February Was an Unexpected – and Pleasant – Surprise for Housing Starts
Even as the new construction market for housing continues to struggle the results from February were better than expected. The new numbers are in from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development and they are encouraging compared to the previous month. Privately owned housing starts were 1,501,000, an 11.2 percent […]
U.S. Southern Pine Lumber Futures Trading Starts This Month
Exchange operator CME Group said it is launching trading in Southern yellow pine futures on March 31. Trading in lumber futures has been a staple of the marketplace for years but it will now include Southern pine as the situation with Canadian lumber continues to get more complicated. Up until now trading has been in […]
In Big Acquisition, QXO Buying Beacon Roofing Supply
In what’s being called an $11 billion deal, the purchase will create a new powerhouse in the building sector. For QXO it’s the latest acquisition as it continues to build out its business in the trade and there are more to come the company says. “Acquiring Beacon is a key milestone in our plan to create […]
Thomas Moser, Innovative Furniture Designer and Woodworker, Dies at 90
The founder of Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers who took classic wooden Shaker designs to contemporary looks, died earlier this month at age 90. Moser’s seemingly simple interpretations of classic Shaker looks were the foundation of his long-running cult-like brand, founded in 1972 and recognized as “galvanizing a broader revival of American craft traditions,” according to Architectural […]
KCD Software Buys CADCode Systems
The custom cabinet and closet software company will expand its advanced CNC machining software capabilities. “We are thrilled to welcome CADCode Systems into the KCD Software family,” said Cadman Campbell, KCD Software president in making the announcement. “This acquisition is a natural fit for our mission to empower everyone from designers to manufacturers with powerful, […]
Wood into Paper? Sure. But Paper into Wood? Yup
A new Swedish company said it has perfected a process to turn paper back into wood. Call it reversal of fortune if you will, but PaperShell, based in Tibro, Sweden has introduced new technology that converts paper into a durable, artificial wood, according to a report in Metropolis, the design magazine. It just showed its […]
Lowe’s and Home Depot Numbers Offer Encouragement
The two big DIY doppelgangers each reported better financial results for their recent quarters and that’s good news. The home improvement and remodeling business is not exactly out of the woods yet but signs continue to emerge that the long-anticipated bottoming-out has occurred and the upswing is starting. Both Depot and Lowe’s showed small gains […]
Lot Supply Up Again According to New Zonda Index
For the second consecutive quarter the New Home Lot Supply Index shows an increase in what’s available. The new Zonda Index reports a 5.4 percent increase for the fourth quarter of last year, which is good news for builders. “Land and lot supply is at the healthiest levels we’ve seen in years,” according to Ali […]
Office to Residential Conversions Tops in New York and Washington, DC
The national movement to convert office buildings to apartments continues to gain momentum, especially in certain cities. As the commercial office market continues to soften with the work-from-home movement remaining in place, a number of cities are leading the way to the number of unit conversions to residential uses. A new RentCafe analysis of Yardi […]
Figuring Out the Carbon Footprint of Mass Timber Structures Just Got Easier
For builders working with mass timber, a new tool helps to find out exactly how much carbon these structures are emitting. Developed for the new Portland, OR airport terminal that features an innovative use of mass timber, the University of Washington’s Applied Research Consortium’s new tool called UpStream solves a big question for builders. “We […]