I hear a lot of comments regarding the crazy price jumps in materials, and shortages of items.

Seems to be affecting a lot of the trades. Building materials, lumber, wire, romex, PVC conduit, etc.

How about it in your areas guys??

It is ridiculous. I paid a dollar a foot for a THWN well wire triplex. It is the heavy insulated wire and not a mass market item but that was just nuts. Sch40 PVC 1.25" well pipe was over a buck a foot too, at a commercial supplier. I didn't shop much because I was out of water.
I saw white wood 2x4s at around $7 each bragging about a sale.
If you can't pass this cost on, it is going to kill a lot of smaller shops just when they are starting to come back. Then there is labor. Competing with a $15 an hour unemployment check is tough if you are looking for low end people because that translates closer to $20-25 an hour if you have to actually leave the house. It costs money to work. Sitting on the couch is all gravy.

One crazy item....3" Sch 40 PVC $50.25 per 10' stick.

4" is "unavailable"

And BTW, a few "Help Wanted" street signs are $20-$22 per hr. (Major distribution type)

I see Help Wanted Signs EVERYWHERE

One major warehouse (furniture primarily) operation was at $12-$14/hr. and close by are two package delivery giants at $16-$22/hr.

Where do you think the few people that were actually looking for jobs went?

Throughout this industrial/office park are many decent job openings, and there is a new Amazon 'last mile' facility rising from the dirt with a August/September open date. (More jobs) This is Amazon #4 in town. Add a new 550k SF two occupant warehouse/distribution operation for another place looking for help.

Off topic, but a weeks Car Rental at MCO Airport in Orlando is 3 times what I paid in 2019.

Bill:

Can you say "hurts"??

Play on words!

I was attached to Avis for a while buying a couple cars. The rental business is nuts right now. This may be an OT area discussion tho

Here in S.W. Ohio Sch. 40 3" @ $50.25 per 10' stick, would be Cheap! Between three Distributors that are close to me, the average price is $65.00.

12-2 NM 250 ft. roll took off like a rocket from $39.00 to an average $179.00, with one large distributor now charging $205.00!

Being a Mechanical Contractor, I've seen cost increases that I've never thought possible, in Sheet Metal, PVC Pipe, Controls, Freon, Black Iron Piping, Equipment, & to compound the problem,.... Un-heard of shortages, where I'm being told that "Back-orders" are as long as "HOPEFULLY 26 weeks!!

A large residential remodel, that I'm currently doing, of a Mast. Bath., along with the installation of a Gas Log Fireplace, & new Condensing Gas Furnace with Heat-pump has been Mind Blowing, when the Customer has added to the work, cuz' the "Additions" in material alone are far above the materials that I placed at the job site, before all of this Insanity began.

The reasons that I'm getting from the Distributors/ Regional Sales Reps/Manufacturers ranges from the "Wuhan Virus", To People not wanting to return to work due to all of the $$$ that they got from "Big Brother" due to the shut downs, To Shipping Congestion, To Factory shutdowns overseas, To "Chip Shortages", To the ONE Factory in Texas that produced chemicals for PVC Piping, To the still existing "Trade War/Sanctions", To "Blame it on Trump/Biden".

And this "Labor Issue"? ...... The "Mentality" of many that I've physically had interactions with is absolutely Ludicrous!

When this "Stimulus $$$" started flooding America,.... The Bulk of the "Labor Pool" in my area appears to be "The Government will support me the rest of my life!", & this is with "Help Wanted" signs practically everywhere I go.

Judging from a lot of Data, I don't think that America is going to return to "Normal", let alone "MAGA!".

And, In My Belief,... This is just a "Sign" of what is coming.