Latest news with #Schnipper
Business Journals
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Journals
D.C. jazz institution Blues Alley celebrates 60 years in Georgetown
Blues Alley, the Georgetown jazz club whose stage has been graced by Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis, Dave Brubeck and countless other jazz luminaries, is turning 60. That milestone belies another: that Blues Alley is the oldest continuously operating jazz supper club in the U.S., according to owner Harry Schnipper. The venue located in a carriage house in an alley behind Wisconsin Avenue NW was opened in 1965 by founder Tommy Gwaltney. Over the years, it adapted to the changing times and appetites for different types of jazz. Schipper has been its owner since 1997. He has organized a blockbuster lineup for the anniversary with the theme 'The House that Dizzy Built.' Blues Alley will build on its annual Brazilian Jazz Series this year with several other Latin embassy jazz series for Hispanic Heritage Month, including Chilean, Peruvian, and Cuban jazz artists playing in September and October. Starting with the week of the July 21 anniversary itself, the venue will begin a series called Decades of Divas featuring several vocalists singing in different styles of the different decades of the venue's tenure. Performances include two nights of shows from jazz icon Melba Moore on July 24-25, and two nights of Jane Monheit on July 26-27. Kicking it off on July 21 will be Clara Campbell, the winner of the international Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocalist Competition, which Blues Alley sponsors. Tickets to all shows are available on Blues Alley's website. Schnipper founded the competition in 2016 to continue to raise Blues Alley's profile, and in part to increase interest in jazz music among the next generation of musicians. The competition now receives hundreds of entrants annually from around the world. Campbell is from the U.S., but this year's second place winner from India and fourth place was from Belarus. 'Ella Fitzgerald's name continues to resonate for future generations, and this competition allows me to identify the future generations of emerging vocalists who will go on to achieve prominence,' Schnipper said. The competition is just one part of the venue's nonprofit efforts. The Blues Alley Jazz Society, which organizes the Blues Alley Youth Orchestra, summer jazz camps, and other events for young people, turns 30 next year, and has been a huge part of the ongoing sustainability of Blues Alley says Schnipper. Gillespie himself helped with the youth orchestra in the '90s, after famously declaring Blues Alley a quintessential jazz club in the 1970s. expandPhoto courtesy Blues Alley expand 'Dizzy Gillespie was the first one to assist us in founding our youth orchestra back in the 1990s, and he was instrumental in educating me that if we don't invest in the future of jazz music, there will be no listeners and there will be no performers,' Schnipper said. 'So it's a self perpetuating prophecy in which we've created organic sustainability.' That sustainability is also aided by a number of ways Blues Alley has adapted its business model, especially since Schnipper took over shortly before 9/11, which had a huge impact on Washington's economy. The venue has managed to survive even as most of the city's other jazz clubs have closed; it helps that they own their building, something that goes a long way to ensuring longevity of any hospitality business. But Schnipper has also grown Blues Alley's profile through broadcasting performances on Voice of America during the pandemic, which up until recently broadcast jazz performances from a studio in the National Press Building to dozens of countries around the globe. President Donald Trump's administration defunded and attempted to shut down the state-sponsored global media channels earlier this year, though a judge halted the shutdown, giving VOA a reprieve. But the broadcasts to 37 countries that began during the pandemic significantly raised Blues Alley's profile; Blues Alley's website now sees 300,000 visits a month, many of them from overseas, Schnipper said. 'We expanded our brand and our footprint by streaming worldwide,' Schnipper said. 'It was a significant accomplishment that brought us a much bigger, more loyal customer base.' The business has continued to pivot in the past six months as the Trump administration's actions laying off government employees have created economic uncertainty in Washington. While Blues Alley traditionally booked one act from Thursday-Sunday, now it often splits weekends to capitalize on different artists' fan bases. The venue also lowered ticket prices to ensure it is still within its liquor license threshold of earning 51% of its revenue from food and beverage, Schnipper said. The lower ticket pricing has allowed Blues Alley to bring in more new musicians, however. 'Emerging Musician Mondays' are now a standing weekly event that provide a platform for young musicians getting started in the industry — some of whom may have played in the Blues Alley Youth Orchestra, or attended a summer camp. 'It's very gratifying,' said Schnipper. Still, even as it makes space for emerging talent, Blues Alley remains a must-stop for the biggest names in jazz and other touring musicians when they come through D.C. And many of them will be doing so over the next few months to wish the club a happy birthday, including David Benoit, Mike Stern, Monty Alexander's annual Christmas to New Year's residency, and others. (Find tickets on Blues Alley's website.) It's that talent that contributes to Blues Alley's longevity. 'I like to colloquially say it's like backing the right horses. We've been very successful in finding the talent that's going to sustain itself over the course of many decades,' Schnipper said. 'The quality of the talent that we present nightly, the names are the marquee names of the jazz industry.'
