Material Lead Times in 2024: Planning Your Remodel Around Supply Chain Delays

Material Lead Times in 2024: The Hidden Challenge That Could Derail Your Dream Remodel

Planning a home renovation in 2024? You’re not alone. As homeowners across Suffolk County continue to invest in their properties, one critical factor is catching many off-guard: extended material lead times that can stretch project timelines far beyond expectations. Understanding these delays and planning accordingly has become essential for any successful remodeling project.

The Current State of Material Lead Times

Even for readily available materials, lead times have doubled and even tripled, with most survey respondents seeing increases of at least three or more weeks. Experts estimate that lead times for general materials have increased 25-40% with the longest delays in customized, specialized, or complex items. This means that projects now average 46.8 days of delays across an entire job, compared to just 21.55 days in 2021.

The impact is particularly pronounced for specific materials. Mechanical air handler units typically require a lead time of six to 12 weeks and are now tracking four to six months. Electrical switchgear, transformers, and generators face increased lead times expected for these components in the coming 12 months.

What’s Driving These Extended Lead Times?

Several interconnected factors continue to disrupt supply chains in 2024. For U.S. construction firms, prices remain high due to ongoing materials shortages and high costs of logistics and labor, while construction input costs are up 38.7% compared to February 2020.

The current environment represents a perfect storm—a combination of the pandemic, global economy and events in Eastern Europe, with manufacturing disruptions creating knock-on effects throughout the supply chain. Additionally, global conflicts affect prices, availability and lead times of various imported materials, with transportation providers rerouting around the Red Sea creating a surge in ocean shipping rates.

Planning Your Remodel Around Supply Chain Realities

The key to successful project completion lies in early planning and realistic expectations. Lead times need to be the primary driver of the schedule, informing every decision from budget through construction completion. Planning and allowing for sufficient lead times can mitigate the worst of these ongoing issues, and if you’re considering building in the coming years, it’s time to start planning now.

Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling Timelines

For homeowners planning kitchen renovations, around 3–5 months of actual construction is typical for a moderate kitchen overhaul, but you need to add several months for design, material selection, and product lead times, as kitchens often require ordering cabinets and countertops that can have 8+ week lead times.

Bathroom remodels typically take 4–8 weeks of construction for a straightforward like-for-like update, but planning can take a month or two beforehand for lining up fixtures, finishes, and permits if needed. The materials you opt for in your remodel significantly impact the project timeline, as custom or specialty items may introduce longer lead times.

Working with the Right Contractor

Choosing an experienced local contractor becomes even more critical when navigating today’s supply chain challenges. A qualified Home Remodeler Suffolk County, NY understands the unique requirements of coastal construction and has established relationships with suppliers to help mitigate delays.

Corsino Construction Corporation exemplifies this approach, having served Suffolk County since 2000 with a focus on transparency, quality workmanship, and realistic timeline communication. Their experience with local building codes, coastal conditions, and supplier networks helps homeowners navigate the complexities of material procurement and project scheduling.

Strategies for Success

Teams should understand project requirements as early as possible and assess relationships with vendors, understanding exposure to underlying global disruptions and identifying lead times for delivery as it relates to the construction schedule. Releasing material orders to factories as early as possible helps mitigate some delays.

Consider these practical steps:

  • Start planning 6-9 months before your desired start date
  • Be flexible with material selections and have backup options ready
  • Work with contractors who order materials early in the process
  • Budget for potential timeline extensions and cost increases
  • Maintain open communication with your contractor about supply chain updates

The Silver Lining

Despite ongoing challenges, there’s an easing of supply chain issues for some products, with lead times stabilizing for pre-engineered metal buildings, precast products, roofing materials, and wood framing products. Companies are seeing supply chain disruptions ease, or are adapting to past delays.

The renovation market remains strong, with experts predicting renovation and remodeling projects to increase, with gains expected in kitchens, bathrooms and home offices. For Suffolk County homeowners, this means that while planning requires more patience and foresight, the investment in home improvements continues to deliver value.

Success in today’s remodeling environment comes down to three key factors: starting early, working with experienced professionals who understand supply chain realities, and maintaining flexibility throughout the process. With proper planning and the right contractor, your dream renovation can still become reality—it just might take a little longer to get there.