Rising lumber prices build another $20,000 into the cost of new houses in Syracuse area Updated 6:00 AM; Today 6:00 AM Patrick Abbott, a foreman with P.E. Dwyer Construction Co., measures wood to be cut for an exterior wall on a house under construction for Heritage Homes in the Highland Meadows neighborhood in Lysander. Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com Facebook Share Syracuse, N.Y. — Rising lumber prices have pushed up the cost of a single-family home by more than $20,000 in Central New York since the coronavirus pandemic began. Ronald Milback, managing partner of Milback Customer Homes, said the exact same 1,703-square-foot house he built a year ago for $261,900 would cost $301,900 now — a $40,000 increase — because of the increased cost of lumber.