Shares

Common Stock

About this prospectus

As used in this prospectus, unless the context requires otherwise, “we,” “us,” “our,” or the “Company” refers to Builders FirstSource, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. All references to fiscal years of the Company in this prospectus refer to years commencing on January 1 of that year and ending on December 31. Unless otherwise indicated, the information in this prospectus assumes no exercise of the Underwriters’ over-allotment option.

Market data and other statistical information used throughout this prospectus are based on independent industry publications, government publications, reports by independent market research firms, or other published independent sources. Some data are based on our good faith estimates that are derived from our review of internal surveys and independent sources. Although we believe that all of the foregoing sources are reliable, we have not independently verified the information. Statements as to our market position relative to our competitors are generally based on management estimates as of the end of fiscal year 2004. We cannot assure you that more recent data would not produce different estimates of our market position.

Risk factors

An investment in shares of our common stock involves risks. You should consider carefully the following information about these risks, together with the other information contained in this prospectus, before deciding to buy shares of our common stock. If any of the following risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition, results of operations, and future growth prospects could be materially and adversely affected. In these circumstances, the market price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of the money you paid to buy shares of our common stock. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones we face.

RISKS RELATING TO OUR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY

The Industry in Which We Operate Is Dependent upon the Homebuilding Industry, the Economy, and Other Important Factors.

The building products supply industry is highly dependent on new home construction, which in turn is dependent upon a number of factors, including demographic trends, interest rates, tax policy, employment levels, consumer confidence, and the economy generally. Unfavorable changes in demographics or a weakening of the national economy or of any regional or local economy in which we operate could adversely affect consumer spending, result in decreased demand for homes, and adversely affect our business. Production of new homes may also decline because of shortages of qualified tradesmen, reliance on inadequately capitalized sub-contractors, and shortages of materials. In addition, the homebuilding industry is subject to various local, state, and federal statutes, ordinances, rules, and regulations concerning zoning, building design and safety, construction, and similar matters, including regulations that impose restrictive zoning and density requirements in order to limit the number of homes that can be built within the boundaries of a particular area. Increased regulatory restrictions could limit demand for new homes and could negatively affect our sales and earnings. Because we have substantial fixed costs, relatively modest declines in our customers’ production levels could have a significant adverse impact on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

The Building Supply Industry Is Cyclical and Seasonal.

The building products supply industry is subject to cyclical market pressures. Prices of building products are subject to fluctuations arising from changes in supply and demand, national and international economic conditions, labor costs, competition, market speculation, government regulation, and trade policies, as well as from periodic delays in the delivery of lumber and other products. For example, prices of wood products, including lumber and panel products, are subject to significant volatility and directly affect our sales and earnings. Our Lumber & Lumber Sheet Goods product category represented 39.6% of total sales in the year ended December 31, 2004. We have no ability to control the timing and amount of pricing changes for building products. In addition, the supply of building products fluctuates based on available manufacturing capacity, and a shortage of capacity or excess capacity in the industry can result in significant increases or declines in market prices for those products, often within a short period of time. Such price fluctuations can adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

In addition, although weather patterns affect our results of operations throughout the year, adverse weather historically has reduced construction activity in the first and fourth quarters in our markets. To the extent that hurricanes, severe storms, floods, or other natural disasters or similar events occur in the markets in which we operate, our business may be adversely affected. We anticipate that fluctuations from period to period will continue in the future.

Product Shortages, Loss of Key Suppliers, and Our Dependence on Third-Party Suppliers and Manufacturers Could Affect Our Financial Health.

Our ability to offer a wide variety of products to our customers is dependent upon our ability to obtain adequate product supply from manufacturers and other suppliers. Generally, our products are obtainable from various sources and in sufficient quantities. However, the loss of, or a substantial decrease in the availability of, products from our suppliers or the loss of key supplier arrangements could adversely impact our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Although in many instances we have agreements with our suppliers, these agreements are generally terminable by either party on limited notice. Failure by our suppliers to continue to supply us with products on commercially reasonable terms, or at all, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

The Loss of Any of Our Significant Customers Could Affect Our Financial Health.

