Legacy Search

From everyone here at Legacy Search, we want to wish you a Happy New Year! Thank you to everyone for your support this past year. We appreciate the opportunity to share the latest lumber and building supply news with you! We will be taking the weekend to celebrate the past year and plan for the new one to come.

Have a great last day of the year!

Richards Building Supply of Homer Glen, Illinois is purchasing SIBCO Building Products. Ronald Guzior, CEO of RSB, said "SIBCO was a natural choice for the addition to our portfolio with their commitment to service and family values." Richards Building Supply is a family-owned independent wholesale distributor of building materials established in 1978.

Earlier this week, Associated Builders and Contractors announced the release of its Safety Technology Guide.

The guide is designed for contractors who are looking to implement new technology and innovate on their job sites. "To be a leader in the industry, contractors must be willing to innovate to deliver work and ensure our workforce gets home safely every single day," said Matthew Abeles, ABC vice president of construction technology and innovation, in the press release.

According to The Lumber and Building Materials Magazine there are four major things to be on the lookout for when it comes to the 2022 Housing Market. We wanted to share those with you and get your opinions.

Read over their four predictions below and leave your thoughts in the comments below:
1. Mortgage rates will rise.
2. Home prices will continue to rise, but at a slower pace.
3. Bidding wars will wane.
4. Housing inventory will remain tight.

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has released a new standard for protecting buildings from tornado damage. With the recent tornadoes across the U.S., this comes at a great time. To read more about their plan, visit the link below.

ASCE releases world's first tornado safety building standard Designed for critical infrastructure such as fire departments and hospitals, the new standards offer ways to protect a building from a majority of twisters.

As we walk into the Holiday weekend, we would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! We hope your weekend is full of great company, great food, and even better conversations!

ABC Supply Co. Inc. has acquired the assets of Siding Sales Inc. located in Kentucky. The acquisition includes Siding Sales Inc.’s locations in both Bowling Green and London, Kentucky.

ABC Supply says the acquisition allows the company to enhance its services in both existing and new markets and strengthen relationships with professional contractors across central and southern Kentucky.

Freddie Mac, a leading mortgage loan company, released their Primary Mortgage Market Survey recently showing that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged at 3.12% ending December 16, 2021. A year ago, the 30-year FRM averaged 2.67%.

Could this mean a steady rise in mortgage rates through 2022? Let us know your thoughts below.

New home construction in the U.S. rebounded 11.8% in November as strong demand continues to boost builder confidence even with the slower winter season approaching. Construction of both single-family homes and apartments were strong in November, with both seeing low double-digit percentage increases from October.

“It is best to just keep in mind that builders have more than enough work to keep them busy and interpret the ups and downs in the numbers as mostly noise and seasonal volatility,” said Stephen Stanley, chief economist for Amherst Pierpont.

Lowe’s has announced that it will donate $1 million to support immediate relief and recovery efforts after tornadoes cut through Kentucky and the Nation’s heartland.

Less than 24 hours after a tornado swept through Mayfield, Kentucky, associates from Lowe’s in Mayfield spent their Saturday boarding up the Mayfield police department and city hall. Associates donated batteries, water, and other supplies.

The $1 million donation will assist Lowe’s disaster relief partners including the American Red Cross and Lowe’s nonprofit Pro customers.

Stadium 974, home of the 2022 World Cup Stadium, has plans of a new look! The arena is located in Doha, Qatar, and is made of shipping containers and modular, structural steel. Fenwick Iribarren Architects designed the project to be completely demount-able.

The design is provided to reduce the overall construction cost, timeline and material waste. We can't wait to see this new look and how it gives a look into the future of non-waste construction.

Ashton Woods Homes announced that it has acquired the assets of Capitol City Homes, the fifth largest private home builder in Raleigh, North Carolina.

“We are excited to welcome the talented team from Capitol City Homes into the Ashton Woods/Starlight Homes family,” says Ken Balogh, CEO at Ashton Woods.

The acquisition further expands the land positions of both Ashton Woods and its subsidiary, Starlight Homes in Raleigh market, with over 1,500 total lots and homes owned and controlled across approximately 40 communities.

L&W Supply has opened a new location in New Castle, Delaware. This is their third location and the new facility offers building materials, construction supplies and delivery services, including gypsum, acoustical ceilings, steel framing, insulation, exteriors, and more.

The recently signed federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes around $3 billion for Dam Safety, modernization and removal, and more.

There are over 91,000 active dams in the U.S and a s of 2019, about 15,600 of them are classified as high-hazard-potential structures.

While the amount given for Dam Safety is not enough to cover all needed repairs and upgrades for the nation's aging dams, it does mark a significant difference. The difference targeted to be upgraded safety, enhanced electricity production, and removing dams that no longer provide benefit.

On November 24th, a New York City government press release stated that The New York City Department of Buildings is inching closer to authorizing drones for building inspections. Inspections are currently performed using binoculars and cameras from the street or from nearby roofs.

