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10/07/2023
Filter tag: General News
03/05/2023
Filter tag: Business Administration
19/04/2023
Filter tag: Helping Hands
24/03/2023
Filter tag: General news
09/02/2023
Filter tag: General news
Check the QBCC website for the latest information
02/02/2023
Filter tag: New product
21/12/2022
Filter tag: Promotions
15/12/2022
Filter tag: General News
15/12/2022
Filter tag: General News
Matt Hatzl - Browns Plains manager
Jason Turner - Caboolture manager
Alistair Seaton - Modular manager
Darren (Harry) Harris - Modular technical advisor
Dominic Kurtz - Frame & Truss manager20/10/2022
Filter tag: General NewsHere's another reason to use Bretts on your next project.
We are delighted to announce that Bretts Architectural Window Solutions is the winner of the 2022 AGWA Queensland Design Awards Residential Window or Glass Project category for The Lake House Benowa Waters project and 2022 AGWA Queensland Design Awards Commercial Window or Glass Project $100k to $750k category for the Edge Coomera project.
Just two more reasons to choose Bretts for you next project. Checkout these two amazing projects on the windows gallery page of our website.
Special thanks to Martin and Dina Kenins from Kenins Developments for the Lake House project and Dylan and Scott from Thallom Mole for the Coomera early learnign centre.
Dylan from Thallon Mole Group, - Luke, Keeghan, Joe and Vicki from Bretts, and Scott from Thallon Mole Group
06/10/2022
Filter tag: Project featuresHere's another project recently completed by Samadhi Builds showcasing our Vantage windows and doors.
Our Vantage residential series casement windows featured on the front of this new home are perfectly matched with the home's design brief and building style.
At the rear of the home Samadhi Builds have used our 618 Magnum Sliding Door and a stacker window as a servery from the kitchen. The custom designed raking windows above the sliding door provides ample light penetration into the living spaces while making an internal feature of the extra high ceilings and roof-line.
In addition to the Windows and doors, we also supplied the timber house frame, flooring, cladding and pretty-much everything in between.
For more inspiration and examples of Bretts Vantage windows and doors in action head to our recent projects gallery
06/10/2022
Filter tag: GREEN InitiativesAs part of Bretts ongoing commitment to reducing our carbon footprint,
the Bretts Green Team planted over 300 trees, shrubs and grasses along the banks of the creek running through our Chermside site. This should be enough to offset more than 5 tonne of carbon dioxide every year, once fully established.
Thanks to everyone who donated their time and backs to this very important initiative. If you missed out this time, don’t worry you can always get involved in our next planting day. We’ll keep you posted.
27/09/2022
Filter tag: GREEN Initiatives
250 trees planted = 50 Tonnes of carbon offset.
Bretts Operation GreenFoot was established earlier this year in our quest toward becoming carbon neutral. Our latest endeavour involves planting 250 native trees and grasses at our Chermside site. This weekend we will have an army of volunteers planting native trees and grasses along the creek bank, which once fully grown should offset around 5.25 tonne of Carbon Dioxide per annum. We plan to do a second planting later this, or early next year. Every little bit helps.
30/08/2022
Filter tag: PromotionsBostik Seal N' Flex® One Plus P590 is a low modulus, bubble-free curing, universal polyurethane sealant for construction and expansion joints. When cured it will form a tough and flexible seal capable of cyclic expansion and compression movement of +100%/- 50% of the original installed joint width.
PURCHASE 1 x SEAL 'N' FLEX® ONE PLUS P590 SAUSAGE of Low modulus polyurethane sealant visit our Chermside store and ask a Bretts team member to submit your entry into the draw to WIN a 55” TV.
Your entry ticket must contain your receipt number, purchase date and mobile phone number or email address. Entries drawn 10am Friday 30/09/2022. The winner will be notified by phone or email.
30/08/2022
Filter tag: Market updateIt's been no secret that the supply of material has been very challenging over the last few years, these challenges have extended to higher than usual price increases. Assa Abloy the company behind Lockwood, have just announced 7.2% increase to take effect in October.
How will this effect larger commercial project quotes for door hardware you have with Bretts?
"Orders from commercial hardware project quotes issued before 24th October, 2022 will be honoured until 24th January, 2023. After this date, new pricing will apply. In addition, forward orders placed before the 24th October but with a scheduled delivery after this date, will be subject to the new price."
This means that to secure the project price your order needs to be placed with us no later than the 24/10/2022. Please contact our commercial hardware team to enquire about your existing quotes and whether they are classified as a project quote, so you can get your orders in and beat the price increase until January, 2023.
09/08/2022
Filter tag: Brisbane FastenersBretts latest addition, Brisbane Fasteners has undergone a transformation with new signage now installed, making Brisbane Fasteners instantly recognisable as part of the Bretts group.
Brisbane Fasteners have a fantastic range of construction fasteners and systems, all of which are available to charge-up to your existing Bretts account. Brisbane Fasteners are a member of CSS, Construction Supply Specialists Pty Ltd. one of Australia's leading buying/marketing/promotional groups in the Construction, Mining and Industrial market segments.
Call in and say hello they are open from 7:00am weekdays at 246 Leitchs Rd, Brendale.