Our 10 largest customers generated approximately 26% of our sales in the year ended December 31, 2004, and our largest customer accounted for almost 4.2% of our sales in that same period. We cannot guarantee that we will maintain or improve our relationships with these customers or that we will continue to supply these customers at current levels. Production Homebuilders and other customers may seek to purchase some of the products that we currently sell directly from manufacturers, or they may elect to establish their own building products manufacturing and distribution facilities. In addition, continued consolidation among Production Homebuilders could also result in a loss of some of our present customers to our competitors, and the loss of one or more of our significant customers or a deterioration in our relations with any of them could significantly affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Furthermore, our customers are not required to purchase any minimum amount of products from us. The contracts into which we have entered with most of our professional customers typically provide that we supply particular products or services for a certain period of time when and if ordered by the customer. Should our customers purchase our products in significantly lower quantities than they have in the past, such decreased purchases could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our Industry is Highly Fragmented and Competitive, and Increased Competitive Pressure May Adversely Affect Our Results.

The building products supply industry is highly fragmented and competitive. We face significant competition from local and regional building materials chains, as well as from privately-owned single site enterprises. Any of these competitors may (i) foresee the course of market development more accurately than do we, (ii) develop products that are superior to our products, (iii) have the ability to produce similar products at a lower cost, (iv) develop stronger relationships with local homebuilders, or (v) adapt more quickly to new technologies or evolving customer requirements than do we. As a result, we may not be able to compete successfully with them. In addition, home center retailers, which have historically concentrated their sales efforts on retail consumers and small contractors, may in the future intensify their marketing efforts to professional homebuilders. Furthermore, certain product manufacturers sell and distribute their products directly to Production Homebuilders, and the volume of such direct sales could increase in the future. Additional manufacturers of products distributed by us may elect to sell and distribute directly to homebuilders in the future or enter into exclusive supplier arrangements with other distributors. Finally, we may not be able to maintain our costs at a level sufficiently low for us to compete effectively. If we are unable to compete effectively, our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows will be adversely affected.

We Are Subject to Competitive Pricing Pressure From Our Customers.

Production Homebuilders historically have exerted significant pressure on their outside suppliers to keep prices low because of their increasing market share and their ability to leverage such market share in the highly fragmented building products supply industry. Continued consolidation among Production Homebuilders, and changes in Production Homebuilders’ purchasing policies or payment practices, could result in increased pricing pressure. If we are unable to generate sufficient cost savings in the future to offset any price reductions, our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows may be adversely affected.

Our Level of Indebtedness Could Adversely Affect our Ability to Raise Additional Capital to Fund Our Operations, Limit Our Ability to React to Changes in the Economy or Our Industry, and Prevent Us from Meeting Our Obligations under Our Debt Instruments.

As of December 31, 2004, after giving effect to the application of the net proceeds of this offering, our new senior secured credit facility, our floating rate notes, and the application of the net proceeds therefrom, our total indebtedness would have been $     million. See “Capitalization” for additional information.

Our substantial debt could have important consequences for you, including:

•	increasing our vulnerability to general economic and industry conditions;
•	requiring a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to be dedicated to the payment of principal and interest on our indebtedness, therefore reducing our ability to use our cash flow to fund our operations, capital expenditures, and future business opportunities;
•	exposing us to the risk of increased interest rates because certain of our borrowings, including the floating rate notes and borrowings under the new senior secured credit facility, will be at variable rates of interest;
•	limiting our ability to obtain additional financing for working capital, capital expenditures, debt service requirements, acquisitions, and general corporate or other purposes; and
•	limiting our ability to adjust to changing market conditions and placing us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors who have less debt.

