With Building Boom
Comes Downside
Scarce materials and busy subs are
making for late completion dates
Contractors in some parts of the country are
beginning to discover the downside of the
recent building boom. Along with rising consumer
confidence, reasonable interest rates, and
record building activity have come shortages, delays,
and increased prices for basic building necessities.
In Houston, for example, one of the liveliest construction
zones in the country, concrete is in short
supply. "Some of our members are on concrete allocations,"
says Max Hoyt, executive vice president of
the 1,300-member Greater Houston Builders
Association. Concrete is being shipped first to volume
users, including large home builders and industrial
contractors building highways and a new
baseball stadium.