Chicago Tribune
17-03-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Tariffs on lumber and appliances set stage for higher costs on new homes and remodeling projects
Shopping for a new home? Ready to renovate your kitchen or install a new deck? You'll be paying more to do so. The Trump administration's tariffs on imported goods from Canada, Mexico and China — some already in place, others set to take effect in a few weeks — are already driving up the cost of building materials used in new residential construction and home remodeling projects. The tariffs are projected to raise the costs that go into building a single-family home in the U.S. by $7,500 to $10,000, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Such costs are typically passed along to the homebuyer in the form of higher prices, which could hurt demand at a time when the U.S. housing market remains in a slump and many builders are having to offer buyers costly incentives to drum up sales. We Buy Houses in San Francisco, which purchases foreclosed homes and then typically renovates and sells them, is increasing prices on its refurbished properties between 7% and 12%. That's even after saving $52,000 in costs by stockpiling 62% more Canadian lumber than usual. 'The uncertainty of how long these tariffs will continue has been the most challenging aspect of our planning,' said CEO Mamta Saini. Bad timing for builders The timing of the tariffs couldn't be worse for homebuilders and the home remodeling industry, as this is typically the busiest time of year for home sales. The prospect of a trade war has roiled the stock market and stoked worries about the economy, which could lead many would-be homebuyers to remain on the sidelines. 'Rising costs due to tariffs on imports will leave builders with few options,' said Danielle Hale, chief economist at 'They can choose to pass higher costs along to consumers, which will mean higher home prices, or try to use less of these materials, which will mean smaller homes.' Prices for building materials, including lumber, have been rising, even though the White House has delayed its tariffs rollout on some products. Lumber futures jumped to $658.71 per thousand board feet on March 4, reaching their highest level in more than two years. The increase is already inflating costs for construction projects. Dana Schnipper, a partner at building materials supplier JC Ryan in Farmingdale, New York, sourced wooden doors and frames for an apartment complex in Nassau County from a company in Canada that cost less than the American equivalent. Half the job has already been supplied. But once the tariff goes into effect it will be applied to the remaining $75,000, adding $19,000 to the at-cost total. Once JC Ryan applies its mark up, that means the customer will owe $30,000 more than originally planned, Schnipper said. He also expects the tariffs will give American manufacturers cover to raise prices on steel components. 'These prices will never come down,' Schnipper said. 'Whatever is going to happen, these things will be sticky and hopefully we're good enough as a small business, that we can absorb some of that. We can't certainly absorb all of it, so I don't know. It's going to be an interesting couple of months.' Sidestepping the tariffs by using an alternative to imported building materials isn't always an option. Bar Zakheim, owner of Better Place Design & Build, a contracting business in San Diego that specializes in building accessible dwelling units, or ADUs, said Canada remains the best source for lumber. By sticking with imported lumber, Zakheim had to raise his prices about 15% compared with a year ago. He also has 8% fewer jobs lined up compared with last year. 'I'm not about to go out of business, but it's looking to be a slow, expensive year for us,' he said. Tariffs rollercoaster On March 6, the Trump administration announced a one-month delay on its 25% tariffs on certain imports from Mexico and Canada, including softwood lumber. Tariffs of 20% on imports from China are already in effect. A 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports — 50% on those from Canada — kicked in on March 12. Tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods slated to go into effect next month will raise the cost of imported construction materials by more than $3 billion, according to the NAHB. Those price hikes would be in addition to a 14.5% tariff on Canadian lumber previously imposed by the U.S., ratcheting up tariffs on Canadian lumber to 39.5%. On Air Force One, President Donald Trump said he was pushing forward with his plans for tariffs on April 2 despite recent disruption in the stock market and nervousness about the economic impact. 'April 2 is a liberating day for our country,' he said. 