Recession Depression - Material problems

I just got off the phone with my building supplier/engineer, who is sizing some beams for the roof of one of my projects, and he informed me that because of the size of the beams that I need and the lack of production I might have problems getting the beam.  The beam is sold by the foot and they have one coming in that is 60' but I don't need 60' I only need 45'.  That means I would be paying for 15' that I don't need and the likelihood of getting the beam in size I need quickly is just not going to happen.  So, I have to be creative and come up with another alternative or my client will end up spending more money on some beam that they don't need.  I miss the days when you could get just about anything you wanted when you wanted it.  Today, a contractor has to be even more on top of the job to get things done on time and on budget.