Use This NAHB Resource to Help Select New Home Building Materials

Business Management
Published

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.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Advocacy

Mar 03, 2026

Delaware Home Builders Score Permitting Victory

Members sustained advocacy efforts helped shape an executive order designed to fast-track development and improve housing affordability in the state.

Sustainability and Green Building

Mar 02, 2026

Top 10 States for NGBS Green Certification Activity in 2025

Texas once again tops multifamily certification, and Florida took the top spot for most single-family certifications for the second consecutive year.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Feb 27, 2026

Gains for Student Housing Construction in the Last Quarter of 2025

Private fixed investment for student dormitories was up 1.5% in the last quarter of 2025, reaching a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of $3.9 billion. This gain followed three consecutive quarterly declines before rebounding in the final two quarters of the year.

Economics

Feb 27, 2026

Price Growth for Building Materials Slows to Start the Year

Residential building material prices rose at a slower rate in January, according to the latest Producer Price Index release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This was the first decline in the rate of price growth since April of last year. Metal products continue to experience price increases, while specific wood products are showing declines in prices.

Economics

Feb 26, 2026

Home Improvement Loan Applications Moderate as Borrower Profile Gradually Ages

Home improvement activity has remained elevated in the post-pandemic period, but both the volume of loan applications and the age profile of borrowers have shifted in notable ways. Data from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), analyzed by NAHB, show that total home improvement loan applications have eased from their recent post-pandemic peak, and the distribution of borrowers across age groups has gradually tilted older.