Dive Brief:

• Demand for homes on the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast is rising, the need to get houses solidly above storm flood levels is clear, helping lead to a shortage in 12-inch by 12-inch timber piling.
• The higher demand for the lumber comes after many sawmills cut back during the recession and labor looked elsewhere for work. In addition, a wet spring has hampered tree harvesting this year.
• Builders are being told to measure their wait times in months, if they can get a date at all, and prices are going up.

Dive Insight:

Another pressure on the market is that inspectors are sometimes now requiring more and deeper pilings. For example, a 1,500-square-foot house now might require 38 pilings, where once iwas built with 24. The pilings then have to go as far as 20 feet into the ground.