TYLER, Texas — When 50-foot trees fall, your roof catches the consequences.
After last Tuesday's storms, dozens of homeowners now face the task of fixing up their houses. However, supply chain disruptions will impact the overall cost and repair time.
Jacob Law, Chief Management Officer and co-owner of Stonewater Roofing said it'll be a "significant cost on a lot of fronts." He said it's because it's not just roof damage, but also windows, brick repairs, landscaping, etc.
Southern Carlson, a nationwide distributor of construction needs said it starts with the shipping fees U.S. distributors have to pay for the freight which creates a trickle down effect, impacting the price for companies that purchase raw materials and tools from distributors and customers.
Christian Fontana, Southern Carlson Executive Vice President said, distributors are seeing inflation of 30 to 50 percent.
He said most of the materials needed to repair roof damage are materials that are not manufactured in the U.S., making the wait time longer.
With supply chain shortages, an overseas shipment used to be 60 to 90 days, but now, Fontana said "we're seeing six months to 12 months."
With the booming housing market, this shortage of raw materials, and tools is disproportionately affecting states like Texas and Florida.
When natural disasters strike, most supply companies do not have "6 or 12 months supply laying around to accommodate for the higher demand," Fontana said.
He recommends homeowners work with local, reputable contractors who have their best interest in mind.