Cost of Lumber in a 2,000-Square-Foot House
| COST PER 1,000
FT* |
FRAMING LUMBER |
STRUCTURAL PANEL |
LUMBER COSTS PER
HOUSE |
| $200 |
$3,488 |
$1,394 |
$4,882 |
| 250 |
4,360 |
1,743 |
6,103 |
| 300 |
5,232 |
2,091 |
7,323 |
| 350 |
6,104 |
2,440 |
8,554 |
| 400 |
6,976 |
2,778 |
9,764 |
| 450 |
7,848 |
3,137 |
10,985 |
| 500 |
8,720 |
3,486 |
12,206 |
| 550 |
9,592 |
3,834 |
13,426 |
| 600 |
10,464 |
4,183 |
14,647 |
| 650 |
11,336 |
4,531 |
15,867 |
| 700 |
12,208 |
4,880 |
17,088 |
| 750 |
13,080 |
5,228 |
18,308 |
| 800 |
13,952 |
5,667 |
19,529 |
*Cost per 1,000 board feet of framing
lumber or 1,000 board feet of structural panels such as plywood.
SOURCE: NAHB
The Effect of Lumber Prices on the Cost of Housing
Lumber prices have increased dramatically this decade, making new homes less affordable.
Prices averaged $200 per 1,000 board feet during the 1980's; for the 1990's prices have
averaged over $300. The increases have been caused primarily by environmental restrictions
on timber harvesting in the forests of the Pacific Northwest.
The cost of lumber and wood products accounts for one-third
of the costs of materials used to build a home. A typical 2,000 square-foot-home uses
nearly 16,000 board feet of lumber and 6,000 square feet of structural panels, such as
plywood. At $400 per 1,000 board feet, the lumber package for a 2,000-square-foot-home
costs nearly $10,000.
Check current lumber prices at the Random Lengths web site. |