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
Jun 23, 2026
NAHB Helps Secure Passage of Historic Housing BillThe House today overwhelmingly approved the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, advancing to President Trump legislation that NAHB helped shape through a years-long advocacy effort to significantly boost housing production.
Jun 23, 2026
NAHB Applauds Congressional Passage of Landmark Housing BillNAHB Chairman Bill Owens issued the following statement after the House passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, sending the bill to President Trump to be signed into law.
Latest Economic News
Jun 24, 2026
Sawmill Output Slips as Capacity Continues to DeclineU.S. sawmill production fell in the first quarter, the second consecutive quarter of lower output according to the Federal Reserve G.17 Industrial Production report. Sawmill output has remained largely flat since 2023, after increasing in the post-pandemic period.
Jun 23, 2026
State-Level Employment Situation: May 2026State labor market conditions remained mixed in May, with payrolls expanding in many states while job losses were concentrated in a smaller group of states and the District of Columbia (D.C.). Construction employment also continued to grow nationwide, although performance varied considerably across states.
Jun 22, 2026
Structural Demand Outpacing Supply: Jobs-to-Permits Ratios Highlight Housing GapStrong labor market growth continued to put pressure on the nation’s housing supply in 2024, as home building activity did not fully keep pace with demand driven by job gains. Comparing net new jobs with prior-year permitting activity helps show whether the pace of housing construction is keeping up with potential household formation and broader economic growth.