Blog · Company News & Lumber Market
March 2021: Lumber Prices Surge as Single-Family Housing Starts Drop
Census.Learn More: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/18/lumber-prices-top-1000-as-single-family-housing-starts-drop-12percent.html
By David Brannan · Published March 18, 2021 · Updated August 2, 2026 · 3 min read
- 500+ Google Reviews
- Featured on TV Multiple Times
- 25 Years in Business
- That’s double the price from just three months ago.
- Starts of single-family homes, which are the most desperately needed, fell 12% compared with December, according to the U.S. Census.
Learn More: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/18/lumber-prices-top-1000-as-single-family-housing-starts-drop-12percent.html
What Lumber Market Swings Mean for Homeowners
Housing starts and lumber pricing tend to move together, and both have seen real volatility over the past several years. For homeowners, the practical effect shows up in two places: how long a special-order species takes to arrive, and how the overall construction and remodeling market's demand affects contractor scheduling.
None of that changes how we price a job, though. We have never published flat square-footage rates, because the real cost drivers — square footage, existing floor condition, stairs, species, and finish — have to be assessed in person to give you an accurate, written estimate.
If a slower housing market means more scheduling flexibility on our end, that is good news for a homeowner planning a refinish. Ask about current availability when you request your free estimate.
Ready to Get a Real Number for Your Project?
Every quote comes from an on-site visit, not a market snapshot. Request your free estimate today.
Refinishing vs. Replacing in Any Market
In almost every case where the existing hardwood is structurally sound, refinishing is cheaper than full replacement, since it keeps the wood already in place and avoids demolition and new material costs entirely — a fact that holds true whether lumber prices are up or down. The water-drop test (a few drops on a worn area, wait ten minutes) is a quick way to gauge whether your floor needs a full sand or just a screen-and-recoat.
Whichever way the housing and lumber markets are moving, financing up to $55,000 with interest-free options starting from $30 a month, subject to approval, is available for every project we quote, so a favorable or unfavorable market does not have to be the deciding factor in your timeline.
What Doesn't Change: Craftsmanship
Lumber markets rise and fall, but the fundamentals of a good refinishing job do not: proper sanding technique with a planetary sander that flattens a floor instead of digging into it, the right finish for how a family actually lives in the space, and a crew experienced enough to get it right the first time. That is the same standard we have held to for 25 years and more than 50,000 completed jobs, through every kind of material market.
Financing up to $55,000, with interest-free options starting from $30 a month, subject to approval, is available whenever you are ready to move forward, regardless of what housing starts or lumber futures are doing.
500+ Reviews, 25 Years, One On-Site Process
Lumber markets are outside anyone's control, but our process is not. Every project starts with a free, on-site visit where we assess your floor's actual condition, bring physical stain and finish samples, and write up an itemized estimate before any work begins. That process is the same one that has earned The Hardwood Guys more than 500 five-star Google reviews and multiple TV features since we started in 2001.
More than 50,000 completed jobs later, the crew that shows up for your estimate has seen just about every combination of species, finish, and floor condition North Metro Atlanta has to offer, market swings included.
Call 470-826-3581 or request your free estimate below, and we will give you a straight, written answer on what your project actually needs, market conditions aside.
If anything, a slower construction market tends to mean more scheduling flexibility for homeowners looking to book a refinishing project, since contractor calendars loosen up along with new-construction demand.
Whatever the broader housing market is doing, an on-site estimate is still the only way to get a number that actually reflects your floor, your species, and your finish choice.
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A member of The Hardwood Guys team will call or text you during business hours (Mon–Fri, 7AM–5PM) to schedule your free on-site estimate.