'We're getting back some of the wealth that very, very foolish presidents gave away because they had no clue what they were doing.' Building materials costs overall are already up 34% since December 2020, according to the NAHB. Builders depend on raw materials, appliances and many other components produced abroad. About 7.3% of all products used in single-family home and apartment building construction are imported. Of those, nearly a quarter come from Canada and Mexico, according to the NAHB. Both nations also account for 70% of the imports of two key home construction materials: lumber and gypsum. Canadian lumber is used in everything from framing to cabinetry and furniture. Mexican gypsum is used to make drywall. Beyond raw materials, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners and an array of other home components are manufactured in Mexico and China, which is also a key source of steel and aluminum. The tariffs will mean higher prices for home improvement shoppers, said Dent Johnson, president of True Value Hardware, which operates more than 4,000 independently owned hardware stores. 'The reality is that many products on the shelves of your local hardware store will eventually be affected,' he said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press. Chilling effect Confusion over the timing and scope of the tariffs, and their impact on the economy, could have a bigger chilling effect on the new-home market than higher prices. 'If consumers can't plan, if builders can't plan, it gets very difficult to know how to price product because you don't know what price you need to move it,' said Carl Reichardt, a homebuilding analyst at BTIG. 'If people are worried about their jobs, worried about the future, it's very difficult to make the decision to buy a new home, whatever the price.' The uncertainty created by the Trump administration's tariffs policy will probably result in increased volatility for home sales and new home construction this year, said Robert Dietz, the NAHB's chief economist. Still, because it can take several months for a home to be built, the larger impact of from building materials costs are going to happen 'down the road,' Dietz said. The impact tariffs are having on consumers is already evident at Slutsky Lumber in Ellenville, N.Y. 'There are not as many people getting ready for spring like they usually are,' said co-owner Jonathan Falcon. 'It seems like people are just cutting back on spending.' Falcon also worries that smaller businesses like his will have a tough time absorbing the impact of the tariffs. 'This is just like another thing that's going to be harder for small lumber yards to handle than the big guys and just sort of keep driving businesses like us to not make it,' he said.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tariffs on lumber and appliances set stage for higher costs on new homes and remodeling projects
Shopping for a new home? Ready to renovate your kitchen or install a new deck? You'll be paying more to do so. The Trump administration's tariffs on imported goods from Canada, Mexico and China — some already in place, others set to take effect in a few weeks — are already driving up the cost of building materials used in new residential construction and home remodeling projects. The tariffs are projected to raise the costs that go into building a single-family home in the U.S. by $7,500 to $10,000, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Such costs are typically passed along to the homebuyer in the form of higher prices, which could hurt demand at a time when the U.S. housing market remains in a slump and many builders are having to offer buyers costly incentives to drum up sales. We Buy Houses in San Francisco, which purchases foreclosed homes and then typically renovates and sells them, is increasing prices on its refurbished properties between 7% and 12%. That's even after saving $52,000 in costs by stockpiling 62% more Canadian lumber than usual. 'The uncertainty of how long these tariffs will continue has been the most challenging aspect of our planning,' said CEO Mamta Saini. Bad timing for builders The timing of the tariffs couldn't be worse for homebuilders and the home remodeling industry, as this is typically the busiest time of year for home sales. The prospect of a trade war has roiled the stock market and stoked worries about the economy, which could lead many would-be homebuyers to remain on the sidelines. 'Rising costs due to tariffs on imports will leave builders with few options,' said Danielle Hale, chief economist at 'They can choose to pass higher costs along to consumers, which will mean higher home prices, or try to use less of these materials, which will mean smaller homes.' Prices for building materials, including lumber, have been rising, even though the White House has delayed its tariffs rollout on some products. Lumber futures jumped to $658.71 per thousand board feet on March 4, reaching their highest level in more than two years. The increase is already inflating costs for construction projects. Dana Schnipper, a partner at building materials supplier JC Ryan in Farmingdale, New York, sourced wooden doors and frames for an apartment complex in Nassau County from a company in Canada that cost less than the American equivalent. Half the job has already been supplied. But once the tariff goes into effect it will be applied to the remaining $75,000, adding $19,000 to the at-cost total. Once JC Ryan applies its mark up, that means the customer will owe $30,000 more than originally planned, Schnipper said. He also expects the tariffs will give American manufacturers cover to raise prices on steel components. 