Covid-19 and Building Materials Shortages
Remember the crazy toilet tissue shortage of 2020? If you visited your local grocery store in search of that vital entity, you likely found yourself staring at empty shelves, wondering how far you were going to have to drive to get what you needed.
While you may now be able to find all the items on your shopping list, the construction industry is still experiencing building materials shortages. As homeowners decide to spend their cash on their homes rather than vacations, the demand for building materials has skyrocketed.
Simultaneously, the building industry is experiencing challenges such as lockdowns, Covid’s effect on truckers, and new safety protocols that have slowed production. In fact, some states halted construction work at the start of COVID-19, which in turn meant some manufacturers had to shut down, creating a backlog.
The pool industry is not immune to these challenges. The demand for swimming pools is at an all-time high as Americans spend more time at home than ever before. The increased demand for swimming pools combined with building materials shortages creates a backlog and many homeowners find that they are waiting for their swimming pool far longer than anticipated.
Additionally, the recent storms in Texas and Louisiana have added additional stress to these challenges. Texas, the largest supplier of petroleum used to create plastic products, is backlogged with orders and behind in fulfillment by 6 months.
Your swimming pool requires quite a few elements that are currently in short supply. These include:
- PVC
- Pumps and Filters
- Skimmers
- Fiberglass/glass fiber
- Concrete (for pool construction, pavers, and decking)
- Wood (for decking)
- Chlorine
These building materials shortages not only cause delays in pool building projects, but the supply vs. demand issue has also created unexpected price increases, as pool builders compete for what supplies are available.
At Premier, we understand how frustrating it can be to wait for your new pool to be built. While we do not expect these obstacles to disappear overnight, we are doing all we can to ensure that your dream pool will become a reality.
As the number one pool builder in the world, we have industry-wide recognition and buying power that exceeds our competition. We appreciate your patience as we put forth our best efforts to obtain the necessary materials to build you the quality pool you deserve.
