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
Awards | Membership | Associate Members Committee
Sep 08, 2026
How Winning an Associate Award Can Benefit You and Your Business
Every year, NAHB honors its top two Associate members for their achievements and essential work in the field with two awards: Associate of the Year and Associate Advocate of BUILD-PAC.
Economics
Sep 08, 2026
How Are Rising Costs Impacting the Cost of Single-Family Homes?
The housing industry is experiencing elevated costs across the board — from land to labor and building materials. NAHB’s Economics team is in the process of measuring how these rising costs impact the cost to build single-family homes. And we need your help.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Sep 08, 2026
Single-Family Home Construction Time Declines in 2025
Building a new single-family home took less time in 2025 compared to the previous three years. On average, it now takes 8.8 months from start to finish. That time includes 1.4 months for authorization to start construction and another 7.4 months to finish construction.
Economics
Sep 07, 2026
Shorter Apartment Construction Time in 2025
The average time needed to complete construction of a multifamily building after obtaining authorization edged down in 2025, according to the 2025 Survey of Construction (SOC) from the Census Bureau.
Economics
Sep 04, 2026
Beating Expectations: U.S. Economy Adds 162,000 Jobs in August
The U.S. labor market rebounded in August, with nonfarm payrolls increasing by 162,000 and upward revisions adding 55,000 jobs to June and July. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.1%, as both employment and the labor force participation rate rose over the month.