'These prices will never come down,' Schnipper said. 'Whatever is going to happen, these things will be sticky and hopefully we're good enough as a small business, that we can absorb some of that. We can't certainly absorb all of it, so I don't know. It's going to be an interesting couple of months.' Sidestepping the tariffs by using an alternative to imported building materials isn't always an option. Bar Zakheim, owner of Better Place Design & Build, a contracting business in San Diego that specializes in building accessible dwelling units, or ADUs, said Canada remains the best source for lumber. By sticking with imported lumber, Zakheim had to raise his prices about 15% compared with a year ago. He also has 8% fewer jobs lined up compared with last year. 'I'm not about to go out of business, but it's looking to be a slow, expensive year for us,' he said. Tariffs rollercoaster On March 6, the Trump administration announced a one-month delay on its 25% tariffs on certain imports from Mexico and Canada, including softwood lumber. Tariffs of 20% on imports from China are already in effect. A 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports — 50% on those from Canada — kicked in on March 12. Tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods slated to go into effect next month will raise the cost of imported construction materials by more than $3 billion, according to the NAHB. Those price hikes would be in addition to a 14.5% tariff on Canadian lumber previously imposed by the U.S., ratcheting up tariffs on Canadian lumber to 39.5%. On Air Force One, President Donald Trump said he was pushing forward with his plans for tariffs on April 2 despite recent disruption in the stock market and nervousness about the economic impact. 'April 2 is a liberating day for our country,' he said. 'We're getting back some of the wealth that very, very foolish presidents gave away because they had no clue what they were doing.' Building materials costs overall are already up 34% since December 2020, according to the NAHB. Builders depend on raw materials, appliances and many other components produced abroad. About 7.3% of all products used in single-family home and apartment building construction are imported. Of those, nearly a quarter come from Canada and Mexico, according to the NAHB. Both nations also account for 70% of the imports of two key home construction materials: lumber and gypsum. Canadian lumber is used in everything from framing to cabinetry and furniture. Mexican gypsum is used to make drywall. Beyond raw materials, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners and an array of other home components are manufactured in Mexico and China, which is also a key source of steel and aluminum. The tariffs will mean higher prices for home improvement shoppers, said Dent Johnson, president of True Value Hardware, which operates more than 4,000 independently owned hardware stores. 'The reality is that many products on the shelves of your local hardware store will eventually be affected,' he said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press. Chilling effect Confusion over the timing and scope of the tariffs, and their impact on the economy, could have a bigger chilling effect on the new-home market than higher prices. 'If consumers can't plan, if builders can't plan, it gets very difficult to know how to price product because you don't know what price you need to move it,' said Carl Reichardt, a homebuilding analyst at BTIG. 'If people are worried about their jobs, worried about the future, it's very difficult to make the decision to buy a new home, whatever the price.' The uncertainty created by the Trump administration's tariffs policy will probably result in increased volatility for home sales and new home construction this year, said Robert Dietz, the NAHB's chief economist. Still, because it can take several months for a home to be built, the larger impact of from building materials costs are going to happen 'down the road,' Dietz said. The impact tariffs are having on consumers is already evident at Slutsky Lumber in Ellenville, N.Y. 'There are not as many people getting ready for spring like they usually are,' said co-owner Jonathan Falcon. 'It seems like people are just cutting back on spending.' Falcon also worries that smaller businesses like his will have a tough time absorbing the impact of the tariffs. 'This is just like another thing that's going to be harder for small lumber yards to handle than the big guys and just sort of keep driving businesses like us to not make it,' he said. -__ Reporter Anne D'Innocenzio contributed.
