over 4%to the lowest level since November of 1997.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Housing and the September 2009 New Residential Construction Report

According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, single family housing permits indicate that future construction activity will fall 28% nationally as compared to September 2008. The data also predicts a huge 74% drop since construction peaked in January 2006. Economists generally agree that annual demand for new housing units is somewhere around 1.8 million. Some economists say that 2 million units are required annually, while others think that the actual demand 1.5 million is. Here's part of how they come up with these numbers. The primary drivers of housing unit demand are new household formation and housing unit destruction. We regularly hear that new households, on average, form at a rate of 850,000 per year. Housing destruction is composed primarily of units destroyed by fire, flood, natural disaster and urban renewal, and is generally considered to be around 750,000 units per year. Fires alone account for almost 450,000 homes destroyed annually. Just watch the news any evening in Atlanta, and you are likely to see or hear about apartment or house fires. Adding just these two demand measures yields a 1,600,000 annual unit demand.



As the U.S. population has continues to rise, just as it has for the last 50 years, new housholds should be forming. For the last three years, new households have not been forming at a normal rate. Single people are moving in with each other, young adults are returning to live with their parents, and immigrants are entering the country at a much slower rate. Housing units, however, continue to be destroyed on a ongoing basis. This year alone, more housing units were destroyed by the floods in the Atlanta Metro Area this year than were permitted through September. Subtract the additional units destroyed by fires (usually the largest part of the destroyed number) and urban renewal, and Atlanta should be with a shortage in housing units. Just as over the last 50 years housing has been cyclical with booms and busts occuring irregularly, we may be setting up for another housing boom, when the next generation begins to form households and destroyed units are replaced.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Home Prices in the US Clearly Headed in Right Direction, Lumber Prices a Little Higher



Here is some more good news for consumers and for the housing market - home prices in the Case-Schiller S&P Home Price Index increased in July by the most in nearly 4 years. Prices climbed in 18 of the 2o major cities in the index.
CME lumber ends little higher nearby in quiet trade
Chicago Mercantile Exchange lumber futures closed mostly a little higher on Monday amid thin short covering.
Cash lumber & building material prices in the Atlanta - Athens Georgia area showed little change.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Floods Damage & Destroy Thousands of Homes in Georgia, Lumber and Building Materials Needed For Rebuilding

As a result of flooding from torrential rains, thousands of homes and businesses in Georgia, hundreds in Atlanta alone, suffered some level of damage or were destroyed. 114 homes in the city of Atlanta alone were destroyed by the floods, with many more damaged or destroyed in suburban and rural areas. More homes were destroyed than have been built this year. Athens had more flooding rains over the weekend.
There are fewer new homes for sale than there have been since march of 1983, and there are far fewer existing homes for sale in Atlanta than there has been in several years. As homes are rebuilt and repaired, there will be a greater demand for lumber and building materials. If we use more green home building products for new construction, repair and home improvement, we will make the world we live in a better place.

New Home Sales approach 1 Year High, Lumber Futures Fall, Atlanta Flood Update

Higher numbers in the New Home Sales report were expected by lumber traders:
CME lumber ends lower amid underlying cash weakness
November lumber closed down $4.80 at $169.10 per thousand board feet and January off $2.90 at $193.10. Both months posted 2-1/2-week lows.
New home sales climbed 0.7% to 429,000, according to data released last Friday. The available supply of new homes for sale dropped to 262,000, the lowest number in over 26 years. This represents a supply of 7.3 months at the current sales rate.
Atlanta, Athens and North Georgia are expecting more rain this weekend. Fourteen counties are now eligible for FEMA disaster assistance.
Atlanta flood update: More FEMA relief, flash flood watch
Building materials are still in adequate supply, with only spot shortages of some items.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Cofer Adams - North Georgia's Professional Lumber and Building Material Supply




At Cofer/Adams Building Center it is our pleasure to provide free job-site delivery service within a 45 mile radius of our Lawrenceville, Georgia based operation. Exact job placement of lumber, plywood and other building materials can be coordinated through communication with our expert Sales, Dispatch or Driver staff. Each order is accurately pulled and loaded by our veteran pulling staff with attention to top loading the material required first by your sub-contractor. Once loaded, each order is double checked for accuracy, targeting a 100 percent fill rate for all stock items. We have one of the lowest backorder rates in the industry.

