CANFIELD, Ohio (WKBN) – Many home improvement vendors were at the Home Builders & Remodelers Association’s Home and Garden show in Canfield Friday. But if you are looking to renovate, it’s going to cost you.
The increased cost of materials is making home improvement projects challenging.
“They have continued to increase their prices. Sometimes people are doing a smaller space rather than a whole huge patio, or they are doing smaller projects in their home,” said Trisha Howe, HBA executive director.
Everything from fencing and pavers to heating and cooling costs more.
“Yearly costs always go up. It’s just kind of the way the world is right now with everything. We are expecting to see that again this year,” said Tim Whitlow, service manager for Thompson Heating and Cooling.
It’s not just an increase in materials that is going to impact a project. Vendors say it’s hard to find labor and that leads to delays.
“Finding people who are willing to work hard and have a good attitude, have a good work ethic is definitely increasingly difficult,” said Zach Tabor, with Tabors Landscaping.
Joe Kolis an installation coordinator with Gault Heating and Cooling is seeing the same thing.
“Definitely labor shortage. We have some partnerships. We do trade schools so that we can keep up with the demand,” Kolis said.
Companies advise starting projects sooner rather than later so projects still get completed in a timely manner.