4 Tips To Accurately Assess Lumber Needs For Renovators

Unforeseen twists are a part and parcel of any renovation or repair project. While they can throw your project estimates off-balance, the amount of lumber required shouldn’t be a part of them. Whether you’re building a new deck, adding wood mouldings for character or framing a wall, you should have the amount of lumber you need by your side to prevent delays and added expenses. 

 

However, knowing exactly how much lumber you need for each repair or renovation project can be tricky. Even if you’ve been a professional contractor for a long time. So let us show you how you can improve your lumber estimates and leave expensive overages or frustrating shortages out of the equation. 

 

1. Get a grasp of the scope and complexity of your project

 

Before crunching numbers, gather every single requirement about your renovation project and then assess it carefully. Each renovation will likely follow a different pattern even if you’ve encountered similar projects before, so don’t try to fit them all into a single size. 

 

For example, when you demolish an existing structure to repair it, you might find deeper structural issues that require more lumber to fix than your initial estimate. Moreover, older homes may have irregular framing, forcing you to accommodate non-typical measurements. 

 

We would recommend having estimates with a 10–15% contingency buffer so you can accommodate unexpected requirements that crop up mid-project. 

 

2. Break your requirements down

 

If your project involves multiple sub-projects, break it down into different “estimate” categories such as walls, flooring, roof structure, trims etc. Now use these categories to calculate individual requirements and costs. This way, you only need to update the portion of lumber you need for a specific category rather than the whole thing if unexpected changes arrive. 

 

Be sure to accommodate for: 

 

• Floor framing items such as rim boards, joists, and blocking
• Wall elements such as plates, stud,s and headers
• Roof components such as ridge boards, rafter,s and sheathing 

 

Your local lumber yard should have all of these available for purchase in the amounts you need. 

 

3. Use standard lumber estimation formulas

 

Tried and tested lumber estimation formulas can be a good place to start. For renovation tasks, you can try out the following: 

 

• Wall studs: Take the length of the wall you’re working on and divide that by 16, as 16” is the standard stud spacing requirement. Make sure to use feet as the unit for walls. You can also add a couple of extra inches to stud spacing to make room for openings and waste. This will help you know how much lumber you need. 
• Decking: First, get an exact figure on the square footage of your deck. Now split that figure by the decking board coverage area. Lastly, an addition of 10% should be enough for cuts and waste. 

 

You can make these calculations much easier by using spreadsheet templates or estimation apps. They will also help you keep tabs on materials you need by type and size. There’s no room for manual lumber calculation errors if your numbers are in order. 

 

4. Take wastes into account

 

You’ve measured everything precisely and gotten your lumber accordingly, but some amount of it still got wasted. That’s inevitable since it’s nearly impossible to avoid cuts, off-cuts and trying to fit around awkward angles. That’s why it’s better to overshoot and get 5-10% extra lumber for straightforward framing projects and 10-15% extra for detailed trim work or irregular layouts. 

 

Bonus: Get your lumber from a reliable yard

 

Making accurate estimates is good as long as you back it up by partnering with a knowledgeable lumber supplier who has years of experience working with several contractors. That’s because they can help you plan your lumber requirements in a smarter way so you can avoid overages. For example, at Fonthill Lumber, we can review your list and suggest cost-effective substitutes as well as deliver materials promptly to your site, preventing extra costs and delays. 

 

Conclusion

 

Accurate lumber estimates are crucial if you want your renovation and repair jobs to be a successful affair. While getting more lumber is expensive and leads to jobsite clutter, under-ordering can cause delays. Fortunately, the above tips can help you strike the right balance by offering nearly accurate lumber estimates. 

 

You can also turn to our experts at Fonthill Lumber Inc., and we will help you come up with a spot-on estimate. Our seasoned professionals offer full support to all contractors. Contact us to get quality wood products along with expert advice.