"Pandemic-Related Construction Materials Pricing Poses Challenges in Construction Lawsuits," Construction Executive

Posted On September 7, 2021

In an article published in Construction Executive on August 24, 2021, Associate Nick Stewart provides insight on how the increase in construction material pricing caused by the pandemic poses challenges in construction lawsuits.

“During the global pandemic the construction industry saw unprecedented inflation in the cost of building supplies as a result of a myriad of issues,” explains Stewart. “This significant price spike was related to closure of sawmills during the height of the pandemic, low supply, soaring demand to expand existing homes or purchase new construction, the western U.S. wildfires and tariffs.”

Stewart further explains that this matters in construction litigation due to the cost of repair estimates. “In cases involving large commercial or multifamily projects, the price of lumber and steel at the time the repair estimate was generated may vary widely,” said Stewart. “Another problem that has been common during the lumber and steel spikes is that pre-pandemic cost of repair estimates may no longer be viable.”

While the global pandemic continues to impact nearly all aspects of daily life, it is important to keep an eye on how it has impacted construction materials when addressing cost of repair estimates in construction litigation. To view the full article, click here.