With a combined delivery fleet consisting of pick-up trucks, 6 wheel enclosed van trucks, 6 and 10 wheel dump trucks, 10 wheel combination dump trucks, 10 wheel combination flatbed with Moffit and several tractor trailer/Moffit trucks, we are confident that Cofer/Adams Building Supply is equipped to handle all of your delivery requirements

You can count on prompt and courteous delivery of lumber, building materials, engineered wood floor systems, framing lumber, finish lumber, treated lumber, composite lumber, engineered lumber, plywood, OSB, exterior wood doors, exterior metal doors, interior wood doors, interior masonite doors, interior door units, wood windows, vinyl windows, wood molding, hardwood molding, pvc molding, flex molding, columns, stair parts, roofing, roof trusses, floor trusses, hardware and all of the complimentary items necessary for single family home construction.

Our logistics professionals excel in delivering lumber and building materials to the Atlanta - Athens, Georgia area.



We service these cities regularly:

Arcade, Alpharetta, Athens, Atlanta, Auburn, Bethlehem, Bogart, Braselton, Buford, Commerce, Conley, Conyers, Cornelia, Covington, Cumming, Dacula, Dahlonega, Dawsonville, Decatur, Douglasville, Duluth, Eatonton, Fairburn, Flowery Branch, Gainesville, Grayson, Greensboro, Hamilton Mill, Hampton, Hoschton, Jefferson, Lawrenceville, Lilburn, Lithonia, Loganville, Madison, Marietta, Maysville, McDonough, Monroe, Morrow, Newborn, Norcross, Oakwood, Oxford, Peachtree City, Riverdale, Senoia, Snellville, Social Circle, Statham, Stockbridge, Sugar Hill, Suwanee, Tucker, Watkinsville and Winder.

We offer free delivery of lumber, building materials, engineered wood, treated lumber, composite lumber, wood doors, wood windows, wood molding, roofing, roof trusses, floor trusses, stair parts, green home building products, siding and cornice for qualified orders to these counties: Barrow, Cherokee, Clarke, Cobb, Dawson, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Greene, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Jackson, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Putnam, Rockdale, and Walton.

Whether you are building a new home, remodeling or have a home improvement project, Cofer/Adams Building Supply is equipped to handle all of your delivery requirements.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

FHFA Home Price Index Increases


The July FHFA house price index increase of .3 percent from June provides further evidence that the housing bottom is in place. This makes the third consecutive month over month increase.
Along with the positive news we have seen from other reports, such as New Home Starts and Permits, the NAHB Builder Confidence Index, the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index, the NAR Existing Home Sales Report and New Home Sales, this adds to the argument that housing has begun to improve. We have an "inflection point" in new residential construction, but we haven't reached the "tipping point" yet. August reports from the NAR on existing home sales will be released today and the new home sales report from the Census Bureau will be released on tomorrow. We will see how things shape up here in Georgia when the ground dries out from all of the flooding.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Build the Perfect Deck with TimberTech® - The Premier "Green" Home Improvement Decking Product!

LESS WORK. MORE LIFE.
Quality and Sustainability. Beauty and Low Maintenance. LESS WORK. MORE LIFE. It's the perfect combination!
You can have your American Dream Deck, and promote sustainability using TimberTech® deck products. It's the best green home outdoor product for the Atlanta - Athens Georgia area! TimberTech®cares about the environment, they take pride in their products and they want to make sure that you have the best in deck and fencing material. TimberTech® is a leading manufacturer and leader in the research, development and marketing of long lasting, low-maintenance high quality decking, railing and fencing solutions.
With TimberTech you can build a dream deck with confidence, and enjoy the "Less Work. More Life." promise. Backed by a 25-year limited residential warranty, TimberTech takes the virtual "to do" list out of your deck.
At Cofer/Adams, we want you to help you to have the American Dream Deck that your family deserves.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

