Hyperinflation of material, labor, and equipment costs is having widespread ramifications for the construction industry, including project funding issues, cancellation of contracts, and contractor defaults. Despite the flurry of current construction happening around the country due to infrastructure investments and the demand for new housing, it’s a challenging time, especially for smaller trade contractors. In 2021, the annual construction input inflation rate reached a shocking 19.6%. For the sake of perspective, the non-residential construction inflation rate was 4.4% in 2020 and 1.8% in 2019. The vast majority of contractors in today’s industry haven't had to navigate an inflationary environment that exceeded 5% for more than 30 years, which means many have never experienced hyperinflation and are struggling with how to handle it as well as the negative impact it can have on the bottom line.4