U.S. policymakers recently slapped steep increases on imported lumber, furniture, and kitchen cabinets—boosting tariffs from 10% to 50%. Instead of lowering reliance on foreign goods, the move has sparked sticker shock for homebuilders and buyers alike 🏡💔.
Buddy Hughes, chair of the National Association of Home Builders, warned these hikes will “create additional headwinds for an already challenged housing market.” Between sky-high mortgage rates and scarce inventory, every extra fee bites harder at people’s dreams of owning a home.
From organic mattress makers to cabinet artisans, manufacturers are scrambling. Arin Schultz of Naturepedic says price tags will rise as companies absorb some costs—and pass others on. “We’re not trying to pass the cost off to our consumers completely,” he explains, “but we’re still going to be eating a good amount of it.”
Economists like Daryl Fairweather at Redfin agree: higher tariffs risk fewer new builds and loftier renovation bills. Anirban Basu of the Associated Builders and Contractors adds that shifting production back to the U.S. is tough when labor costs here run high.
The backlash isn’t just domestic. Canada—America’s top lumber partner—saw softwood prices jump over 45%, threatening cross-border jobs. Ikea also warned that furniture levies make doing business “more difficult.” Experts estimate these measures could add up to $2,200 to the cost of building an average home.
It’s a lot like ordering a pizza and discovering your final bill has doubled 🍕😅—the pinch lands on everyday folks aiming to build and renovate.
Reference(s):
U.S. tariff hike on lumber and furniture backfires, provoking concerns
cgtn.com
