Monday, December 1, 2025

December 2025


President's Message 

BANNJ President, Derek Weissman

Many thanks to Thomas and Aimee Petersen of BANNJ Premier Partner, SportProsUSA, for hosting our November general membership meeting and to Past President, Charles Baldanza RA, PE, PP of Baldanza Design Architectural, Planning and Engineering, for giving an informative educational presentation on updates to the new Building and Energy Codes. All attendees enjoyed the generous hospitality of SportProsUSA while learning about compliance with these changes and how to examine usability, costs and implications for a company’s bottom line. See photos from this and all events at https://www.bannj.org/image-gallery/.   

After the holidays, join us in the new year as we celebrate 82 years of BANNJ at our Annual Installation & Awards Dinner on Thursday, January 29th at 6:00pm at Biagio’s & The Terrace in Paramus, NJ.  Welcome and congratulate our new President, Alan Archuleta of Archuleta Builders, the officers and directors who will be installed by our special guest, Jim Tobin, CEO of the National Association of Home Builders.  Special Honoree John Cioletti of Reno’s Appliance will be presented with the Association Legacy Award so be sure to invite members of your team to attend as we will have special group pricing for dinner/cocktail tickets.  Place a company ad or congratulatory message in our beautiful Installation Ad Journal or be a Sponsor and take advantage of our inclusive packages.  

For more information and to reserve dinner tickets, sponsorships or place an ad see https://members.bannj.org/events. 

 


 


 Special Thank You to our Premier Partners!

 


 

 

Associates:

Heritage WBE Inc.
Amanda Krakowiak
22 Wyckoff Avenue
Waldwick, NJ 07463
201-970-4368
 amanda@heritagewbeinc.com





Anthony & Sylvan Pools
Michael Wright
350 US 9
Englishtown, NJ 07726
732-536-1010
 michael.wright@anthonyslvan.com

 


 


NJ Building Outlook 2026 

According to recent construction forecasts, 
New Jersey
 is projected to see strong building investment in 2026, with a focus on large infrastructure projects, utilities, healthcare, and state-backed initiatives. The New Jersey Alliance for Action (NJAA) reported a forecasted capital investment of $58.4 billion across 2026 and 2027. This bullish outlook is supported by recent federal investments and a general easing of interest rates, though cost pressures and labor shortages remain challenges. 
Residential and commercial construction
  • Residential: Single-family housing starts are expected to increase in 2026, while the multifamily sector will also remain strong. Easing mortgage rates may boost demand.
  • Commercial: Expect continued growth, particularly in data centers and industrial warehouses, driven by the demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and e-commerce.
  • Renovation: Home improvement spending is expected to grow steadily in 2026, as homeowners with low mortgage rates choose to improve their current properties.
  • Design trends: Trends favor natural materials, earthy colors, open-concept layouts with smarter functional divisions, and enhanced outdoor living spaces. 
Public and Infrastructure projects
  • Utilities: Nearly $17.7 billion is expected for water, sewer, gas, and electric capital projects over 2026 and 2027.
  • Transportation: Significant investments in bridges and highways include projects by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the Port Authority of NY & NJ. Mega-projects like the 
    Portal North Bridge
     and 
    Raritan River Bridge
     replacement are moving toward completion in 2026    .
  • Education and Healthcare: Major capital investments are planned for college maintenance, new school construction, and hospital renovations and expansions.
  • State-backed projects: Billions in state-backed projects through the NJ Economic Development Authority will support new construction.
  • Development projects: Landmark projects include the 
    Helix innovation campus
     and 
    One Journal Square
    .     
Key trends shaping the 2026 outlook
  • Cost and interest rates: While interest rates are easing and inflation is expected to decrease, the construction industry continues to face headwinds from elevated costs and shifting trade policies.
  • Labor market: The industry faces a persistent talent shortage, which is expected to intensify in 2026, potentially impacting project schedules and costs.
  • Technological integration: Industrial warehouse and residential construction will see an increased use of technology, including 3D modeling, advanced building materials, and smart home features.
  • Sustainability: Focus on sustainable design, energy efficiency, and low-maintenance building materials, especially in residential construction.
  •  New building codes: New Jersey is adopting new building codes in 20263 based on the 2024 I-Code package, affecting energy efficiency, structural resiliency, and design.

 Lumber Today
 

Lumber pricing for December 2025 is expected to see a seasonal lull with spot prices stabilizing or slightly dipping, a typical pattern for the winter months. However, overall costs remain elevated compared to pre-pandemic and even year-ago levels, influenced by ongoing supply constraints and higher-than-usual futures.  

Several factors suggest prices will remain high despite the seasonal dip: 
  • Seasonal Slowdown: Winter months typically mean reduced construction activity, which usually leads to lower spot prices as yards have higher availability. Sawmills often have holiday curtailments to balance supply and demand during this period.
  • Supply Constraints: Production cuts and permanent sawmill closures in North America have kept supply tight, preventing a major price collapse.
  • Strong Demand & Affordability Issues: Despite high mortgage rates and overall inflation, strong underlying housing demand means prices are unlikely to drop back to pre-pandemic levels.
  • Tariffs & Geopolitical Events: Ongoing trade disputes and potential for higher tariffs on Canadian lumber exports create market uncertainty and upward price pressure. 
Summary
For December 2025, buyers can expect prices to be in a temporary seasonal trough, making it a potentially good time to purchase for projects starting next year. However, prices will likely be higher than in December 2024, and the market consensus is that lumber has settled into a sustained higher price range compared to pre-2020 norms.

 

  

National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) CEO Jim Tobin joins Market Catalysts to take a closer look at the dynamics impacting the housing market and homebuilder confidence.
The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage edged higher for the third week in a row, though it remains close to its low point this year. The average long-term mortgage rate ticked up to 6.26% from 6.24% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.84%.

The National Association of Realtors' outlook shows sales jumping next year due to falling mortgage rates, especially in cities like Houston that have seen a construction boom.

 
 

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Thursday, January 29th 2026 - Annual Installation & Awards Dinner at Biagio’s & The Terrace. 6:00PM-8:30PM Special guest, Jim Tobin, CEO of the National Association of Home Builders will install our new President, Alan Archuleta of Archuleta Builders, Officers and Board of Directors. 

Join us to celebrate the incoming leaders of our building industry!

Thursday, February 5th 12:00PM Lunch & Learn -NAHB 2026 Economic Housing Forecast - Join us on Zoom on your lunch break.  Don’t miss this valuable information to help guide your budget and business plan in the new year.

Monday, May 11th 10:30AM -Annual Golf Outing & Scholarship Awards at Edgewood Country Club - Don’t miss this wonderful event and join us to play on this exclusive, private course.  Sponsorships are available to showcase your company to Northern NJ industry professionals.  Dinner/cocktail only tickets are also available to join us for networking.  More information will be available soon.


See information and register for all events at https://members.bannj.org/events

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