China's Lumber Demand Increases, OSB Prices Soften

One unintended consequence from China's demand for lumber could be less lumber available for U.S. homebuilding. China has surpassed Japan as the second largest user of North American lumber, after the U.S. Low-grade lumber that would be used for building houses in Atlanta is used largely in concrete forming when shipped to China, and also in furniture construction.
Lumber sales to China continue to see growth
B.C. continues to ramp up lumber shipments to China and has already exceeded its lumber shipments to the Asian economic giant over last year despite the difficult global economic conditions.
Typically, OSB prices start to fall at this time of year, unless there is tropical activity to stimulate buying. Mill files are growing shorter, and secondaries are trying to move off contract loads. Building material supply yards have thin inventories for this time of year. There is very little residential construction in Georgia.
Two Atlantic Ocean weather systems being watched
The National Hurricane Center is monitoring two systems in the Atlantic Ocean this morning.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Doors Shuttered at Jeld-Wen's Oshkosh Door Manufacturing Plant

Our industry loses another valued producer of building materials.
End of an era: Jeld-Wen shuts down Oshkosh door plant
Jeld-Wen's Oshkosh door manufacturing facility closes after 154 years of manufacturing doors. This plant was one of the largest manufacturers of ornate wooden doors in the nation. Competition from fiberglass and metal doors, along with the economic decline, left no choice but to discontinue operations here. There are about 1,400 companies in the US wood window and door manufacturing industry with combined annual revenue of about $14 billion. The industry is concentrated: the 50 largest companies control about 70 percent of the market. Demand for wood windows and doors is closely tied to residential construction activity, both new construction and remodeling. As these manufacturers cutail and shutdown, there will be smaller product lines and less supply for the Atlanta-Athens, Georgia area.
There are literally hundreds of lumber, plywood and OSB mills that have closed in the last 3 years. Some may re-open, but many have been dismantled and even transformed into different types of businesses, never to manufacture building products again.

Build A Green Home with Energy Star Rated Windows and Doors From Cofer Adams


Starting October 1, 2009, you might see a label that identifies high-efficiency residential windows, doors, and skylights that currently qualify for the ENERGY STAR but will not meet the more stringent requirements that go into full effect April 1, 2010. Another new label helps you find products that are eligible for the federal tax credit of up to $1,500.

Let us help you build your American Dream Green Home with windows from YKK AP from Cofer/Adams!
We have all types of green products, such as doors, engineered wood, composite lumber and fiber cement siding.
Whether you are building a new home, or remodeling an existing home, we want to help YOU build YOUR American Dream Home!


Cofer Adams Building Material Supply

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Lumber Prices Rise, Rain in Atlanta and Athens, Georgia Grind Other Building Materials Prices Lower

Increased housing starts in August combined with thin field inventories drove lumber prices up. Delivery to jobsites was hampered in Georgia, especially in the Athens - Atlanta area.
CME lumber ends higher on firmer cash
'A midweek upswing in sales of Western S-P-F sparked the market. Wholesalers took cautious long positions and distributors more confidently replenished,' Random Lengths said.
Mills continue to shut down or curtail production, but that seem to give little support to other building materials. OSB and plywood mills still have some order files, but are under pressure from a lack of buying at secondary levels. Upward pressure on panel prices could result from any development of tropical activity in the Atlantic.
Tropical Storm "Grace" forming?
After a week-long quiet spell, the tropics are showing signs of life as a large area of low pressure takes shape in the central Atlantic.


Cofer Adams Lawrenceville is the Atlanta - Athens Georgia area's Best Lumber &  Building Material Supply

Saturday, September 19, 2009

You Can Build Green in Georgia using Engineered Wood

Did you know that you can build green homes and save money at the same time? A study conducted recently shows that simply putting radiant barriers in attics can result in a 20% reduction in the AC unit's run time during the seven hours of peak attic temperatures, can cut peak temps by 23 degrees, and have a 57% efficiency improvement in the cooled air delivered through the air ducts. The study was conducted last summer by Appalachian State University (ASU), and led by Jeff Tiller, chair of the Technology Department, and Bruce Davis, building research scientist at the ASU Energy Center. In new construction, you can cut your heating costs by using engineered wood panels that are radiant barrier OSB products, such as LP's TechShield. Here in the Atlanta - Athens area, where temperatures often reach well into the 90's, your energy savings can be even greater. For more immediate savings, Huber offers a rebate to first-time builder users for their engineered wood panels. Advantech, Zip-Wall and Zip Roof products improve efficiency and functionality while building green with sustainable wood products.