In addition, some of our debt instruments, including those governing our senior secured credit facility and our floating rate notes, contain cross-default provisions which could result in our debt, under a number of debt instruments even if we default on only one debt instrument, being declared immediately due and payable. In such event, it is unlikely that we would be able to satisfy our obligations under all of such accelerated indebtedness simultaneously.

We May Incur Additional Indebtedness

We may incur additional indebtedness under our new senior secured credit facility, which provides for up to $110 million of revolving credit borrowings and a $15 million pre-funded letter of credit facility. In addition, we and our subsidiaries may be able to incur substantial additional indebtedness in the future, including secured debt, subject to the restrictions contained in the credit agreement governing our new senior secured credit facility and the indenture relating to our floating rate notes. See “Description of Certain Indebtedness.” If new debt is added to our current debt levels, the related risks that we now face could intensify.

Our Debt Instruments Contain Various Covenants That Limit Our Ability to Operate Our Business.

Our financing arrangements, including our new senior secured credit facility and the indenture governing our floating rate notes, contain various provisions that limit our ability to, among other things:

•	transfer or sell assets, including the equity interests of our restricted subsidiaries, or use asset sale proceeds;
•	incur additional debt;
•	pay dividends or distributions on our capital stock or repurchase our capital stock;
•	make certain restricted payments or investments;
•	create liens to secure debt;
•	enter into transactions with affiliates;
•	merge or consolidate with another company; and
•	engage in unrelated business activities.

In addition, our new senior secured credit facility requires us to meet specified financial ratios. These covenants may restrict our ability to expand or fully pursue our business strategies. Our ability to comply with these and other provisions of the indenture governing our floating rate notes and the new senior secured credit facility may be affected by changes in our operating and financial performance, changes in general business and economic conditions, adverse regulatory developments, or other events beyond our control. The breach of any of these covenants, including those contained in our new senior secured credit facility and the indenture governing our floating rate notes, could result in a default under our indebtedness, which could cause those and other obligations to become due and payable. If any of our indebtedness is accelerated, we may not be able to repay it.

We Are a Holding Company and Conduct All of Our Operations through Our Subsidiaries. Therefore, We Rely on Dividends, Interest, and Other Payments, Advances, and Transfers of Funds from Our Subsidiaries to Meet Our Debt Service and Other Obligations. As a Result, We May Not Be Able to Generate Sufficient Cash to Service All of Our Indebtedness and May Be Forced to Take Other Actions to Satisfy Our Obligations under Our Indebtedness, Which May Not Be Successful.

We are a holding company that derives all of our operating income from our subsidiaries. All of our assets are held by our direct and indirect subsidiaries, and we rely on the earnings and cash flows of our subsidiaries, which are paid to us by our subsidiaries in the form of dividends and other payments or distributions, to meet our debt service obligations. The ability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends or make other payments or distributions to us will depend on their respective operating results and may be restricted by, among other things, the laws of their jurisdiction of organization (which may limit the amount of funds available for the payment of dividends and other distributions to us), the terms of existing and future indebtedness and other agreements of our subsidiaries, the new senior secured credit facility, the terms of the indenture governing the floating rate notes, and the covenants of any future outstanding indebtedness we or our subsidiaries incur.

Our financial condition and operating performance and that of our subsidiaries is also subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and to certain financial, business, and other factors beyond our control. We cannot assure you that we will maintain a level of cash flows from operating activities sufficient to permit us to pay the principal, premium and liquidated damages, if any, and interest on our indebtedness.

If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we may be forced to reduce or delay capital expenditures, sell assets, seek additional capital, or restructure or refinance our indebtedness. These alternative measures may not be successful and may not permit us to meet our scheduled debt service obligations. In the absence of such operating results and resources, we could face substantial liquidity problems and might be required to dispose of material assets or operations to meet our debt service and other obligations. The credit agreement governing our new senior secured credit facility and the indenture governing the floating rate notes will restrict our ability to dispose of assets and use the proceeds from such disposition. We may not be able to consummate those dispositions or be able to obtain the proceeds that we could realize from them, and these proceeds may not be adequate to meet any debt service obligations then due.

