Redwood attracts @mmercial contractor dollars

I IGHT commerical construction is b a steadily growing segment of the building market. Redwood siding is one of the most popular materials for this type of construction because of its appearance, performance and competitive price. Redwood lumber dealers can increase their business to commercial builders by stocking a range of popular redwood sidings, including: clear all heart, clear and B grade. Knotfy redwood rustic sidings are also popular and economical for commercial buildings.

Aside from having the right materials available, there are several other ways to attract commercial builders. The key is to think like a builder.

There is no question that builders are after a good price and estimates that they can use for their bids. Dollars they save can mean the difference between loss or profit and winning or losing a bid for a job.

Redwood is competitively priced with other materials used in commercial construction such as brick and other forms of masonry. In addition, installation of redwood siding is often more economical, as it can be done by most carpenters.

Beyond price. there are many services

Story at a Glance

Get your share of light construction sales by stocking redwood siding scout construction projects, use special salesmen, help with estimating and bidding, have a special contractor sales counteG offer credit terms, itemized billings .

a lumber yard can provide that will make a builder's life easier. When it comes down to it, a helpful and consistent supplier can be more valuable to a builder than the best deal in town.

Some lumber yards have special salesmen for professional builders. One yard we contacted has an outside salesman who looks for new customers by checking the building permits and scouting new construction projects. Professionals like to deal with professionals, so the better informed your sales force is, the happpier it will make the commercial builders.

A good salesperson can help a builder remember all the items needed for a particular job. During the bidding and estimating process, this helps the builder to avoid unbillable expense. When it comes to building time, delays and extra trips by the builder or lumber yard delivery trucks will be prevented.

Many yards have a special sales counter for builders. This is a psychological ploy as well as a practical feature. It helps to illustrate that builders are considered preferred customers. It also makes a clear delineation between builders and other customers where different prices are concerned.

Delivery is important to builders. Naturally, builders appreciate a short time span between the order and the delivery. They also expect to get things in good condition. Redwood is bought for its appearance, so builders expect to receive their lumber in good shape.

Builders expect credit-20 to 30 days is not uncommon. Working out the terms of credit is a policy that each lumber dealer has to consider carefully.

Commercial builders have to be good bookkeepers and like everyone else, they probably hate doing it. Itemized bills are important for builders in their own planning and billing. If a builder is working on several different projects at one time, it will help if the jobs can be billed separately. Fortunately ers, new computerized billing systems make it easier to provide bills in a helpful format.

As more and more businesses move to suburban areas, the potential for redwood sales for commercial buildings will continue to grow. Dealers need to consider all the ways to expand their sales to this growing market. The first step can be to stock the popular grades of redwood sidins.

By L. Keith Lanning Executive Vice President & General Manager California Redwood Association

HERE HAVE never been more wood opportunities available to redmerchants than there are todaY. The variety of markets for redwood products is wide open.

Markets include new constructlon as well as remodeling, homes as well as light commercial buildings and architectural as well as garden applications. Redwood products themselves have more versatility than ever before with newer lines such as B grade, the knony rustic redwood sidings and air-seasoned garden grades.

Redwood merchants have one more important advantage in 1986-there are a greater number of high quality sales tools at their disposal than ever before. Last vear. the California Redwood Association developed many new materials to educate customers and employees.

As in any sales/merchandising chain. the last link between the salespenon and

California Redwood Association Materials

California Redwood Association provides a variety of educational and sales materials for redwood merchants. Descriptions and prices of the items mentioned in Keith Lanning's article are listed here. Redwood customers may receive a discount by ordering through their redwood supplier.

These materials are funded bY the member mills of the California Redwood Association: Georgia-Pacific Corp., The Pacific Lumber Co., Mil-