27/07/2022
Filter tag: GREEN Initiatives
Last year we started our operation GREEN foot campaign by going solar at Chermside.
It's now well under way, with preliminary results in on our carbon audit. One of the easy targets the audit identified was the reduction of printing. Bretts currently print well over 1 million copies every year.
Not only have our photocopies been working overtime but we have always printed plans, for estimating customer quotes and detailing requirements. We have now moved to a complete digital process, one of our senior estimators at Geebung has developed a workflow where no plans need to be printed EVER. This is just one example.
We have also introduced “No Print Wednesdays” where we challenge everyone to NOT print anything, unless it is absolutely necessary.
Join us, the planet needs our help and this is one little way we can all help out.
Please set a reminder to “stay away from the printer”. Drop us a note to let us know how you go NOT printing or send us details on any other GREEN foot initiative you are doing.
21/07/2022
Filter tag: Product newsNew release, conveniently packaged door harwdare kits.
Kits include all components required to install on your door. Available for Entrance, Passage, Privacy and Sliding doors
Iver is supported by 40 years of leadership in the Australian architectural hardware industry. Iver products are backed by warranty and a high level of customer service, so you can be confident Iver hardware is right for your project.
The Iver range comprises of 9 finishes and 72 combinations of levers, handles and knobsets with rectangular, round or square backplates.
Solid Forged Brass All pieces are forged from high quality, durable solid brass.
Cycle Tested Door levers on rose successfully tested to meet the highest durability rating (D8, 500,000 cycles) under the Australian Standard (AS4145.2: 2008).
Fire Rated* Door levers, knobs and pull handles are fire rated to 2 hours to meet the requirements of the Australian Standard (AS1530.4:2014).
*Accessories are not fire rated
15/07/2022
Filter tag: General newsWe have recently signed a contract to purchase Brisbane Fasteners & Engineering Supplies in Brendale, settling on the 4th July.
Brisbane Fasteners was set up 20 years ago by Gary Beeston and as the name suggests, they specialise in selling fasteners, along with an extensive range of adhesives and tools.
Visit their website to find out exactly what they do Brisbane Fasteners Website
I am pleased to say that all of the staff will be employed by Bretts on the same terms, including owner/manager Gary Beeston who has agreed to stay on till the end of the year. We very much hope to learn from the Brisbane Fasteners team, so we can start to offer their great range and service through the Bretts trade store network.
So what does this mean to you as an existing Bretts customer? Well from the 4th July, you will have access to the entire range of fasteners, adhesives & tools that Brisbane Fasteners have become famous for.
Here’s a series of issues we think should cover most of your questions, but if you have any other special queries or requests, feel free to ask.
Can I use my Bretts trade account at Brisbane Fasteners? Yes you can, but it might be a good idea to place orders through your usual Bretts store, while we get Brisbane Fasteners up and running on the Bretts point of sale network.
What happens if I already have a Brisbane Fasteners trade account? If this is the case, then you need to settle all purchases made up to the 30th June in the way you normally would. All purchases from the 4th July will go on your existing Bretts account and you will pay that in the same way you usually do. Because 2 systems – two statements and two payments will need to be made to 2 different bank accounts.
Who do I make my account payment out to? Any purchases made in June or before, need to be paid to the old Brisbane Fasteners account, i.e. the bank account you normally pay to. Any purchases made from July onward, will need to be paid to Bretts. We will provide those banking details shortly. Look for the new bank details on your new Bretts Brisbane Fasteners invoices and statement. Just pay to those new accounts and remember to change bank account details in your banking software.
It is likely that we will start to incorporate some of the Brisbane Fastener ranges into the Trade Stores so keep your eyes out for new products in the not too distant future. We have taken ownership from Monday the 4th. For the time being Brisbane Fasteners will continue to operate independently from the Bretts systems, but in the coming months we will gradually bring them online so they trade seamlessly alongside our other businesses.
15/03/2022
Filter tag: Project featureSorry, but there are more price rises & there will be more supply disruption coming as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
As the conflict in Europe escalates, the availability and price of EWP and Pine Framing will become more volatile. Around one third of all wood fibre on the planet comes from Russia and whilst Russian imports of timber products are not banned, the wood simply isn’t coming here any time soon. Here’s why.
Firstly, no one can transfer money into Russia to pay for goods. There is a platform known as SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications) which is used to handle the vast majority of all international money transfers and SWIFT banned all transactions with Russia on the day the Ukraine borders were compromised. So whilst our importers can technically import EWP floor systems & framing from Russia, the Russian mills won’t sell them, as they can’t get paid.
Secondly, the three largest shipping companies in the world have banned all movements of Russian shipping containers both in and out of Russia. So even if we could convince a Russian mill to sell some EWP to us, the wood couldn’t board a ship to sail here.
How long will this last?
Well your guess is as good as ours, but as long as the trade sanctions remain in place, you would imagine that we are not going to see any Russian wood coming here any time soon. The Chinese will no doubt ramp up their purchases of timber from Russia, so in time you might imagine Chinese mills producing EWP that meets Australian code, but that could take months, if not years to establish Quality Control systems that are adequate to meet the Building Code of Australia.
