Victoria Brocklesby of Origin explores why lead times are such an important consideration for any self-build project, especially while ongoing supply chain issues and materials shortages continue to affect suppliers and contractors, such as in the case of doors and windows

The increased time spent at home during the pandemic led many people to re-evaluate their homes and living circumstances. As a result, millions have opted to take on self-build or renovation projects to overhaul the space they live in.

Naturally, with more people embarking on renovations and more housebuilding taking place, there is a significant surge in demand for building materials and labour which is directly impacting supply chains and the availability of tradespeople.  

Coupled with this, the pandemic has also led to a backlog of large scale, government-funded construction projects, like HS2, which are impacting the industry because they require huge amounts of materials. 

Still today, logistics disruptions, material delays, and a lack of labour, are forcing door and window manufacturers to make difficult decisions that they would never have considered pre-pandemic. This has a direct impact on self-builders’ projects and those taking on renovation work themselves. 

How can self-builders avoid the disappointment of delayed, or even failed, delivery of their doors and windows?

PLANNING, PLANNING, PLANNING

The first step is a necessary change in mindset when thinking about project timelines, including how doors and windows fit in with the rest of the building project as they are often the last thing to be installed. Many still view them as commodity items, or even as an afterthought. So, it can come as a shock when people realise the lead times on doors and windows can be significantly over 16 weeks – and that is being generous in today’s climate.

When you’re looking to finalise a project, the last thing you want is for everything to come to a halt as you wait for items to be delivered. It can cause real frustration, and impact moving the build internally with plumbing and electrics. By planning more effectively, and factoring in elements like doors and windows at the earliest possible moment, you can effectively manage delays out of the build process.   

The second step is understanding the marketplace a little bit better. You need to consider if there might be external factors that will have a knock-on impact on your build. Brexit, Covid, and the war in Ukraine, are all key examples of how an outside influence can impact your build. When there is uncertainty, a default reaction is to panic, and when this happens, everything is affected. Stock is depleted, costs go up and companies go out of business. This all needs to be studied and factored in.

One way around this is to put more onus on the suppliers and manufacturers that you use. Are they universally trusted? Are they synonymous with quality? Are they proven to deliver? Are they industry leaders? All of these questions must be asked and answered. If they tick all the boxes, it is clear that they are market leaders for good reason. 

For example, we invested in new warehouse facilities and stock so that we could deal with fluctuations in the market, futureproofing ourselves and our customers, to ensure that no matter the situation, we would never miss an install day. 

For self-builders and renovators, being able to trust your supplier is crucial. This is not just from a quality perspective, but also a delivery and promises standpoint too. You need to do all you can to keep your project on track and on budget, and unexpected issues are not something you want to have to think about. By using a trusted and reputable supplier, this worry becomes a distant memory.

TO SUM UP

Nothing is guaranteed, and the last few years have shown us that very clearly. Unexpected changes could be just around the corner, and all you can do is be as best prepared as possible. If you have the right processes in place to minimise delays, the right suppliers on board to s

upport you, and have planned ahead, then any possible supply chain and lead time issues will be minimal, or go unnoticed, so that your dream renovation won’t turn into a nightmare.

Victoria Brocklesby is co-founder and COO at Origin