More Builders are Saving Time and Money with Pre-Finished Millwork

Home builders across the country continue to face industry-specific challenges that are impacting their bottom line, particularly access to skilled labor and financing costs. These challenges are driving builders to find new ways to save both time and money in an effort to protect their margins and build more homes.

Many builders will first turn to the bigger-ticket items when looking for savings, such as flooring, cabinets, countertops and appliances. But every penny counts, and that is why the leading builders are increasingly finding both time and dollar savings in the often-overlooked category of millwork. With 85% of builders reporting a shortage of finishing carpenters and 74% reporting a shortage of painters, finding ways to reduce painter hours and the need for skilled carpenters makes perfect sense.

Like the move builders made years ago to pre-finished flooring and cabinetry, forward-thinking builders are applying the same approach to millwork. With pre-finished millwork, installation can happen later in the build process, eliminating steps that save builders time and reduce labor costs. Installing the millwork after walls have been painted and floors have been installed also reduces jobsite damage to the millwork, delivering a more consistent, quality finish and fewer callbacks.

Metrie Complete helps you save time, money, and blue tape.

When considering the switch to pre-finished millwork it’s important to note that not all products are created equal. Metrie Complete, which is domestically manufactured by North America’s largest manufacturer and supplier of solid wood and composite mouldings, has been proven by the Home Innovation Research Labs to help builders cut painter hours in half and close homes almost two days faster.

Most builders have found that the savings don’t stop there. Using Metrie Complete has also helped them reduce the amount of paint used per home, while cutting days from their cycle time reduces financing costs.

Reduce painter hours by 50% and cycle time by almost two days with Metrie Complete.

What makes Metrie Complete different from other pre-finished millwork is the proprietary non-metal marking topcoat and patented suite of color-matched touch-up solutions. The non-metal marking topcoat protects the product from damage during the shipping process and on the jobsite, while the color-matched touch-up products make the finishing process easier.

“The high quality of the topcoat finish outperforms the typical painted product and Metrie’s attention to quality control means we get consistency in the product,” says Rick Hunt, western regional director of sales with USLBM. “Essentially, 90% of our production builder business is now in Metrie Complete."

As builders continue to face market pressures that impact their profit margins, those who want to stay a step ahead are embracing new products that are proven to save time and money.

If you would like to learn more about how you could save time and money with pre-finished millwork, click here to connect with a sales representative.