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Homebuyers, renovators battle ‘unprecedented’ lumber costs Lumber, pictured here in the yard of Dillman & Upton in Rochester, has seen costs skyrocket across the country over the past year. Photo by Deb Jacques Now, the latest product to become scarce amid COVID-19 is lumber. Lumber costs are at an all-time high, spiking over 180% since last April, according to Random Lengths which provides reports of market activity, prices and other analyses for the wood products industry. But what’s causing the surge? At the start of the pandemic, state-mandated lockdowns closed sawmills across the nation, drastically reducing lumber on the market. At the same time, homeowners sheltering in place began allocating money that would have otherwise been spent on traveling, entertainment or dining out to home renovations and do-it-yourself projects. ....