Our Continued Success Will Depend on Our Ability to Retain Our Key Employees and to Attract and Retain New Qualified Employees.

Our success depends in part on our ability to attract, hire, train, and retain qualified managerial, sales, and marketing personnel. We face significant competition for these types of employees in our industry. We may be unsuccessful in attracting and retaining the personnel we require to conduct and expand our operations successfully. In addition, key personnel may leave us and compete against us. Our success also depends to a significant extent on the continued service of our senior management team. We may be unsuccessful in replacing key managers who either quit or retire. The loss of any member of our senior management team or other experienced, senior employees could impair our ability to execute our business plan and growth strategy, cause us to lose customers and reduce our net sales, or lead to employee morale problems and/or the loss of other key employees. In any such event, our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows could be adversely affected.

The Nature of Our Business Exposes Us to Product Liability and Warranty Claims and Other Legal Proceedings.

We are involved in product liability and product warranty claims relating to the products we manufacture and distribute that, if adversely determined, could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. We rely on manufacturers and other suppliers to provide us with many of the products we sell and distribute. Because we do not have direct control over the quality of such products manufactured or supplied by such third party suppliers, we are exposed to risks relating to the quality of such products. In addition, we are exposed to potential claims arising from the conduct of home builders and their sub-contractors, for which we may be contractually liable. Although we currently maintain what we believe to be suitable and adequate insurance in excess of our self-insured amounts, there can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain such insurance on acceptable terms or that such insurance will provide adequate protection against potential liabilities. Product liability claims can be expensive to defend and can divert the attention of management and other personnel for significant periods, regardless of the ultimate outcome. Claims of this nature could also have a negative impact on customer confidence in our products and our company. In addition, we are involved on an ongoing basis in other legal proceedings. We cannot assure you that any current or future claims will not adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

A Range of Factors May Make Our Quarterly Revenues and Earnings Variable.

We have historically experienced, and in the future will continue to experience, variability in revenues and earnings on a quarterly basis. The factors expected to contribute to this variability include, among others, (i) the volatility of prices of lumber and wood products, (ii) the cyclical nature of the homebuilding industry, (iii) general economic conditions in the various local markets in which we compete, (iv) the pricing policies of our competitors, (v) the production schedules of our customers, and (vi) the effects of the weather. These factors, among others, make it difficult to project our operating results on a consistent basis.

We May be Adversely Affected by Any Disruption in Our Information Technology Systems.

Our operations are dependent upon our information technology systems, which encompass all of our major business functions. Our centralized financial reporting system currently draws data from our two enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) systems. We rely upon such information technology systems to manage and replenish inventory, to fill and ship customer orders on a timely basis, and to coordinate our sales activities across all of our products and services. A substantial disruption in our information technology systems for any prolonged time period could result in delays in receiving inventory and supplies or filling customer orders and adversely affect our customer service and relationships. As part of our continuing integration of our computer systems, we plan to integrate our two ERPs into a single system. This integration may divert management’s attention from our core businesses. In addition, we may experience delays in such integration or problems with the functionality of the integrated system, which could increase the expected cost of the integration. There can be no assurance that such delays, problems, or costs will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

We May be Adversely Affected by Any Natural or Man-Made Disruptions to Our Distribution and Manufacturing Facilities.

We currently maintain a broad network of distribution and manufacturing facilities throughout the southern and eastern U.S. Any serious disruption to our facilities resulting from fire, earthquake, weather-related events, an act of terrorism, or any other cause could damage a significant portion of our inventory and could materially impair our ability to distribute our products to customers. In addition, we could incur significantly higher costs and longer lead times associated with distributing our products to our customers during the time that it takes for us to reopen or replace a damaged facility. If any of these events were to occur, our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely affected.