It’s not all bad news, as most of the EWP that is sold in Australia does not come from Russia. At a guess, it’s probably in the order of 10 to 15%, but that is enough to have a significant effect on our market.
When will we start to see the impact?Bbr />Well all EWP wholesalers have announced a 25% price increase effective 1st of May, but the real issue will be supply. At this stage we expect to see supply consistent with recent activity up until June and then from July, we expect significant additional delays, in the order of months not just weeks.
What about Australian wood?
There are a number of local manufacturers of Pine Framing, however the production volumes are insufficient to fully supply local demand and Wesbeam is the only Australian manufacturer of EWP. This means that supply will once again be patchy and the price will be driven upwards.
Bretts are working on supply channel solutions which will help to alleviate availability constraints on Pine Framing. We already have the ability to manufacture Floor Truss systems as suitable replacements for EWP in two storey and high-set dwellings. To facilitate the anticipated demand for Floor Truss Systems we are increasing our production capacity, so when the inevitable EWP shortages take effect we will be well placed to offer our Floor Truss System as a viable alternative.
Number one suggestion is to give us as much lead time as possible to help give us enough time to source material for you. Number two suggestion would be to give us a stick list of exactly what you need to build the floor as per your engineering. If our suppliers don’t have to design the floor for you, they will likely accept the order and hopefully reduce lead times.
Of course none of this is good news and we take no pleasure in letting you know, but it would be irresponsible of us not to keep you informed. Fore warned is fore armed and we will do whatever we can to try and help you out as best we can.
Should you need to discuss further in the first instance, please contact us via the email below.
13/01/2022
Filter tag: Project featureHerston hospital precinct.
Our Commercial Hardware team at Albion have been providing Hutchinson Builders with the Hardware to get the job done on the Lady Lamington and Edith Cavell buildings. It’s fitting that Bretts & Hutchies teamed up on this renovation, considering the original building recently celebrated its hundredth birthday, just like we both did.
The project includes the refurbishment of 3 iconic buildings, The Edith Cavell, Lady Lamington and Lady Norman buildings.
The Edith Cavell Building, a 1920’s hospital building at the centre of Herston Hospital Precinct is undergoing a significant refurbishment which will accommodate a new child care centre known as ‘Lady Ramsay Childcare Centre’ as well as a range of other commercial based tenancies.
The eight-storey Lady Lamington complex will primarily provide Student Accommodation, a use that is consistent with the historical function of the building which is expanded upon within the proposed architectural plans prepared by Nettleton Tribe.
Originally constructed over three stages between 1896 and 1931 to provide improved nurses’ accommodation for the hospital.
The development included the refurbishment of both the Lady Lamington towers and the Dod’s building and will include a total of 492 rooms and 703 beds, as well ancillary areas such as entry pavilion, communal space and study rooms, kitchen and dining area, management office space and laundry facilities associated with the student accommodation. A retail tenancy is also proposed at the ground level of the southern Lady Lamington tower to provide an active frontage to the adjoining Herston Square.
The Lady Norman building is being redeveloped into a mix of commercial activities. The building was erected in 1895 as part of the expansion of the Brisbane Hospital for Sick Children. It comprised four main wards and is the only building surviving from the former Royal Children’s Hospital complex. The Lady Norman wing contains the oldest surviving operating theatre in Queensland.
The refurbishment seeks to re-imagine the buildings for the future, while simultaneously telling the stories of its past by respecting its historical built form, character and setting. The total project cost estimate is $1.1 billion, it commenced in 2017 and is due to be completed this year.
For the history buffs amongst us.
Lady Norman was the wife of Queensland’s seventh Governor, Sir Henry Wylie Norman GCB GCMG CIE, Governor from 1 May 1889 to 31 December 1895.
Lady Lamington was the wife of Queensland’s eighth Governor, the Right Honourable Charles Wallace Alexander Napier Cochrane Baillie, Lord Lamington GCMG, Governor from 9 April 1896 to 19 December 1901.
Edith Cavell (1865-1915) was a British nurse working in German occupied Belgium during the first world war. She helped hundreds of British French and Belgium soldiers escape the Germans and was eventually arrested, tried and executed in 1915.
10/12/2021
Filter tag: Bretts eventsCongratulations Ash from Lindon Homes.
Not a bad Xmas present, eh? Ash from Lindon Homes was the lucky winner of the James Hardie Jet Ski at this morning’s trade brekkie. No one left empty handed, as the other 9 finalists each received $1,000 prepaid Visa cards. Congratulations Ash and thanks to everyone who participated in our Bretts BOLT and WIN with Hardies promotion. For those who missed out try your luck at our next Hardies™ Fine Texture cladding promotion for your chance at winning $20k worth of travel vouchers.
01/12/2021
Filter tag: Green initiativesBuilding and construction is currently experiencing a perfect storm.
The COVID-19 pandemic has unexpectedly generated a substantial increase in residentialbuilding activity. This unprecedented demand for materials, together with COVID-19-related supplychallenges, is creating limited availability of key resources and resulting in longer lead times in many sectors, including the timber framing industry. And, at the same time, Australians are choosing to use more timber than ever before.
