As I think about the words of the Italian diplomat Niccolò Machiavelli, “Never waste the opportunity offered by a good crisis,” I can’t help but think how that relates to us today. Eighteen months ago, we were all staring into the abyss of the COVID shutdown and none of us were certain how deep or wide the chasm would be. There was a short-term sigh of relief when many states and jurisdictions deemed construction an essential activity. However, we’re still dealing with the supply chain hangover from the shutdown of manufacturing plants, lumber mills, trucking and suppliers that are, themselves, essential to construction.
Along with delays in getting construction materials, we’ve seen dramatic gyrations in prices. And just as it seemed there was light at the end of the tunnel this spring, along came Delta.