The Core

The supply has cut the wholesale cost by 50% although still higher than normal prices. Read that the lower prices won't be reflected at retail until the fall as the stores need to clear the expensive product they already purchased.

>alternative

I was wondering the same.  Housing construction once tried to switch to steel studs but that didn't last long.  In reality, framing timbers probably aren't the largest lumber cost now. I expect sheet goods (plywood, osb, underlayment) are more than half.