The Hill
17-03-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Tariffs on lumber and appliances set stage for higher costs on new homes and remodeling projects
Shopping for a new home? Ready to renovate your kitchen or install a new deck? You'll be paying more to do so. The Trump administration's tariffs on imported goods from Canada, Mexico and China — some already in place, others set to take effect in a few weeks — are already driving up the cost of building materials used in new residential construction and home remodeling projects. The tariffs are projected to raise the costs that go into building a single-family home in the U.S. by $7,500 to $10,000, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Such costs are typically passed along to the homebuyer in the form of higher prices, which could hurt demand at a time when the U.S. housing market remains in a slump and many builders are having to offer buyers costly incentives to drum up sales. We Buy Houses in San Francisco, which purchases foreclosed homes and then typically renovates and sells them, is increasing prices on its refurbished properties between 7% and 12%. That's even after saving $52,000 in costs by stockpiling 62% more Canadian lumber than usual. 'The uncertainty of how long these tariffs will continue has been the most challenging aspect of our planning,' said CEO Mamta Saini. Bad timing for builders The timing of the tariffs couldn't be worse for homebuilders and the home remodeling industry, as this is typically the busiest time of year for home sales. The prospect of a trade war has roiled the stock market and stoked worries about the economy, which could lead many would-be homebuyers to remain on the sidelines. 'Rising costs due to tariffs on imports will leave builders with few options,' said Danielle Hale, chief economist at 'They can choose to pass higher costs along to consumers, which will mean higher home prices, or try to use less of these materials, which will mean smaller homes.' Prices for building materials, including lumber, have been rising, even though the White House has delayed its tariffs rollout on some products. Lumber futures jumped to $658.71 per thousand board feet on March 4, reaching their highest level in more than two years. The increase is already inflating costs for construction projects. Dana Schnipper, a partner at building materials supplier JC Ryan in Farmingdale, New York, sourced wooden doors and frames for an apartment complex in Nassau County from a company in Canada that cost less than the American equivalent. Half the job has already been supplied. But once the tariff goes into effect it will be applied to the remaining $75,000, adding $19,000 to the at-cost total. Once JC Ryan applies its mark up, that means the customer will owe $30,000 more than originally planned, Schnipper said. He also expects the tariffs will give American manufacturers cover to raise prices on steel components. 'These prices will never come down,' Schnipper said. 'Whatever is going to happen, these things will be sticky and hopefully we're good enough as a small business, that we can absorb some of that. We can't certainly absorb all of it, so I don't know. It's going to be an interesting couple of months.' Sidestepping the tariffs by using an alternative to imported building materials isn't always an option. Bar Zakheim, owner of Better Place Design & Build, a contracting business in San Diego that specializes in building accessible dwelling units, or ADUs, said Canada remains the best source for lumber. By sticking with imported lumber, Zakheim had to raise his prices about 15% compared with a year ago. He also has 8% fewer jobs lined up compared with last year. 'I'm not about to go out of business, but it's looking to be a slow, expensive year for us,' he said. Tariffs rollercoaster On March 6, the Trump administration announced a one-month delay on its 25% tariffs on certain imports from Mexico and Canada, including softwood lumber. Tariffs of 20% on imports from China are already in effect. A 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports — 50% on those from Canada — kicked in on March 12. Tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods slated to go into effect next month will raise the cost of imported construction materials by more than $3 billion, according to the NAHB. Those price hikes would be in addition to a 14.5% tariff on Canadian lumber previously imposed by the U.S., ratcheting up tariffs on Canadian lumber to 39.5%. Building materials costs overall are already up 34% since December 2020, according to the NAHB. Builders depend on raw materials, appliances and many other components produced abroad. About 7.3% of all products used in single-family home and apartment building construction are imported. Of those, nearly a quarter come from Canada and Mexico, according to the NAHB. Both nations also account for 70% of the imports of two key home construction materials: lumber and gypsum. Canadian lumber is used in everything from framing to cabinetry and furniture. Mexican gypsum is used to make drywall. Beyond raw materials, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners and an array of other home components are manufactured in Mexico and China, which is also a key source of steel and aluminum. The tariffs will mean higher prices for home improvement shoppers, said Dent Johnson, president of True Value Hardware, which operates more than 4,000 independently owned hardware stores. 'The reality is that many products on the shelves of your local hardware store will eventually be affected,' he said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press. Chilling effect Confusion over the timing and scope of the tariffs, and their impact on the economy, could have a bigger chilling effect on the new-home market than higher prices. 'If consumers can't plan, if builders can't plan, it gets very difficult to know how to price product because you don't know what price you need to move it,' said Carl Reichardt, a homebuilding analyst at BTIG. 'If people are worried about their jobs, worried about the future, it's very difficult to make the decision to buy a new home, whatever the price.' The uncertainty created by the Trump administration's tariffs policy will probably result in increased volatility for home sales and new home construction this year, said Robert Dietz, the NAHB's chief economist. Still, because it can take several months for a home to be built, the larger impact of from building materials costs are going to happen 'down the road,' Dietz said. The impact tariffs are having on consumers is already evident at Slutsky Lumber in Ellenville, N.Y. 'There are not as many people getting ready for spring like they usually are,' said co-owner Jonathan Falcon. 'It seems like people are just cutting back on spending.' Falcon also worries that smaller businesses like his will have a tough time absorbing the impact of the tariffs. 'This is just like another thing that's going to be harder for small lumber yards to handle than the big guys and just sort of keep driving businesses like us to not make it,' he said.