Building Green & Engineered Wood in Georgia's Atlanta - Athens area

Building material supply dealers in Atlanta and Athens are searching for ways to increase sales. One selling feature many have overlooked is promoting green building products more heavily. This might appeal to the Generation Y "shadow buyers" that have not yet formed new households. Here in Georgia, We have "pent-up demand" from these potential buyers that could cause a surge in new home purchases. Engineered wood and engineered lumber products will appeal to these new prospects that have a “build green” mind-set. Many people prefer to live in a green home, even considering the higher costs. Composite wood products for decks, such as those manufactured by TimberTech, are not only green building products, but are also low-maintenance.
Builders Don’t Tell Buyers About Homes’ Green Features, Study Shows
Pros are “missing out on a very important opportunity” because consumers are clamoring for these features, says official of J.D. Power and Associates, which conducted the study.
TimberTech products help create a more sustainable world – one piece at a time.
TimberTech has the perfect balance of quality and sustainability. TimberTech is a proud member of the U.S. Green Building Council.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Georgia Building Material Suppliers Get Good News-Housing Starts and Construction Costs Rise



Wednesday, September 15, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that housing permits and starts for August were up from July. This is great news for building material supply businesses in Georgia:
Housing Starts in U.S. Climb to Nine-Month High
Sept. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Builders in the U.S. broke ground in August on the most houses in nine months, led by a jump in multifamily dwellings that overshadowed a decrease in construction of single-family homes.
In a related story, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its producer price index for residential construction:
A Bright Spot in Housing: Construction Costs
Yesterday the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its producer price index for residential construction. Its significant increase from July to August is a good sign for the housing market.
One major component of construciton costs continues to falter:
CME lumber ends lower on easier cash market

Georgia Lumber, Construction & Building Material Supply update

Cool, rainy weather dampened sales of Yellow Pine Lumber in Georgia this week. The heavier rains being experienced in producing areas will make it hard to get logs out, which will result in a short- to medium term reduction in log decks. Lumber Futures closed higher September 15th, due to short-covering.
CME lumber ends higher on short covering
CHICAGO, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Chicago Mercantile Exchange lumber futures closed higher on Tuesday amid short covering prompted partly by a firm expiration in the September contract.
Construction Starts Up 13% in August vs July
Reed Construction Data (RCD) announced today that the year-to-date value of construction starts through August 2009, excluding residential contracts, totaled $162.3 billion, 13.0% less than in the same period in 2008. Individual month of August starts were 12.7% higher than in July.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Georgia Lumber & Building Material Prices continue to soften

Lumber and building material prices seem to be slowly grinding lower again. Lumber & building material supply businesses in Georgia continue to suffer as a result of housing market fundamentals:
James Hardie: US Housing Market Hasn't Bottomed, But Close
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--James Hardie Industries NV (JHX) Chief Executive Louis Gries said Monday he expects positive year-on-year housing starts data in the U.S. between March and May 2010.
DJ CME Lumber Review: September Slips But Most Others Gain
Trading Markets (press release)
A broker said better-than-expected housing starts in Canada during August reported early in the day might have been mildly supportive for lumber futures.
-There seems to be little support for OSB prices, other than 2-3 week order files at the mills. With the mill curtailments and shutdowns in effect, development of any tropical activity could cause a further surge in prices.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Residential Construction and Mortgage Applications Increase, New Plywood Plants, Lumber Production Falls

Mortgage applications rise 17% -Random Lengths WoodWire
The Index of Mortgage Applications from the Mortgage Bankers Association increased 17% to a reading of 648 for the week ending September 4.
Western lumber production fell for third straight year -Random Lengths WoodWire
Lumber production at mills in the 12 western states declined for the third consecutive year in 2008
Perfecta Foret plans to open new plywood plants in Quebec
Moscow. Sep 09, 2009. /Lesprom Network/. Start-up company Perfecta Foret plans to open new five-ply glue-laminated plywood plants in two former lumber mills in Quebec. The company received $C1.2 million in loans from Canada's Regional Growth program to offset costs of refurbishing the former mills, which include Scierie L.B. in Lac-Bouchette and Scierie P.H. Lemay in Saint-Francois-de-Sales. The total investment is expected to reach $C5.7 million.
Construction spending down 0.2% in July; 3-4% further drop expected through Winter -Reed Construction Data
Offsetting the residential gains, the decline is accelerating in nonresidential markets.
Single family market expanding slowly; multifamily market shrinking rapidly -Reed Construction Data
Residential construction spending is forecast to jump 18% from the end of 2009 to the end of 2010.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Lumber Rises, Weyerhaeuser Reopens Mill, OSB Strong, EWP Panel Rebate

