Building material shortages

[Hels20]

After (stupidly) delaying to try to appease our neighbour who was trying to sell her property, we are all set to start work on renovating our house and building a basement in our SW London house - only to be told by our builder that he can’t give a start date because building materials are at such a shortage - and there is a lack of cement. I know this is true - but am totally gutted as I wanted it all done by next year. He has said he doesn’t want to start what should be a 10 month project only to find it takes 18 months.

Is anyone else in same situation? Is there a shortage all over country? Anyone any idea when it might get better?

Everything is short everywhere. Took us weeks to get timber for a gate. Postcrete is being rationed by B&Q. Out plasterer bulk bought materials and stores them as he had such difficulty getting supply. It's crazy!

We're in the NE

Not where I live , went to the local merchant the other day for cement , they had 450 bags 🙂. Same with the timber place they had everything I needed . I think it must just be certain areas that are experienced delays / shortages.

Your poor neighbour

We seem to be fine in the West Mids too, we have 13T of concrete coming in the morning!

@Whinginadeville

Your poor neighbour

Yes, heaven forbid someone carries out some work to their house.

Yes, shortage up here of plaster, wood and cement- north west.

No shortages where we are (South Herts). We've just had the foundations for our extension cemented in, no issue with timings. I remember your original post about the neighbour issue, glad to hear you are finally going ahead! What a pain about the materials though. Fingers crossed it comes good for you.

Yep @irisetta - she wanted us to lie to her buyer which we just couldn’t do. And so after putting it off for months - and her not exchanging, we put in the planning permission. Suffice to say she hates us.

Good to know it isn’t all over the country.

There's a timber shortage as someone has stolen two fence panels between me and a neighbour and apparently it's getting quite common to do this at the moment. I'm in Bedfordshire.

I've found that my timber merchant and local building company have supplies - although the prices have at least doubled for timber.

My local Wickes ,however , I swear hasn't had timber, sand, cement or insulation (!) For the past 4 months.

We're SE, problems with bricks and timber around here amongst other things!

@Whinginadeville

Your poor neighbour

Didn't you understand the bit where OP said she'd delayed for the neighbour's benefit?