We May be Unable to Successfully Implement Our Expansion Plans Included in Our Business Strategy.

Our business plan provides for continued growth through acquisitions, particularly in the western and southwestern U.S., and organic growth (see “Business—Our Strategy”). Failure to identify and acquire suitable acquisition candidates on appropriate terms could have a material adverse effect on our growth strategy. Moreover, a significant change in our business or the economy, an unexpected decrease in our cash flow for any reason, or the requirements of our new senior secured credit facility could result in an inability to obtain the capital required to effect new acquisitions or expansions of existing facilities. Our failure to make successful acquisitions or to build or expand facilities, including manufacturing facilities, produce saleable product, or meet customer demand in a timely manner could result in damage to or loss of customer relationships. In addition, although we have been successful in the past in integrating 23 acquisitions, we may not be able to integrate the operations of future acquired businesses with our own in an efficient and cost-effective manner or without significant disruption to our existing operations. Acquisitions, moreover, involve significant risks and uncertainties, including difficulties integrating acquired personnel and other corporate cultures into our business, the potential loss of key employees, customers, or suppliers, difficulties in integrating different computer and accounting systems, and exposure to unforeseen liabilities of acquired companies, and the diversion of management attention and resources from existing operations. We may also be required to incur additional debt in order to consummate acquisitions in the future, which debt may be substantial and may limit our flexibility in using our cash flow from operations. Our failure to integrate future acquired businesses effectively or to manage other consequences of our acquisitions, including increased indebtedness, could prevent us from remaining competitive and, ultimately, could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Federal and State Regulations Could Impose Substantial Costs and/or Restrictions on Our Operations That Would Reduce Our Net Income.

We are subject to various federal, state, and local regulations, including, among other things, regulations promulgated by the Department of Transportation and applicable to our fleet of delivery trucks, work safety regulations promulgated by the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, employment regulations promulgated by the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and state and local zoning restrictions and building codes. More burdensome regulatory requirements in these or other areas may increase our general and administrative costs and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

We are Subject to Potential Exposure to Environmental Liabilities and Are Subject to Environmental Regulation.

We are subject to various federal, state, and local environmental laws, ordinances, and regulations. Although we believe that our facilities are in material compliance with such laws, ordinances, and regulations, as owners and lessees of real property, we can be held liable for the investigation or remediation of contamination on such properties, in some circumstances, without regard to whether we knew of or were responsible for such contamination. No assurance can be provided that remediation may not be required in the future as a result of spills or releases of petroleum products or hazardous substances, the discovery of unknown environmental conditions or more stringent standards regarding existing residual contamination. More burdensome environmental regulatory requirements may increase our general and administrative costs and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

We May be Adversely Affected by Uncertainty in the Economy and Financial Markets, Including as a Result of Terrorism and the War in the Middle East.

Instability in the economy and financial markets, including as a result of terrorism and the war in the Middle East, may result in a decrease in housing starts, which would adversely affect our business. In addition, the war, related setbacks, or adverse developments, including a retaliatory military strike or terrorist attack, may cause unpredictable or unfavorable economic conditions and could have a material adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition and on our ability to raise capital. Terrorist attacks similar to the ones committed on September 11, 2001, may directly affect our ability to keep our operations and services functioning properly and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

Being a Public Company Will Increase Our Administrative Costs.

As a public company, we will incur significant legal, accounting, and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. Under the SEC rules and regulations, as well as those of Nasdaq, our financial compliance costs will increase. Such rules may also make it more difficult and more expensive to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be forced to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. These rules and regulations could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified members of our board of directors, particularly to serve on our audit committee, and qualified executive officers.

