When ordering bulk industrial lumber products for a project, how and when you receive your lumber is one of your primary concerns. You have options, and the one you choose can affect both your timeline and your budget, so it pays to choose wisely.
For most wholesale lumber orders, you have three options:
- Pre-Project Delivery
- Day-Of Pickup
- Just-in-Time Delivery
Let’s look at each one to help you decide which works best for your project.
Pre-Project Delivery
With measurements and quantities in hand, you can purchase everything you need and have it delivered all at once before the project begins.
The benefit of this option is that you can confirm everything has arrived, in the right quantities and in good condition, before work begins. Nothing sets a project back more than discovering missing or damaged materials when you need them most.
The drawbacks, however, can add to your costs. For bulk lumber orders, you must have a place to store the wood where it will stay dry until you need it. Water damage can leave lumber unusable, which leads to shortages and costly last-minutereplacement purchases.
Storage for your bulk lumber inventory will also cost you, so you’ll need to build that expense into your project budget.
Finally, you may need to deal with any leftover materials once the project is complete. In some cases, you may be able to sell your excess. When that’s not possible, the excess goes to waste, and you may have to pay to dispose of it.
Day-Of Pickup
Picking up your wholesale lumber order yourself is probably the best way to make sure you get exactly what you ordered in the quantity and quality that you need. You can even schedule several pickups throughout the project to avoid the need for storage.
There are a few drawbacks, starting with the need for a truck large enough to carry the load and equipment, such as a forklift or crane, to unload your purchase. You’ll also need to account for the time each pickup takes, since hours spent on the road can push back your project timeline.
Be sure you know your wholesale lumber supplier’s loading hours so you aren’t stuck waiting. And if you don’t tell them what you need and when you plan to pick it up, you could arrive to find they don’t have it in stock.
Just-in-Time Delivery
Just-in-time delivery solves nearly every challenge described above. With careful planning, you can have the bulk lumber you need delivered to the jobsite right when you need it. You won’t need storage space for an early delivery, or your own trucks and equipment to pick up your order.
For just-in-time delivery to work, communication is key: talk with your wholesale lumber supplier early and often.
Share your needs and expectations as far in advance as possible. The more time you give your supplier to organize your order and plan the deliveries, the smoother your project will be.
To learn more about Lodge Lumber’s just-in-time delivery service, contact us any time. We’d love to tell you all about it.
