Worldwide timber shortage will send garden shed prices soaring, Worksop manufacturer warns

Warm winters, an increase in home renovations and the impact of COVID-19 have seen prices soar in recent months.

Now experts at Worksop shed manufacturer Kybotech are warning prices will rocket as summer approaches and customers could be left waiting months for their outdoor building.

The firm has pledged to lock prices on their sheds and garden buildings for now, but warn an industry-wide hike will eventually have an impact.

Kybotech founder, Charles Walton, said: “We’re now in the second year of timber shortages and the impact is beginning to be felt.

"We’ve had two consecutive warm winters which has meant considerably less timber being felled and resulting in a massive global shortage. Other factors have come into play too which have compounded the problem.

“Combined they have the potential to push up timber prices by as much as 50% and at some point a proportion of that cost will be passed on to the consumer.

“It won’t just be businesses like ours which will feel the impact of the shortage. Construction companies and small builders will struggle to get the softwood they need to peg out buildings. It will be felt across many sectors.”

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The company say a combination of warmer winters, increased demand from China, inflation rates, a rise in home renovations and the impact of the COVID19 pandemic across the world have all played a part in the price hike.

And they believe smaller suppliers will be unfairly hit as they do not have the buying power of the bigger garden building manufacturers.

Warm winters in Scandinavian countries, like Sweden, have led to less trees being felled with muddy terrain being impossible for heavy vehicles to navigate.

Home renovations and DIY projects have gone up over the last year with locked down Britons stuck at home and there has been a huge increase in demand from China.

Kybotech, owner of BillyOh.com, has seen sales of Log Cabins increase by 142 per cent over the last 12 months with an increased demand for outdoor living, working and storage space.

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