Investor Confidence and the Price of Our Common Stock May Be Adversely Affected if We Are Unable to Comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Upon completion of this offering, we will become an SEC reporting company. As a reporting company, we will be subject to rules adopted by the SEC pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which require us to include in our annual report on Form 10-K our management’s report on, and

assessment of, the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting. In addition, our independent auditors must attest to and report on management’s assessment of the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting and the effectiveness of such internal controls. These requirements will first apply to our annual report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2005. If we fail to properly assess and/or achieve and maintain the adequacy of our internal controls, there is a risk that we will not comply with all of the requirements imposed by Section 404. Moreover, effective internal controls are necessary for us to produce reliable financial reports and are important to help prevent financial fraud. Any of these possible outcomes could result in an adverse reaction in the financial marketplace due to a loss of investor confidence in the reliability of our financial statements, which ultimately could harm our business and could negatively impact the market price of our securities.

Risks Related to the Offering

There Has Been No Prior Public Market for Our Common Stock, and an Active Trading Market May Not Develop.

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. An active trading market may not develop following completion of this offering or, if developed, may not be sustained. The lack of an active market may impair your ability to sell your shares at the time you wish to sell them or at a price that you consider reasonable. The lack of an active market may also reduce the fair market value of your shares. An inactive market may also impair our ability to raise capital by selling shares of capital stock and may impair our ability to acquire other companies by using our shares as consideration.

Our Stock Price May Be Volatile, and You May Lose All or Part of Your Investment.

The initial public offering price for the shares of our common stock sold in this offering has been determined by negotiation among the representatives of the underwriters and us. This price may not reflect the market price of our common stock following this offering and the price of our common stock may decline. In addition, the market price of our common stock could be highly volatile and may fluctuate substantially due to many factors, including:

•	actual or anticipated fluctuations in our results of operations;
•	variance in our financial performance from the expectations of market analysts;
•	announcements by us or our competitors of significant business developments, changes in customer relationships, acquisitions or expansion plans;
•	changes in the prices of products we sell;
•	our involvement in litigation;
•	our sale of common stock or other securities in the future;
•	market conditions in our industry;
•	changes in key personnel;
•	changes in market valuation or earnings of our competitors;
•	the trading volume of our common stock;
•	changes in the estimation of the future size and growth rate of our markets; and
•	general economic and market conditions.

In addition, the stock markets have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations. Broad market and industry factors may materially harm the market price of our common stock, regardless of our operating

performance. In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities, securities class action litigation has often been instituted against that company. If we were involved in any similar litigation we could incur substantial costs and our management’s attention and resources could be diverted, which could adversely impact our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Investors in This Offering Will Suffer Immediate and Substantial Dilution.

The initial public offering price of our common stock is substantially higher than the net tangible book value per share of our common stock. Purchasers of our common stock in this offering will experience immediate and substantial dilution, and the exercise of stock options subsequent to this offering will cause investors to experience further dilution, which means that:

•	you will pay a price per share that substantially exceeds the per share book value of our assets immediately following the offering after subtracting our liabilities; and
•	the purchasers in this offering will have contributed           % of the total amount to fund us but will own only           % of our outstanding shares.

If We Fail to Meet the Requirements of The Nasdaq National Market, Our Stock Could Be Delisted, and the Market for Our Stock Could Be Less Liquid.

We have applied to list our common stock on The Nasdaq National Market. There are continuing eligibility requirements of companies listed on The Nasdaq National Market. If we are not able to continue to satisfy the eligibility requirements for The Nasdaq National Market, then our stock may be delisted. Delisting could result in a lower price of our common stock and may limit the ability of our stockholders to sell our stock.

If Securities or Industry Analysts Do Not Publish Research or Reports about Our Business, Our Stock Price and Trading Volume Could Decline.

The trading market for our common stock will likely be significantly influenced by the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us and our business. We do not have any control over these analysts. If one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our stock, our stock price would likely decline. In addition, if one or more of these analysts cease coverage of our company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline.

The Market Price of Our Common Stock Could Be Negatively Affected by Future Sales of Our Common Stock.