There are two main reasons for this:
Let’s get the job done.
The industry knows that timber is in high demand and is geared to providing a strong and stable supply. However, the current building boom has defied most predictions and we’re now having to double down on our efforts to give Australians the timber they need.
Local sawmills are working harder than ever to optimise production and the vast majority of Australian-produced timber still stays here in Australia – with just 3% of domestic softwood sales earmarked for export (mainly low-grade product unsuitable for structural use).
At the same time, importers of framing timber are pro-actively seeking out additional sustainable sources and working with Government to streamline the import process to further speed up and improve supply.
We don’t want to let anyone down, that’s why we’re doing all we can to increase efficiency, streamline production and reduce timber waste. We’re also investing considerable time and effort to advise and promote Government policy that supports more tree planting, to further reduce the potential risk of not being more self-sufficient in timber products.
The future is looking positive.
We understand the frustrations of not having the tools to do the job. It not only affects productivity and profits – but also staff morale, customer confidence and company reputation. To all those affected by the increased demand for timber, we want you to know that we recognise your concerns and are here to offer our full support.
In addition, we continue to encourage significant new investment in timber growing, sourcing and production technology, helping to create a sure and stable supply for the future. And that means we’ll be growing more trees, removing more carbon from the atmosphere and creating a cleaner, better world for everyone.
It’s a challenge right now but we’re strong enough to weather the storm. If we work collectively together, we can grow together.
25/11/2021
Filter tag: Green initiativesEuropean Green Deal Timber Construction, new buildings to be 20% timber.
The city of Amsterdam has mandated that all new buildings in the Dutch capital must be constructed from at least 20 per cent wood or other biobased materials from 2025.
The agreement, which is named the Green Deal Timber Construction, has been signed by all 32 municipalities in the Metropolitan Region of Amsterdam (MRA) region. Increasing the use of timber in the city's construction projects is hoped to reduce reliance on steel and concrete – materials that create large amounts of carbon dioxide during production.
In turn, this is expected to help the Dutch capital meet its goal of "climate neutrality", or net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, by 2050.Mandate encourages all biomaterials.
The Green Deal Timber Construction was signed during the MRA Sustainability Summit 2021 in October. However, it will not be implemented until 2025. As an alternative to timber construction, the deal also allows for 20 per cent of a new building to be constructed with other biobased materials – materials that are derived from biodegradable living matter – such as hemp or cork.
According to the Amsterdam Institute of Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS Institute), which is supporting the implementation of the Green Deal Timber Construction, the move is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the city by approximately 220,000 tonnes a year. This is equivalent to the average emissions of 22,000 homes, it said.
Globally, the built environment is currently responsible for around 40 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions. To reduce this figure, many architects around the world are turning to timber for construction, due to the material's sustainability credentials.
One of the biggest benefits of timber is that it can sequester large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere and store it within a building, offsetting the carbon emissions generated by a building over its lifespan.
"Although the use of abiotic materials in construction has literally taken us to great heights, these materials have a major impact on the environment," explained Pablo van der Lugt, a research fellow at AMS Institute. The latest generation of mass timber products can replace these materials one-to-one, without harming the environment," he added. "Moreover, they actually act as huge carbon sinks."
The deal could help Amsterdam become circular.
Amsterdam is not the only city to have introduced legislation that encourages the use of biomaterials. In New York, the city council has approved the use of mass timber for the construction of buildings of up to 25.9 metres tall. In 2020, the French government agreed that all new public buildings in the country must be built from at least 50 per cent timber or other natural materials by 2022.
To support the Green Deal Timber Construction agreement, sites for new construction projects will be designated across Amsterdam.
Source: Dezeen
28/10/2021
Filter tag: Market UpdateWe have all been experiencing severe structural timber shortages and extraordinary price increases for the past 12 months now. It has been challenging to say the least and we have done our utmost to mitigate any adverse effects for our customers. However, structural steel is the latest category to experience severe shortages and large price increases.
Like timber, steel is also tied to the current global supply issues which are affecting all parts of construction industries around the world. The reduction in steel imports has put massive pressure on the limited production capacity of Australian producers with increases in associated costs leading to steel price volatility and significant issues in availability.
As a result, our suppliers' structural steel lead times have blown out and we can no longer guarantee supply of products ordered. Where possible we have sourced supply from non-preferred suppliers in an effort to fulfil our commitment to your orders. In many of these cases Bretts has been shouldering the financial burden of this shortage, however we are now in a position where sourcing products is increasingly difficult regardless of the price we are prepared to pay.
We would love to see things stabilise soon so we are not so reliant on others to provide our usual high level of service, but as has been the case with timber, I fear the current situation will remain out of our control for some time to come. I wanted to write to you now so that you are prepared for upcoming challenges in this product category and to advise you that someone from Bretts will be in touch shortly, if we believe your project will be impacted by these current shortages.
Steel coil prices are also set to increase a further 38% in January 2022. This will mean steel framing price increases will unfortunately need to be applied to all jobs after this increase comes into effect.
Thanks in advance for your continued support and let’s hope for some relief from the current madness soon.
