jason0012 Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 I last bought steel in early 2020. I am due for another big purchase. I know prices have gone up, my question is how much? I know what my order would have cost but am curious to hear from those of you who have kept up. Is it like 20 or 30% or a whole 100%+ more now? I know this isn’t a question with a precise answer, just trying to get an idea before they shock me with that invoice with way too many zeros on it… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 Good Morning, Ask your supplier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason0012 Posted December 11, 2021 Author Share Posted December 11, 2021 Usefull as always Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 Ask your supplier. Posting the same question in multiple posts won't get you better answers, you'll most likely get a note from the moderators for wasting bandwidth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 I've recently bought some bar stock and the price went up about 70%. The steel supplier told me some of his prices have gone up as much as 150% since late 2020. Price increases will vary according to the type of steel (mild); bar, rod, sheet, tubing, pipe, etc. One sheet purchase went up 350% as I recall. Look at this thread over on the welding web where some increases have been discussed: https://weldingweb.com/vbb/threads/712142-Recent-higher-steel-prices Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 You being snarky doesnt help, every one has different prices, Why not ask the guy selling what his price is, how are we supposed to know what HE charges? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 Steve, how could simply posting anecdotal information about steel prices (post above) be considered "snarky"? From Merriam-Webster Dictionary, def. of "snarky": "Definition of snarky 1: CROTCHETY, SNAPPISH 2: sarcastic, impertinent, or irreverent in tone or mannersnarky lyrics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 I believe Steve was replying to jason0012, or that's how I read it. We bought about $700 worth of 4x8 sheet, 1/2 in square tubing, 1/4 x 1 in bar and some other stuff, in early 2020 for a class Debi was going to take but the class was canceled due to covid. Happy now that we didn't return it then. I'm pretty sure it will come in handy some day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 It wasn't directed at you Arkie, you and Steve posted literally within minutes of each other. Take a breath Brother you aren't going to be targeted for being helpful. "Useful as always" from someone who can't be bothered to pick up the phone in response to the suggestion he do so. Is a definitive example of snarky. Frankly I was surprised to see how long he's been a member, surely he knows what kind of reaction to expect from his kind of question. I'm even more surprised his response didn't draw a stronger reaction. Maybe it did on the side. Frosty The Lucky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnytait Posted December 12, 2021 Share Posted December 12, 2021 Wow. Why is everyone so grumpy? jason0012 wasnt asking what his own steel suppliers prices are, if thats all he wanted to know he would have picked up the phone and asked them. Look at his previous posts and work. He's not daft. It looks to me like he was just trying to start a discussion on current steel prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted December 12, 2021 Share Posted December 12, 2021 Frosty, that would have been an appropriate time to use the "quote" function...to prevent confusion, wouldn't you agree?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted December 12, 2021 Share Posted December 12, 2021 Yep, or at least type the name of who you are responding to, if the response is not the next post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 12, 2021 Share Posted December 12, 2021 I might agree arkie IF you'd said anything that could've been taken as snarky to be confused about, when the OP had just made a snarky reply. In the same spirit. Instead of a snarky response, simply stating the purpose of the question would've avoided the misunderstanding, wouldn't YOU agree? That's all folks. Frosty The Lucky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted December 12, 2021 Share Posted December 12, 2021 I think we can agree to agree... :-) I think the emoji need a smiley face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 13, 2021 Share Posted December 13, 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted December 13, 2021 Share Posted December 13, 2021 Rascal, you! When I looked at the emoji panel, I didn't see a smiley. Guess my old peepers missed it..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockstar.esq Posted December 13, 2021 Share Posted December 13, 2021 According to the steel price index on the Trading Economics website, Steel rebar went down $97 per ton over the year. Pricing hit it's highest points in May and October. It was cheapest in February. Right now, it's below average. That tracks more or less with what I've seen for pricing fluctuations in steel electrical parts over the last year. That being said, none of this is directly meaningful to the going rate for low volume sales. I would hazard a guess that the higher going rate for just about everything is hugely dependent on the economic struggles of the past couple of years. Lost sales, higher wage demand, and mounting overhead combine to create a situation where a given business has little option but to raise their prices for what they have. Of course that doesn't mean that customers can, or will pay. So a whole lot of businesses will fail. Those that don't fail, will have less competition. As with any economic crisis, customers that can afford to wait, will sit on the sidelines. I saw well over 75% of my annual revenue get put on hold for six months or more. Clients are just now checking prices and planning to move forward in the Spring. Over half of them are seeking to "lock in" prices and orders to avoid escalation, delay, etc. Most of the postponements happened round about October because everyone was freaking out over material costs. Same thing happened when lockdowns started. Nobody would consider doing a remodel of their building during lockdowns, even though it was cheaper, and less disruptive to their tenants. Public school projects were the same way. They could have completed huge amounts of contracted work when everything was shut down, but chose not to. Everyone was so fixated on material prices that they overlooked how starving contractors were reducing labor costs on their bids. Now, we're heading into a 1st quarter labor shortage, so most of the material savings are bound to be consumed in labor increases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 13, 2021 Share Posted December 13, 2021 Raising prices for small labor intensive deals is one way to work with a lack of workers. Favor the heavy hitters and/or make the small jobs pay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted December 14, 2021 Share Posted December 14, 2021 I forget exact dates and prices but I ruffly remember I bought 20’ of 4” square tubing in the spring and it was like $158? then I bought another 4” 20’ square tube in Mid summer and it was like $280? but I don’t know what it’s at now, I bought both from wheeler metals in Muskogee Oklahoma, I’d have to dig out the invoices to get exact prices an dates, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason0012 Posted December 15, 2021 Author Share Posted December 15, 2021 Frosty is correct, I have been at this far too long to expect anything but his sort of response. Not sure why I bother here anymore. Oh, snd a thank you to those who actually responded. It sounds like more normal price fluctuation than apocalyptic price hikes that seem to be on the news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 Well, I think you answered your own question: apart from an occasional bump in the road, we do eventually get the information we need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fly Posted August 24, 2022 Share Posted August 24, 2022 I think it’s just frustration ! I have held off buying up stock for my small home shop. It would be much worst if i was running a business as I,m not. I have just cut back big time on buying anything. I need to badly redo my front porch, as lumber been the same. Oh well it is what it is. Fly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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