According to the report, drones would be able to get better vantage points for photographs and inspectors. Many New York City officials are optimistic about the use of drone's so, we will be sure to update you on their decision as we get information.

It's Friday and we want to share a little humor with you all! We truly believe that if you are able to easily pull apart two 5-gallon buckets, then you have the strength of an Avenger. Have a great weekend, everyone!

The Marwin Company has acquired HB&G Building Products, further expanding its product services. HB&G Building Products is based in Troy, Alabama and is a manufacturer of specialty mill work products, including residential columns and other outdoor living products.

The President of HB&G said, “The Marwin Company’s focus on building products is in alignment with our goal to grow our participation in the market through investments in innovative building product solutions.”

It's time for our of the week!

Jackson Flack has been named the newest President of Cornerstone Building Brands in Cary, North Carolina. In this role, Flack will lead the stone solutions organization, provide strategic direction, and establish partnerships with customers. Flack steps into this position right after serving as the VP at Firestone Building Products.

Swinerton, a San Francisco-based commercial construction company, announced its new office space in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The adaptive reuse space features a 1,700-sqft mass timber mezzanine designed, fabricated and installed by Swinerton’s mass timber affiliate, Timberlab. The space is designed to promote their level of service while integrating a more collaborative workspace. Other amenities include a large mixing yard, adaptable furniture, and complimentary electric bikes to use around the city.

Last December, construction on the Maryland Purple Line stopped following a lengthy dispute with the state over cost overruns. This dispute was eventually taken to court and Maryland had to pay Purple Line Transit Constructors $250 million to resolve cost disputes.

As a result of all the delays, Council member Dannielle M. Glaros says it will "be a few years, likely 2025, before trains run along the Purple Line, putting the project roughly three years behind schedule."

For 24 days in a row through December 23rd, 84 Lumber Company is announcing a donation to a new charity! At the end of the 24 days, 84 Lumber will have donated a total of $84,000. 84 Lumber is revealing each donation daily on social media through a 24 Days of Giving digital advent calendar. You can follow along on both their Instagram and Facebook.

Chen Moore and Associates has acquired Fred Wilson & Associates, a Jacksonville, Florida-based engineering company. This acquisition will add electrical engineering to Chen Moore's service and expand its reach into the Jacksonville market. What does this mean for the future? Chen Moore, owner of Chen Moore & Associates says, "Our goal is to be an Engineering News-Record 500 company by the year 2025.”

South Carolina's Governor, Henry McMaster, is looking to invest in the future of construction trades and other technical fields. This particular program will provide scholarships to cover the cost of tuition and fees at any technical college statewide.

The funds may only be used for associate degrees or industry credentials in construction and other careers including computer science, manufacturing, health care and more. The program will go into effect on January 1, 2022.

UPDATE: The United States Department of Labor has finalized Executive Order 14026 which is better known as the “Increasing the Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors". This order was signed on April 27th, 2021 and it is said to go into effect on January 30th, 2022. This order will raise the federal contractor minimum wage from $10.95 to $15 an hour making a significant difference for those in the industry.

It's Friday and honestly we feel about the same! We want to thank all construction industry members for their hard work. We couldn't do what we do without you all! Have a meme that you love too? Drop it in the comments below!

We here at Legacy Building Materials Recruiters, want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! We hope your day is full of great company, great conversations, and even better food!

R.P. Lumber, located in Edwardsville, IL, has aquiccerd longtime competitor Alexander Lumber Co. In addition to the expansion of its store footprint in Illinois and Iowa, R.P. Lumber is excited that this transaction will open the door to Wisconsin, where Alexander presently operates two stores and a sales office.

"We are honored and humbled that the Alexander family has entrusted to us this great business their family built over 130 years. We do not take that responsibility lightly", says Robert L. Plummer, president & CEO of R.P. Lumber.

Ground has been broken on a project dubbed the United States "First commercial scale offshore wind farm." Located near Cape Cod in Massachusetts, the project is expected to cut carbon emissions by over 1.6 million metric tons annually.

According to Vineyard Wind, this represents the equivalent of removing 325,000 cars off the road every year, Vineyard Wind said. There are hopes that the 800-megawatt Vineyard Wind 1 facility will start sending power to the grid in 2023.

In October of 2021, Georgia Power started its efforts to shut down its 29 coal ash storage ponds and 12 landfills. Originally estimated at $7.6 billion to finish this project, it is now estimated at $8.96 billion. The utility expects coal ash permitting will continue through 2023 with final landfill closures in 2037. It is considering adding solar generation at closed sites.

It's Friday which means it's time for another product highlight! Today, we want to take a look into the TigerClaw Installation Gun by FastenMaster. According to FastenMaster, the combination of the TC-G Hidden Clip for Grooved Decking and the Tiger Claw Installation Gun is the fastest way to attach hidden clips on all leading deck brands.

Have you had the chance to work with this product? Let us know your thoughts below!