CME lumber end mostly up on short covering
(Reuters) - Chicago Mercantile Exchange lumber futures closed mostly higher on Thursday amid light short covering with only limitless September down ahead of its expiration next week.
Mill reopens after August shutdown
As a result of these challenging market conditions, the Philadelphia facility underwent this extended downtime to balance supply with customer demand...
OSB manufacturers now pushing through second price increase
First Time Use Builder Rebate – AdvanTech® & ZIP System™ Products Build Green with Huber Engineered Wood Products and get money back as well!

Friday, September 11, 2009

Home Buyer Tax Credit, Atlanta Recovery, Mortgage Applications Surge, Lumber Mixed

Buy now: Time is running out on the first-time buyers tax credit
"The combination of near historically low interest rates, favorable pricing by builders, along with this tax credit, makes buying now the deal of the century,"
Economist: City’s recovery will start next year
Atlanta is poised for an economic recovery starting in the second half of 2010
U.S. MBA Mortgage Applications Index Soared 17% Last Week
Mortgage applications in the U.S. jumped the most since March last week...
CME Lumber Review: Ends Mixed In Quiet Session
The September contract settled down $0.50 per 1,000 board feet at $175.00, while November was up $2.70, or 1.55%, at $177.10. January settled up $1.60 at $197.90

Thursday, September 10, 2009

US Lumber and Log Exports Up, 2008 Home Sales Report for Atlanta

West Coast's log, lumber exports increase in second quarter of 2009
Log exports for the second quarter of 2009 from Oregon and Washington totaled 189.5 million board feet, up 38.6 percent from the first quarter volume of 136.7 million board feet.
A total of 239.5 million board feet of softwood logs and 80.2 million board feet of softwood lumber was exported from Washington, Oregon, northern California, and Alaska in April, May, and June of this year, according to the U.S. Forest Service's Pacific Northwest Research Station.
Atlanta Home Sales Report
Home sales overview by county for Atlanta 2007-2008
Gwinnett 2008 10,467 units -31.30% from 2007.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Atlanta Area's Gwinnett Habitat for Humanity constructs 100th home

Building hope: Habitat for Humanity constructs 100th home
Here at Cofer/Adams Building Supply Center, we are proud to say that we had a part in helping Habitat For Humanity build their 100th American Dream in Gwinnett County. We supplied the lumber, building materials and engineered wood that went in to making the world a better place.

Cofer Adams Building Center, Inc. is a full service builders supply of structural and related building products for residential new construction in the Atlanta – Athens Georgia area. We provide prefabricated components, including floor trusses, roof trusses, and engineered wood; wood and vinyl windows; and pre-hung interior and exterior doors, as well as assemble and distribute interior and exterior door units. We also offer lumber and wood sheet goods including dimensional lumber, plywood, and oriented strand board products used in on-site house and commercial framing; millwork products, which consist of interior trim, exterior trim, columns, and posts; and other building products that include gypsum, roofing, and insulation.
http://www.coferadams.com/ http://www.coferadams.net/

Monday, September 7, 2009

July New Residential Construction Commentary


The above graph is a visual representation of the Seasonally Adjusted New Residential Construction & Sales data through July 2009. The lines represent Total Permits and Starts, Single Family Permits and Starts, Single Family Units Sold, Total Under Construction and Single Family Under Construction. The trend line represents a 50 year regression analysis of Single Family Starts. It is worth noting that there have been several construction downturns since 1959, and that we have surpassed levels that have triggered recovery in all of the past housing downturns.




Looking at Single Family Starts and Permits, we see that the inflection point occurred somewhere between January and March of 2009. We did not see a significant increase in the Atlanta – Athens area until later in the spring. Lumber and Panel prices have risen above the lows that were at or below sustainable levels, although lumber, plywood, and OSB mills continue to curtail or shut down completely.