RegardsLewis RollsChief Operating Officer
05/10/2021
Filter tag: Product NewsWeathergroove Fusion combines the varying grooves from our popular profiles to create a unique style while retaining every measure of durability and safety. At the cutting edge of modern building materials, Weathergroove Fusion’s unique profile pushes what’s possible in architectural panels to new heights!
01/10/2021
Filter tag: Green initiativesThe lowest embodied energy of all common building materials.
Timber Framing Collective spokesperson Marita Pierce-Indugula said, “While competitor building materials may have deeper pockets than ours in terms of advertising media spend, what we have is a supply chain that is unrivalled in size. Within that supply chain are people that are passionate about timber and are chomping at the bit to work with us to promote the many benefits of timber framing over other building materials.
“Timber has no equal when it comes to its environmental credentials. While other building materials add to carbon emissions, the timber framing industry is working with a natural sustainable product that stores carbon. Wood also has the lowest embodied energy of all common building materials.”
With a typical Australian home absorbing more than 7 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and storing almost 3 tonnes of carbon, it really makes timber framing the superior choice and the ultimate renewable. Right now, demand is outstripping supply but this will level out in time so, it’s important that builders, consumers, decision makers and influencers understand the many benefits of timber framing through the efforts of the new Timber Framing Collective.
We’re asking builders and consumers to continue being patient as supply catches up with unprecedented demand, in the knowledge that they are making a fantastic environmental decision to build with timber framing. A series of campaigns will be released to market over the coming months.
Read more about the Timber Framing Collective at Timber Framing Collective
01/10/2021
Filter tag: Market UpdateAustralia faces a major sovereign capability gap in the production of timber house frames by 2035 – further signaling how crucial it is for the federal and state governments to deliver policies to urgently drive new production tree plantings.
A landmark new report by Master Builders Australia (MBA) and the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) shows Australia is headed towards a major cliff in timber framing production, concluding we will be 250,000 house frames short by 2035 – the equivalent of the cities of Newcastle and Geelong combined.
CEO of Master Builders Australia, Denita Wawn said supply of quality Australian timber for new homes and buildings was critical for the national construction sector. “This analysis is a wake-up call for decision makers to act now to avoid a construction industry crisis in the next decade. It’s in Australia’s national interest to secure our local timber supply by ensuring our timber plantation stock can meet future housing demand,” Denita Wawn said.
“The housing construction industry is the engine room of the Australian economy and it needs a consistent, reliable domestic timber supply. As the timber shortages of the past 18 months have shown, we cannot rely on imports to fill the gap when we have increased construction activity – we need to act now.”
The state-by-state analysis reveals just how many house frames short of demand Australia will be by 2035. Victoria will be a city the size of Geelong short, NSW will be Wagga Wagga and Tamworth short, Queensland will be a city the size of Cairns short, South Australia a Mount Gambier short, WA a Bunbury short, Tasmania a city the size of Kingston short, the NT a town the size of Tennant Creek short and the ACT a suburb the size of Kambah.
CEO of AFPA Ross Hampton said, “This report shows that state and federal governments need to seriously tackle the policies which will drive forward new plantings of the right types of trees at the right scale and in the right places.
“Australian governments need to work together on a national plan that delivers an immediate increase in our plantation estate to ensure Australia can meet its future housing construction needs. Future generations of Aussie homeowners are counting on it.”
Source: AFPA
09/07/2021
Filter tag: General NewsLewis Rolls the current Bretts Trade General Manager has been apponted to the postion of Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Bretts Pty Ltd. As of the 5th July 2021 Lewis commenced overseeing the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of Bretts. What that means in a practical sense, is that Lewis will take responsibility for the Manufacturing businesses, in addition to Trade Supply and our Commercial Architectural Hardware business. Bretts administration and Trade Plumbing Supplies will remain within the bounds of existing leadership.
Lewis’ brief is to help build synergies between Bretts Manufacturing and the traditional Trade store network, to ultimately result in an improved customer experience. Having one hand across three of Bretts major businesses will help the company move forward and continue to grow into a stronger overall business.
Bill Nutting
Executive Chairman
Bretts Pty Ltd.
01/07/2021
Filter tag: General NewsB & L James Constructions Pty Ltd was the winner of the Hit the Road with Hardies promotion. Jodie Hughes, Bretts internal sales co-odinator handed over the keys to a very happy Brenton James with Oliver Fenelon from James Hardie in attendence.
01/06/2021
Filter tag: Market updateHomebuilder Grant The extension will result in continuing demand.
Low Interest Rates Forecast to remain low until 2023.
Timber ImportsThe market has been impacted by lower import volumes.
Local vs Global Pricing Australian timber is undervalued against global benchmarks. Local import pricing is reflecting the global pricing.
Worldwide Consumption Global consumption of wood will increase by 33,000,000m³ over 2021-2022.
China/Greater Asia Will continue to grow significantly over the coming 5 years.
European Demand Demand for structural framing across Europe is high due to strong building demand leading to a tightening European export volume.
North American Consumption Northern US consumption of timber will rise by an additional 14,000,000m³ by the end of 2022.
Global Pricing Lumber prices in North America are up more than 500% since 2020.