Sales by us or our stockholders of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market following this offering, or the perception that these sales might occur, could cause the market price of our common stock to decline or could impair our ability to raise capital through a future sale of, or pay for acquisitions using, our equity securities. The shares held by certain of our current officers, and by our directors and principal stockholder following this offering will be subject to lock-up agreements and may not be sold to the public during the        -day period following the date of this prospectus without the consent of the underwriters. UBS Securities LLC, as the representative of the underwriters, may, in its sole discretion and at any time without notice, release all or any portion of the shares subject to these lock-up agreements. For more information about these lock-up agreements, see “Underwriting.” Shares held by our officers, directors and principal stockholder will be considered “restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act and, after the lock-up period, will be eligible for resale subject to certain limitations of Rule 144.

The holders of an aggregate of            shares of our common stock, or their permitted transferees, are entitled to rights with respect to the registration of these shares under the Securities Act of 1933. See “Description of Capital Stock— Registration Rights.” In addition to outstanding shares eligible for future sale,            shares of our common stock are issuable under currently outstanding stock options granted to several officers, directors and employees. Following this offering, we intend to file a registration statement under the Securities Act registering            shares under our stock incentive plan. Shares included in such registration statement will be available for sale in the public market immediately except for shares held by affiliates who will have certain restrictions on their ability to sell. Sales of substantial amounts of common stock in the public market, or the perception that these sales may occur, could materially adversely affect the prevailing market price of our common stock and our ability to raise capital through a public offering of our equity securities. See “Shares Eligible for Future Sale.”

The Controlling Position of Affiliates of JLL Partners Will Limit Your Ability to Influence Corporate Matters.

Affiliates of JLL Partners control JLL Building Products, LLC, one of the selling stockholders, which, prior to this offering, owns 94.6% of our outstanding common stock and, after this offering, is expected to own      % of our outstanding common stock. Accordingly, following this offering, such affiliates of JLL Partners will have significant influence over our management and affairs and over all matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors and significant corporate transactions, such as a merger or other sale of our company or its assets, for the foreseeable future. This concentrated control will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and, as a result, we may take actions that some of our stockholders do not view as beneficial. As a result, the market price of our common stock could be adversely affected.

Provisions in Our Charter Documents Could Discourage a Takeover That Stockholders May Consider Favorable.

Provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, as amended and restated upon the closing of this offering, may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control or changes in our management. These provisions include the following:

•	Our stockholders may not remove a director without cause, and our certificate of incorporation provides for a classified board of directors with staggered, three-year terms. As a result, it could take up to three years for stockholders to replace the entire board.
•	Our board of directors has the exclusive right to elect directors to fill a vacancy created by the expansion of the board of directors or the resignation, death or removal of a director, which prevents stockholders from being able to fill vacancies on our board of directors.
•	Our stockholders may not act by written consent. As a result, holders of our capital stock would be able to take actions only at a stockholders’ meeting.
•	No stockholder may call a special meeting of stockholders. This may make it more difficult for stockholders to take certain actions.
•	We do not have cumulative voting in the election of directors. This limits the ability of minority stockholders to elect director candidates.
•	Stockholders must provide advance notice to nominate individuals for election to the board of directors or to propose matters that can be acted upon at a stockholders’ meeting. These provisions may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company.

•	Our board of directors may issue, without stockholder approval, shares of undesignated preferred stock. The ability to authorize undesignated preferred stock makes it possible for our board of directors to issue preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the success of any attempt to acquire us.

Our Management Team May Invest or Spend the Proceeds of This Offering in Ways with Which You May Not Agree or in Ways That May Not Yield a Return.

Presently, anticipated uses of the proceeds of this offering include repaying some of our outstanding debt and for other general corporate purposes. Other than with respect to repaying our outstanding debt in the manner described in the “Use of Proceeds,” we cannot specify with certainty how we will use the net proceeds of this offering. Accordingly, our management will have considerable discretion in the application of the net proceeds, and you will not have the opportunity to assess whether the proceeds are being used appropriately. The net proceeds may be used for corporate purposes that do not increase our operating results or market value. Until the net proceeds are used, they may be placed in investments that do not produce income or that lose value.

