Use This NAHB Resource to Help Select New Home Building Materials
Home builders throughout the United States are grappling with building material price surges, and shortages or delays for certain orders, which are leading many to explore alternatives to complete or start projects.
Builders face many choices in selecting new products, materials, equipment and fixtures to use in constructing a home, and can determine which building materials best fit their needs by getting information about new or unfamiliar items from manufacturers and distributors. Carefully reviewing building material choices in advance may help eliminate non-conforming building materials, returns and possibly disputes.
NAHB has developed a guide, Assessing Building Materials, for builders who may not have their own review process for gathering information from manufacturers and distributors when considering the selection of new building materials.
The guide is intended to arm members with the most important factor when evaluating new materials or products: information. Use the guide to step through the information collection process to make an informed decision on deploying new products or materials. The guide is not intended to be exhaustive or all-inclusive, but it will help builders ask the right questions and seek the most relevant information.
Latest from NAHBNow
Dec 15, 2025
Builder Sentiment Inches Higher but Ends the Year in Negative TerritoryBuilder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes rose one point to 39 in December, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released today. Sentiment levels were below the breakeven point of 50 every month in 2025 and ranged in the high 30s in the final quarter of the year.
Dec 12, 2025
Judge Determines FEMA’s Termination of BRIC Program UnlawfulA federal judge ruled that the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s termination of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program was unlawful and issued a permanent injunction restoring the program. This action is of note to the housing community because NAHB has been pushing Congress to pass the Promoting Resilient Buildings Act, which would allow jurisdictions to qualify for BRIC funds if they have adopted one of the latest two code cycles.
Latest Economic News
Dec 15, 2025
Builder Sentiment Inches Higher but Ends the Year in Negative TerritoryBuilder confidence inched higher to end the year but still remains well into negative territory as builders continue to grapple with rising construction costs, tariff and economic uncertainty, and many potential buyers remaining on the sidelines due to affordability concerns.
Dec 11, 2025
Homeownership Rate Inches Up to 65.3%The latest homeownership rate rose to 65.3% in the third quarter of 2025, according to the Census’s Housing Vacancy Survey (HVS).
Dec 10, 2025
No Risk-Free Path: Fed Eases Monetary PolicyThe central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) cut rates a third and final time in 2025, reducing the target range for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to a 3.5% to 3.75% range. This reduction will help reduce financing costs of builder and developer loans.