Hyne are re-investing strategically in infrastructure to ensure they strengthen their position as a long-term supplier to the Australian building industry.
26/05/2021
Filter tag: Market update
With so much uncertainty around lead times, product availability and price increases, I thought it wise to give you an update on how Bretts sees the current market and more importantly, what the next twelve months looks like. Put simply, it very much seems like more of the same for the foreseeable future in terms of price increases and sporadic unreliable supply.
So by all means please make sure you have rise and fall provisions in your contracts.
Today alone, I have received advice of increases in September of 30% & 40% respectively for imported timber I Beams and framing. Obviously no one can afford to absorb such increases, so the additional cost has to be worn by the end user.
Please be aware that our quotes are only valid for 30 days and that all significant price increases have to be passed on.
Pine Framing – we’ve seen some slight easing in availability over the past couple of weeks, as local sawmills start to catch up and importers finally get their hands on some wood, albeit at significantly higher prices. We envisage stock levels remaining similar to the present situation until around October, when we normally see a reduction in imports, as a result of the traditional July (Summer) mill closures for maintenance. We expect another round of price increases in September/October in the order of 20-30%, so make sure you keep that in mind when quoting.
Floor Systems – if anything, supply is getting worse not better, as Australia’s only local manufacturer (Wesbeam) struggles to keep up with demand. Tilling & Dindas continue to struggle to get stock as a result of the increased demand in the US, exacerbated by the global shortage of shipping containers stifling shipping. Like framing, we expect another round of price increases in September/October in the order of 20-30%, so make sure you keep that in mind when quoting.
Timber Frame & Truss – for some time now, we have been listening to stories from competitors about closing their order books for 2021. Unfortunately, it looks very much like we are almost at that point ourselves, as we have been inundated with orders over the past 5 months. Our average monthly intake has increased by almost 50% over the normal average and whilst we would love to increase production to meet that demand, there simply isn’t enough framing available to do so. With current lead times pushing 20 weeks, you would also be wise to allow an additional 2-3 weeks in your scheduling, just in case we can’t get the timber in the right grade and length.
Steel Frame & Truss – not surprisingly, Bluescope have taken advantage of the bullish market conditions and inflicted a 30% increase in coil pricing which takes effect from the 1st July. Steel is not suffering the same issues with regard to supply, so we shouldn’t see sporadic supply issues, nor the quarterly price increases we’ve seen with timber. Having said that, we are still heavily constrained by Detailing bottle necks, as we struggle to hire new/train up existing staff to meet the demand surge. At this stage we are advising customers of 12 week lead times for supply & installation of steel Frames & Trusses.
Doors & Windows – remain relatively unaffected by the building boom, so price increases have been kept to a minimum, however lead times are now starting to balloon as order intake starts to catch up to the Frame & Truss order book. We are currently quoting 4-6 weeks for supply of traditional AWS product.
Building Materials & Hardware – hardware & building materials have been less impacted than timber, but we are still seeing intermittent supply issues, as excessive demand across the country puts pressure on supply chains. We expect to continue seeing single digit price increases every 6 months on most categories, so make sure you factor that in when quoting.
I wish I could be more specific about the timing and size of the price increases, as well as lead times on production. I can’t stress enough, how important it is to ensure that you have rise and fall provisions in your contracts and to add in a couple of weeks of “fat” in every job, to take account of the inevitable delays that you will face, as every link in the building industry supply chain get stretched to breaking point.
Bill Nutting
Executive Chairman
21/05/2021
Filter tag: Market update
With housing availability and affordability to be a key battleground in the forthcoming federal election, Mr Morrison said it was too early for the regulators to step in with macroprudential measures to discourage investors because demand was still being driven primarily by owner-occupiers.
Scott Morrison says policies to boost supply are needed to ease the housing crisis.
“I think it’s a little early at this point but I do know they do watch this constantly,” he told The Australian Financial Review. “And the [Reserve] Bank keeps keeps an eye on it but so does APRA.”
Mr Morrison was in Brisbane spruiking the government’s means-tested HomeBuilder policy, which provides $25,000 grants to help with the deposit on new homes, and up to $15,000 grants to substantially renovate an existing home. The program, announced during the pandemic, has had more than 120,000 applications.
At the same time, Labor leader Anthony Albanese was pushing his policy to establish a $10 billion investment fund, the proceeds from which would be used to build social and affordable housing. House and rental prices are soaring across Australia – driven, Mr Morrison said, solely by demand. “The prices are not running because of loose credit markets. This is not a debt-driven, you know, relaxed-lending driven, this is driven by supply and demand,” he said. “The best antidote for rising house prices is supply. That has always been the case.”
Policies such as HomeBuilder, the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme and a new measure in the budget to help single parents buy with as little as a 2 per cent deposit were all designed to try to boost supply. “The hardest part, particularly in the markets that are running hard, is the size of that deposit and what you’re chasing sort of runs away from you.” Mr Morrison said such schemes were a more efficient use of taxpayers’ money than Labor’s plan to cover the cost of the whole home. “They want to spend more to build less homes. Spending more to build less. We saw them do that before because they thought the government was the sole answer to this challenge,” he said.