Forward-looking statements

This prospectus includes or incorporates forward-looking statements regarding, among other things, our financial condition and business strategy. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this prospectus, including, without limitation, statements under the headings “Prospectus Summary,” “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and “Business,” and located elsewhere in this prospectus regarding the prospects of our industry and our prospects, plans, financial position, and business strategy may constitute forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “foresee,” “believe,” or “continue,” or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations are disclosed in this prospectus, including in conjunction with the forward-looking statements included in this prospectus and under “Risk Factors.” All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements included in this document. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus. We will not update these statements except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Factors, risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially different from those projected include, among others:

•	Dependence on the homebuilding industry, the economy, and other important factors;
•	Cyclical and seasonal nature of the building products supply industry;
•	Product shortages, loss of key suppliers, and our dependence on third-party suppliers and manufacturers;
•	Loss of significant customers;
•	Competition in the highly fragmented building products supply industry;
•	Pricing pressure from our customers;
•	Our level of indebtedness;
•	Our incurrence of additional indebtedness;
•	Our inability to take certain actions because of restrictions in our debt agreements;
•	Our reliance on our subsidiaries;
•	Dependence on key personnel;
•	Exposure to product liability and warranty claims;
•	Variability of our quarterly revenues and earnings;
•	Disruptions in our information technology systems;
•	Disruptions at our facilities;
•	Our ability to execute our strategic plans;
•	Effects of regulatory conditions on our operations;
•	Exposure to environmental liabilities and regulation;
•	Economic and financial uncertainty resulting from terrorism and war;
•	Costs incurred as a result of becoming a public company; and
•	Our ability to meet the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Use of proceeds

We estimate that we will receive net proceeds from this offering of approximately $           million, or approximately $           million if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $          per share, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and our estimated offering expenses. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of common stock by the selling stockholders.

We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering:

•	to repay approximately $           million of indebtedness under our new $350 million senior secured credit facility;
•	to pay the fees and expenses of this offering; and
•	for working capital and general corporate purposes.

With respect to the $               indebtedness to be repaid under our new senior secured credit facility with the net proceeds of this offering, we intend to repay any outstanding borrowings under the revolving credit facility and the remainder will be used to repay a portion of the $225 million term loan. We incurred such indebtedness in February 2005, when we entered into the new senior secured credit facility. The proceeds of the new senior secured credit facility, together with the proceeds of our $275 million floating rate notes, were used to refinance our then-existing indebtedness; pay a $201.2 million dividend to our stockholders; make a $35.8 million cash payment to holders of our stock options; pay the fees and expenses associated with the new senior secured credit facility, and for working capital and general corporate purposes.

As of                , 2005, the term loan, which matures on August 11, 2011, bore interest at LIBOR plus 2.50% per annum and the revolving loan, which matures on February 11, 2010, bore interest at either LIBOR plus 2.50% per annum or base rate plus 1.50% per annum. As of                          , 2005, there were no outstanding borrowings under the revolving credit facility.

Pending the uses described above, we intend to invest the net proceeds in short-term, interest-bearing, investment-grade securities.

Dividend policy

We have not paid regular dividends in the past; and any future determination relating to dividend policy will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on a number of factors, including restrictions in our debt instruments, our future earnings, capital requirements, financial condition, future prospects, and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. The terms of our new senior secured credit facility and the indenture governing our floating rate notes restrict our ability to pay dividends.

Although we have not paid regular dividends in the past, a dividend was paid to stockholders in the first quarter of 2005 in an aggregate amount of $201.2 million (or $0.80 per share) in connection with the closing of our new senior secured credit facility and floating rate notes, and an aggregate of $139.6 million (or $0.56 per share) of dividends was paid in 2004.