C5101 - Lumber yards and builders supplies, kitchen cabinet sales only, wholesale metal

Operational Details
Lumber yards order dimensional lumber from lumber wholesalers, manufacturers or mill owners. The materials are inventoried in a compound, with a majority of the structural lumber being stored outside. Exotic woods, paneling, spindles, shelving etc. are stored inside a warehouse type facility or in the retail part of the store. Some building supplies may also be stocked such as: wallboard or drywall, glue, nails, screws, gates, fence posts, landscaping ties etc.

Building supply stores also operate lumber yards, and have largely replaced the traditional lumber yard that only sold dimensional lumber. The store front is typical of what one would expect to find when entering a hardware store, with the exception that volumes of stock are much greater, and the products are more diversified. Patio blocks, pavers, landscaping rock, gravel, shale, and sand are some of the products sold in large quantities to home builders and to home improvement customers. Patio furniture, wrought or ornamental iron products, electrical and plumbing supplies are also sold.

What sets the lumber yard and building supply store apart from a hardware store is that the range of risk to the workers is much greater. In a hardware store, an employee receives and ships stock, stocks the shelves, assists the customer and acts as the cashier. Seldom is one employee only assigned one task. Whereas in a lumber yard and building supply store employees often work in only one area. The shipper and receiver in the warehouse is employed full-time in this capacity.

In the store front location, full time cashiers are often hired, and a stock clerk may spend the time exclusively stocking shelves and assisting the customer. An order desk also allows for an individual to spend their time taking orders over the phone, and personally with walk in customers. Store clerks, as a customer service, may also assemble barbeques, lawnmowers, lawn carts, caddies etc.

In recognition of the hardware sales in the store front, employers in this industry are allowed an additional classification in C32-14, Hardware Sales by Building Suppliers.

Yard workers load and off-load lumber and assist customers loading their vehicle. A forklift may be used when large quantities are being off-loaded. Delivery is also part of this industry and in larger operations, one employee might be assigned to driving and delivering full time. Sawing lumber to length and making custom cuts are also part of the duties. Yard workers also saw lumber into garage and house packages, whereby structural members are sawn to pre-determined lengths and numbering the pieces. The customer assembles the products on site by using plans prepared and following the numbers basically in assembling the package.

On an incidental basis, yard workers may also add value to lumber products by building custom gates, trellises, bird feeders, feed bins, basic patio furniture, garden sheds, etc. However, when involved in construction of products on an ongoing basis, the activity would be deserving of an additional industry. Examples of going beyond retail is when workers are involved on an ongoing basis in the building of garden and storage sheds, garages, granaries, or roof trusses etc.

The sale of kitchen cabinets are also part of this industry and includes the ordering and receiving of stock from manufacturers in, or out, of province. Customers are able to view displays and catalogues showing the styles and colours available at the kitchen cabinet store. Once received, small alterations may be made by fixing a broken door, or sanding a scratched surface. Occasionally a valance may be too short and an extension may be fabricated at the store. While there may be a table saw on the premises it is used infrequently. Some kitchen cabinet hardware and cupboard slides are also sold as supportive to the overall operations.

SIC Codes
000000258 - Lumber yard/builders supplies
000000910 - Wholesale metal
000000259 - Kitchen cabinet sales