<p>Housebuilders should plan their orders in advance to tackle materials shortages and delays, Frank Elkins, chief operating officer of builders’ merchant Travis Perkins, strongly advised today (June 8).</p> <p>Speaking to <i>Housebuilder </i>about the “perfect storm” of events that have caused a recent hike in material prices and a squeeze in their availability, Elkins advised the industry to give four to six weeks’ notice on orders.</p> <p>He insisted that the large building supplier was “not running out of product”. But: “If you rocked up and asked for plasterboard, you would struggle to get it”. Forward planning would allow Travis Perkins to “supply you a fair share”. </p> <p>Elkins said the business was “trying to minimise price increases” in the face of robust demand from home owners spending more time at home, housebuilders rebounding strongly from the pandemic, global demand for raw materials and escalating shipping costs.</p> <p>He highlighted “availability challenges” with aggregates, cement, plasterboard, polymer and plastics, with “double digit” price increases being seen on raw materials.</p> <p><span>There were also constraints with timber, Elkins said. Demand from other countries including the US was making the building material “more scarce”. Elkins said the US was “prepared to pay more than other markets” …