We’re building (bad timing, I know.) So far we (and our builders) have run into problems getting lumber, concrete, roof shingles, appliances, tile, light fixtures, and most of all skilled labor. Demand is high and supplies are low, so prices are outrageous.
We decided to replace our roof - it is about time. Let me say we have a small fortune of plywood sitting in our garage waiting for the metal and the crew to become available. The roofer asked if we could store the precious plywood until then (they were so happy to score this load and were not sure if they could get it later in the summer 
). As a collateral benefit, Mr. cleared all junk from the garage in anticipation of the plywood arrival! 
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Piano moving! We have to move our grand piano from one room to another because we’re having hardwood flooring installed. When the installation date was finalized, I started making phone calls to find a mover. I finally found a guy, but he had only one available appointment, 11 days before I really wanted it. At least I have a keyboard I can play while the piano is out of action (it will be shrink wrapped to protect it from the dust).
Pool maintenance and chemicals are tough to get here. We open the pool ourselves but friends who normally hire someone to do the job can’t find anyone. They’re all booked for the season already. And at least one of the chemicals (I think chlorine) seems to be in short supply. One friend looking for a new filter said a company told them they’re in short supply due to unusual freezing weather in Texas that caused damage to their pools because they don’t winterize them there.
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Definitely medical/mental health appts. They are so booked right now. My daughter has a referral to a spinal surgeon and she’ll be very lucky to be seen by one before she goes to England in late September. My younger daughter has a referral to nueropsych and the first appt we found was for next June- and by then she’ll be aged out of that doctor so for now we need to wait until her bday and try to get a new referral. It’s all crazy imo.
We ordered a wine fridge in January. Last email says it won’t come in until August or September.
FURNITURE! We ordered a sofa on December 3, 2020 and a coffee table the first week of January. Sofa is allegedly going to ship in 3 weeks (they say it’s ready but cannot procure a truck to ship it to Texas for 3 weeks). Coffee table says September at best. Media cabinet ordered in January won’t even give us a shipping date.
We can’t get any skilled trades in our area: electricians, plumbers, surveyors, GCs, etc. Many are booking 3-4 months out; GCs are booking at least 6-8 months out. There is a massive influx from the northeast and a large deficit of available houses. There aren’t enough houses or lots for sale or rent; the ones that go up usually need a lot of work. On an interesting, positive note, I’ve seen an increase in women-owned and staffed roofing, electricial, etc. companies. Kind of cool to see.
Going to count my blessings. In the fall H’s recliner broke and he MUST have a recliner. I hate them and am super picky about styling of one in our home. Somehow the only model I liked happened to have one sitting in a warehouse in the color I liked 2 hours away.
S and DIL’s refrigerator died unexpectedly a few weeks ago and they have a hard to fit spot. Somehow, they found one locally that they liked and would work - delivery the next day.
I did order a leather chair from Article and had to wait about 10 weeks for that. Not bad. The coffee table I wanted from a couple of popular websites (Wayfair, All Modern) I happened to find on Amazon! - literally the same size, weight, everything - better price and I had it in 2 days!
We have a bunch of wood/lumber in our garage from a previously planned project that now is not going to happen - I keep telling H to sell it on FB Marketplace - it will be snatched up, we’ll get our $ back and the garage will be cleared out!
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I should qualify that our sofa, media console, and coffee table were all ordered as custom pieces. But even “stocked” items are taking a long time in retail stores. I ordered some barstools from Arhaus that were noted to be in stock, yet delivery was still scheduled 10 weeks out.
Add coffee makers to the list of things that are backordered.
I also am waiting 3 months to see my eye doctor. Usually I can get in within weeks.
There’s a huge shortage of chlorine that’ll probably last a year or more due to one of the major factories burning down. Prices are rising rapidly, so I’d recommend buying a year’s supply ASAP (or consider converting to salt generation).
Our pool service gave the option of either paying a higher weekly rate, buying a bucket of chlorine from them at their wholesale price, or supplying our own chlorine. We bought a 50 pound bucket from them for $200 which hopefully will last a while.
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Same…
Our AZ pool maintenance went up 20%.
Sheesh! Why the shortage on furniture? I can understand pent up demand for MD visits, low inventory on building supplies because of higher remodeling demand while everyone’s staying home, missing computer chips for cars, appliances, and just about everything now, but furniture?
I have been very fortunate. Since the 3rd week of December, I have seen PCP 3 times, a gyn, a cardiologist and have had a mammogram and a colonoscopy, which found stage 1 Colon cancer. Have also had an eye appt and a dentist appt. From what I read from all of you, I am grateful.
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Furniture is mostly made abroad. Shipping disruptions wrecked the supply chain (that stuck container ship did not help either).
So glad they caught your colon cancer.
I also have not had any trouble with any medical appointments or issues.
Even got into the dermatologist, which caught my stage 0 melanoma.
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I’ve been mulling making a dr appt to get my thyroid checked because either that is having issues (no big deal) or it’s potentially another radiation induced issue I was warned could happen. I ended up deciding to wait until after our anniversary trip in August (less than two months) because I don’t want to know or deal with anything before then.
Now I’m wondering if I should set up an appt for August now instead of assuming I can get in when I get back…
I am the person in the marriage that is always trying to put off larger expenses until we really need to do it. I feel good that there are some built in excuses these days.
Really though I have grown to hate buying material items over the last 10 years or so. I just don’t want a bunch of stuff. I guess that is how parents and grandparents homes become so dated.
We learned after getting our annual labs done that our PCP has been swamped. He’s also taking a week off for vacation this month, so scheduling was even harder. I tried to switch to either an e-visit or a tele-visit, both of which are listed on his hospital-affiliated group’s website, but he refuses to do either one.
We were not happy with the dr. pulling his mask down below his chin when we last saw him. Then his staff wore theirs below the nose or on the chin when we went for labs, despite a sign by the group’s owner that patients must wear masks properly, which is why I requested a tele-visit.
It’s time to find a new PCP who will accept H’s BCBS/Medicare insurance. We have about two months before all of our Rx meds run out, so fingers crossed that I find someone who can see us fairly soon.
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