Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Company News

Skyrocketing Lumber Costs are Starting to Ease

We have good news for those of you planning a construction project……the cost of lumber is starting to fall!

Since the pandemic began, we’ve heard a lot about high demand and low supply for everything from toilet paper and Clorox wipes to groceries and vehicles. We saw a huge increase in the demand for things like lumber, and an even bigger increase in the costs for lumber and building supplies.

According to the Labor Department’s producer price index, lumber prices more than doubled from May 2020 to May 2021. The National Association of Home Builders says the price tripled in just 12 months.

Americans spent more time at home over the last year, contributing to an increase in home improvement and new construction projects. Adding to that, restrictions due to COVID-19 slowed production at sawmills. This increased demand and reduced supply resulted in skyrocketing prices for lumber.

We are finally starting to see an easing of high lumber prices. Americans are going back to work and things are slowly returning to “normal”. While we may not see a return to pre-pandemic pricing for some time, we are seeing improvements in lumber and building supplies pricing.

If you put off your construction project because of the increased pricing, now might be a good time to put the plans back on the books. The team at Prairie Construction is ready to help!

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Company News

Welcome to Omaha, CWS fans!

We are big baseball fans at Prairie Construction – This is one of our favorite times of year in Omaha, and we are so happy to see the series back in full swing this year!

If you are new to Omaha, or you haven’t been back for a few years, things might look a little different to you. There has been a construction boom in Omaha in recent years and Prairie Construction has played a big role in development near the stadium.

If you take a stroll just west of TD America on Cuming St., you’ll see Prairie Construction’s mark throughout Creighton University’s campus, notably the new Facilities Management Building on 18th & Burt St. We’ve also been busy with work in the Medical School and Health Sciences Library on campus as well.

If you head southeast from the stadium, take a trip over the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge to Council Bluffs, IA. It’s a beautiful bridge with a spectacular view of the Missouri River, and it’s fun to be able to say you were in 2 states at the same time – you’ll see the state line marking about halfway across the bridge.

For a little extra fun, make a stop under the pedestrian bridge – yes, that is a giant blue troll! Helping the city transport and install the troll to his new home under the bridge was a fun project for the Prairie Construction team, definitely different from our typical projects.

Enjoy your stay in Omaha, or just your visit downtown, good luck to all the teams, and we hope to see you back in Omaha soon – you never know what will be new by the next time you visit!

Posted on By Julie Swartz Categories Current Projects

A Catered Affair

Prairie Construction so excited to be involved with the construction of the new headquarters for A Catered Affair, located at 134th & State St.

The local catering company specializes in events of all sizes from office lunches and trainings to cocktail parties, weddings, corporate events, and banquets. A Catered Affair also creates a weekly seasonal menu of meals-to-go – delicious, prepared meals perfect for anyone who wants a break from cooking or restaurants.

Since opening in 2008, A Catered Affair has built a solid reputation for providing delicious food with excellent customer service. Their reliable, high-quality service has led to rapid growth and the need to expand their headquarters.

The new headquarters will be located at 134th & State St. near the Deer Creek neighborhood and golf course, and adjacent to the A View Event Center. The larger building will accommodate prep space for additional, larger events. It will also offer an in-house option with a coffee shop and café for customers to dine-in.

We are on track to complete this project by mid-summer. Watch for additional updates on this project or follow along on A Catered Affair’s Facebook page.