But Mr Albanese said the government was ignoring people in need. “How is it that the federal government, in spite of $100 billion of new spending last week, $1 trillion of debt, haven’t found a single dollar for social housing in their last two budgets? Not a cent,” he said. “The fact is that each and every night, women and children get turned away from emergency accommodation. They have to make a choice of sleeping in their car, sleeping on the street or in a park, or going back to dangerous circumstances. It’s not good enough.” Labor believes a combination of ongoing low wages growth and high house prices is a lethal mix for the government.
“The Liberals ignored years of warnings about wage stagnation on the way into recession – and they’re ignoring the damage a cut in real wages will do to families and the economy on the way out. “This is about setting people back.”Source Author: Phillip Coorey - Financial Review
Source Published: 18-05-2021
Source: https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/supply-the-key-to-housing-crisis-pm-20210517-p57shi
13/05/2021
Filter tag: Product news
Every lintel installed in Australia must contain certain markings for clear identification post-install. All Galintel® steel lintels meet this requirement. For added peace of mind Galintels are made with high quality steel and backed by a 25 year warranty.
The steel lintels we sell are permanently marked and labelled with the Galintel brand, Australian Standard number and durability classification on the face for visibility after install as required by AS2699.3:2020.
Galintel steel lintels are hot-dip galvanised and tested ensuring the coating thickness exceeds 85 microns to meet the 'R3' durability classification of AS2699.3:2020.Here's what to look out for:
01/04/2021
Filter tag: Market updateSource: AFPA
“We are seeing record levels of demand for building timbers in Australia due to both Government stimulus measures and the fact that Australians have been saving money by not travelling,” Mr Hampton said. “Our sawmills around the nation have greatly increased production by adding shifts and are running flat out – some are producing up to 40 per cent more timber than they were this time last year. But even this isn’t enough to keep pace with a tidal wave of demand as Australians are choosing to focus on improving homes or building new ones. This has also been driven by the post-COVID move to much more home-based working environments.”
Mr Hampton said AFPA has asked the Federal Government to extend the HomeBuilder construction commencement timeframe for all applicants to ease demand and allow more time for stock to be produced and delivered to builders. This does not need to cost the budget any more money but can take the heat of the market.
Mr Hampton thanked the Government for working with industry to develop and improve the successful HomeBuilder program. “When the pandemic first hit most Australians stopped spending as they became very uncertain about their futures. Sawmills were facing plummeting demand forecasting a 50 per cent decline in production and rolling job losses in our regions. The Government's HomeBuilder package was a very welcome part of the solution and has worked very well”.
According to the latest national data from the Housing Industry Association, sales in the three months to February 2021 were higher by 60.5 per cent than in the same three months the previous year. The number of construction loans to owner occupiers in the three months to January 2021 is 45.8 per cent higher than the previous quarter and is more than double the same time the previous year.
Mr Hampton said the short-term timber shortage we are experiencing highlights the urgent need for state and federal governments to work with the forestry and timber sector to ensure Australia can meet its future timber needs.
04/03/2021
Filter tag: Modular NewsExciting times at our Chermside Trade Store on Saturday, with our two new Modular displays being delivered! Our Modular Home team are hoping to have the Display Centre ready by the end of March.
16/02/2021
Filter tag: Market UpdateWe don’t have enough capacity in Australia to meet the demand for structural pine, so we are forced to import a significant amount from both Europe & the US.
Just like here in Australia, the rest of the World has been busy offering stimulus packages to their building industries to try and revive their Covid affected economies.
As a result, housing starts in the US, have gone from 934,000 per annum to almost 1.7 million, which is driving prices up and sucking wood away from Australia.
This situation has made even worse by the 2019/20 bush fires which wiped out significant amounts of forest.
So simple supply & demand theory is driving the price of structural pine up significantly.
Over 75,000 Homebuilder applications have also artificially inflated demand and created a shortage of trades across the board.
Consequently, the hourly rates demanded by carpenters, plumbers, brickies, etc. are also going through the roof.
All of these conditions have created a perfect storm to force build cost up and the reason contracts need to be revised.
The shortage in structural pine means that materials don’t get to site when they should and on critical stages, this can bring your job to a complete stop.
The supply shortages are especially acute in Engineered Wood Products (EWP) which are used in floor systems in high set construction.
So we can stand a lower frame no problem, but if we don’t have a floor system available, then the upper floors cannot be installed and the job grinds to a halt.
The following advice from one of the largest EWP suppliers suggests at least 4 week delays are going to be the norm for the time being.
“Due to International shipping restraints and the increased demand for Construction Timber Nationally, Dindas Queensland are no longer accepting any further orders requiring 45mm LVL & most common I-Joist sections for February 2021. We will resume normal supply for early March 2021 and should see regular supply for EWP after this period. We appreciate your patience during these difficult times and will endeavour to return to our market leading service offer as soon as possible, thanks”
So in these very strange times, we ask you to be patient and understanding in getting through this predicament. The entire building industry is in the same position, so we all need to work together to find the least painful compromise.
16/02/2021
Filter tag: Bretts EventsMajor prize of a Suzuki Vitara will be drawn at our Trade Brekkie on Friday the 31st May 2021.