The quantity of Single Family Homes for Sale is the lowest it has been since April, 1993.
“The median sales price of new houses sold in July 2009 was $210,100; the average sales price was $269,200. The seasonally adjusted estimate of new houses for sale at the end of July was 271,000. This represents a supply of 7.5 months at the current sales rate.” Source: U.S. Census Bureau, NEW RESIDENTIAL SALES IN JULY 2009.
As the supply of new homes continues to drop, new homes will need to be built to replenish the supply. This will require new jobs to be added in the construction industry, which should help lower unemployment, and contribute to a new cycle of prosperity in our U.S. economy.

Capacity for single family residential construction has fallen as builders, building material product suppliers, and lumber and panel mills downsized or shutdown completely. This is good news for any lumber mill, lumber yard, building material supply, and builder left standing in the market.

Reid Adams
http://www.coferadams.com/
Cofer Adams Building Center, Inc. is a full service building material supply of structural and related building products for residential new construction in the Atlanta – Athens Georgia area. We provide prefabricated components, including floor trusses, roof trusses, and engineered wood; wood and vinyl windows; and pre-hung interior and exterior doors, as well as assemble and distributes interior and exterior door units. We also offer lumber and wood sheet goods comprising dimensional lumber, plywood, and oriented strand board products used in on-site house and commercial framing; millwork products, which consist of interior trim, exterior trim, columns, and posts; and other building products that include gypsum, roofing, and insulation.

Lumber Prices Mixed, Homebuilder names partner-winners

DJ CME Lumber Review: Position Rolling Leaves Prices Mixed
Chicago Mercantile Exchange lumber futures settled mixed Friday in moderate to heavy trading that centered mostly on moving trade positions out of September and into other months.
The September contract settled up $1.30 per 1,000 board feet at $174.10, while November was down $5.50 at $177.50 for a 3.01% loss in value. January was off $4.00, or 1.98%, at $198.00.

David Weekley names partner-winners
The winners are Boise Engineered Wood Products, Dow Chemical, DuPont Building Innovations, Eaton Corp., GAF-Elk, James Hardie, Lennox Industries, Office Depot, MASCO Builder Cabinet Group, Seacoast Supply and Schneider Electric.
-David Weekley builds new homes in the Atlanta - Athens, Georgia area.

www.coferadams.com Cofer Adams Building Center, Inc. is a full service building material supply of structural and related building products for residential new construction in the Atlanta – Athens Georgia area. We provide prefabricated components, including floor trusses, roof trusses, and engineered wood; wood and vinyl windows; and pre-hung interior and exterior doors, as well as assemble and distributes interior and exterior door units. We also offer lumber and wood sheet goods comprising dimensional lumber, plywood, and oriented strand board products used in on-site house and commercial framing; millwork products, which consist of interior trim, exterior trim, columns, and posts; and other building products that include gypsum, roofing, and insulation.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Cofer Adams Building Center, Inc. The Athens Atlanta Area's Premier Building Material Supply Lumber Delivery

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We are ready to deliver the lumber and building materials for Your American Dream!
www.coferadams.com
www.coferadams.net

5 Major Risks to Green Building Market Growth

The growth of the green building market has been widely celebrated recently, spurred largely by government policies and rising recognition that such structures are more economical to operate. The forces behind the industry are so strong now that research firm McGraw-Hill Construction predicts green buildings will represent 20-25 percent of new commercial and institutional construction starts by 2013, from about 10-12 percent today.

But while the benefits of designing buildings to use energy, water and other natural resources more efficiently are clear, that doesn’t mean the industry’s growth is free from risk. A number of hurdles will need to be overcome in the coming years that, if not corrected, could significantly slow the market.

In a nutshell, the five major risks are:
1. Financial
2. Legal
3. Green-washed Building Materials
4. Driving Energy Retrofits
5. Regulatory Risk

Here in Georgia, construction costs are a primary driver of affordability. When the costs of lumber, plywood, OSB, engineered wood, doors, windows and roofing increase, the ability to finance and sell a home decrease. For example, while the use of composite wood decking makes sense in the long run, most people opt for less expensive treated lumber when building outdoor structures. -Reid Adams www.coferadams.com