Register your details below and accept the terms & conditions.
Purchase your James Hardie products from Bretts Timber and Hardware between 1st February – 31 May 2021.
For every $500 you spend on James Hardie products, receive one entry into the promotion.
15/02/2021
Filter tag: Market UpdateThis is an excerpt from the latest Tilling notification to the market regarding supply and price volatility
"As we take the new year’s market conditions in our stride, we appreciate the patience and flexibility shown by our customers with imported timber arriving more slowly than normal. As the largest importer of engineered wood products in Australia, Tilling remains strongly committed to bringing you products and services to the highest possible standards. We expect the next few months to be “bumpy”, with lower than ideal inventories and higher demand for Engineered wood products impacting our DIFOT standards at times."Read the full communication published by Tilling.
11/02/2021
Filter tag: Market UpdateTo all our Valued Customers,
I’m writing to you again today, to try and help make your lives easier, with respect to dealing with the chaotic short supply and exorbitant price increases we are seeing. We have no choice but to pass the price increases on to you and obviously you need to do the same to your customers, in order to maintain your profit margins. Similarly, if we (or any of your other suppliers) can’t get supply of materials, then your jobs will grind to a halt, or at the very least, become disrupted and inefficient.
Both scenarios are adding significant layers of cost to all our businesses and frankly, the end users need to absorb those costs, or we all risk losing money. Fortunaetly interest rates are at record lows, so hopefully consumers can just increase their borrowing in order to fund the increases. The purpose of this email, is to provide you with the means to help explain the situation to your customers.
With that in mind, please download our Fact Sheet which we hope will help your customers understand why the market is behaving in the way it is and most importantly, accept the likelihood of price increases and supply delays.
Regards,
04/01/2020
Filter tag: ProductOnce again the folks at AnchorMark have come up with the goods and developed a new decking and cladding screw designed to be easier and quicker to install, with a new "Barefoot Proof" finish. Manufactured in Germany these new screws are made to stringent standards using new technology. They provide a stylish finish and extremely fast performance in hardwood decking and cladding with timber or steel substructures.
These screws are available at any Bretts trade store or to order online.
02/02/2021
Filter tag: Market UpdateFurther to our advice on floor system delays, you need to brace for continued shortages in pine framing and some hefty price increases. Follow the link below to read an excerpt from the email we received today from Vida who are one of the largest importers of structural pine in Australia.
Unfortunately, we will be forced to pass the 15% increase on, so you need to start factoring that into any jobs you have planned from April onwards.
Again, apologies for being the bearer of such grim news, but better you know the facts sooner rather than later. Thanks in advance for your support and understanding in these very strange times.
Bill Nutting
Executive Chairman
12/12/2020
Filter tag: General NewsAs we near the end of the year, I’d like to take the time to sincerely thank you and your staff for your support over the last 12 months - what an unbelievable year!
Over the past 12 months the world has experienced unprecedented demand, unthinkable supply constraints and untold grief. What we have seen emerge from this global chaos has been a willingness to improvise, work together and create solutions that we are extremely grateful for.
Just in case anyone wants to work through the Christmas break, we will keep Chermside open throughout on “Holiday Hours”, only closing for the statutory holidays. Holiday Hours are 7.30am to 4.00pm from the 29th December until the 8th January and we will be back to normal from Monday the 11th January. Please check our website https://bretts.com.au/locations/ for other closing times.
On that note, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and look forward to catching up and doing it all again next year.
Bill Nutting
Executive Chairman
12/12/2020
Filter tag: ProductThese very informative documents are intended to be used not just as a guide, but as a documented WMS for building supervisors and building companies. The Statements encompass all the Mapei products Bretts Trade stores sell and are available for download now, or bookmark the Mapei solutions link, this will ensure you always have the most up to date versions.
15/10/2020
Filter tag: Market UpdateAt Bretts, we like to try and keep all of our customers up to speed with any significant market trends, so we thought it prudent to warn you about timber framing shortages which are only going to get worse before they get better.
We have found ourselves in a perfect storm as a result of last year’s bushfires wiping out a significant amount of resource. On top of that, there has been a worldwide renovation boom as a result of the Covid lock downs, where people have started spending on home improvements. The price of lumber in the US has almost tripled and whilst we don’t import a lot of wood from America, it has jacked the world price up. The result is that there is now around 20% less framing available in Australia and we are already seeing the impact on our stocks right now.
So what can you expect?
As truss and frame manufacturers we have two choices, i.e. substitute higher grade wood to ensure our frames meet code, or delay manufacture until we can get stock of the correct grade and size framing. Where possible, we will substitute and absorb the price increase ourselves, but where this becomes significant, we will be forced to pass this increase on to the customer, or else ask you to be patient and wait for the wood to arrive.
Moving forward, you can also expect more price increases on timber framing, as a result of the shortage. All suppliers are having a price rise in November and there is talk of another in February 2021, so please keep this in mind when you are quoting and talking to your customers.
Sorry for the bad news, but better to be forewarned and forearmed to deal with the consequences. As soon as we know more, we’ll be in touch to keep you informed.
Bill Nutting
Executive Chairman
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