The Independent
17-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Tariffs on lumber and appliances set stage for higher costs on new homes and remodeling projects
Shopping for a new home? Ready to renovate your kitchen or install a new deck? You'll be paying more to do so. The Trump administration's tariffs on imported goods from Canada, Mexico and China — some already in place, others set to take effect in a few weeks — are already driving up the cost of building materials used in new residential construction and home remodeling projects. The tariffs are projected to raise the costs that go into building a single-family home in the U.S. by $7,500 to $10,000, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Such costs are typically passed along to the homebuyer in the form of higher prices, which could hurt demand at a time when the U.S. housing market remains in a slump and many builders are having to offer buyers costly incentives to drum up sales. We Buy Houses in San Francisco, which purchases foreclosed homes and then typically renovates and sells them, is increasing prices on its refurbished properties between 7% and 12%. That's even after saving $52,000 in costs by stockpiling 62% more Canadian lumber than usual. 'The uncertainty of how long these tariffs will continue has been the most challenging aspect of our planning,' said CEO Mamta Saini. Bad timing for builders The timing of the tariffs couldn't be worse for homebuilders and the home remodeling industry, as this is typically the busiest time of year for home sales. The prospect of a trade war has roiled the stock market and stoked worries about the economy, which could lead many would-be homebuyers to remain on the sidelines. 'Rising costs due to tariffs on imports will leave builders with few options,' said Danielle Hale, chief economist at 'They can choose to pass higher costs along to consumers, which will mean higher home prices, or try to use less of these materials, which will mean smaller homes.' Prices for building materials, including lumber, have been rising, even though the White House has delayed its tariffs rollout on some products. Lumber futures jumped to $658.71 per thousand board feet on March 4, reaching their highest level in more than two years. The increase is already inflating costs for construction projects. Dana Schnipper, a partner at building materials supplier JC Ryan in Farmingdale, New York, sourced wooden doors and frames for an apartment complex in Nassau County from a company in Canada that cost less than the American equivalent. Half the job has already been supplied. But once the tariff goes into effect it will be applied to the remaining $75,000, adding $19,000 to the at-cost total. Once JC Ryan applies its mark up, that means the customer will owe $30,000 more than originally planned, Schnipper said. He also expects the tariffs will give American manufacturers cover to raise prices on steel components. 'These prices will never come down,' Schnipper said. 'Whatever is going to happen, these things will be sticky and hopefully we're good enough as a small business, that we can absorb some of that. We can't certainly absorb all of it, so I don't know. It's going to be an interesting couple of months.' Sidestepping the tariffs by using an alternative to imported building materials isn't always an option. Bar Zakheim, owner of Better Place Design & Build, a contracting business in San Diego that specializes in building accessible dwelling units, or ADUs, said Canada remains the best source for lumber. By sticking with imported lumber, Zakheim had to raise his prices about 15% compared with a year ago. He also has 8% fewer jobs lined up compared with last year. 'I'm not about to go out of business, but it's looking to be a slow, expensive year for us,' he said. Tariffs rollercoaster On March 6, the Trump administration announced a one-month delay on its 25% tariffs on certain imports from Mexico and Canada, including softwood lumber. Tariffs of 20% on imports from China are already in effect. A 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports — 50% on those from Canada — kicked in on March 12. Tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods slated to go into effect next month will raise the cost of imported construction materials by more than $3 billion, according to the NAHB. Those price hikes would be in addition to a 14.5% tariff on Canadian lumber previously imposed by the U.S., ratcheting up tariffs on Canadian lumber to 39.5%. Building materials costs overall are already up 34% since December 2020, according to the NAHB. Builders depend on raw materials, appliances and many other components produced abroad. About 7.3% of all products used in single-family home and apartment building construction are imported. Of those, nearly a quarter come from Canada and Mexico, according to the NAHB. Both nations also account for 70% of the imports of two key home construction materials: lumber and gypsum. Canadian lumber is used in everything from framing to cabinetry and furniture. Mexican gypsum is used to make drywall. Beyond raw materials, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners and an array of other home components are manufactured in Mexico and China, which is also a key source of steel and aluminum. The tariffs will mean higher prices for home improvement shoppers, said Dent Johnson, president of True Value Hardware, which operates more than 4,000 independently owned hardware stores. 'The reality is that many products on the shelves of your local hardware store will eventually be affected,' he said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press. Chilling effect Confusion over the timing and scope of the tariffs, and their impact on the economy, could have a bigger chilling effect on the new-home market than higher prices. 'If consumers can't plan, if builders can't plan, it gets very difficult to know how to price product because you don't know what price you need to move it,' said Carl Reichardt, a homebuilding analyst at BTIG. 'If people are worried about their jobs, worried about the future, it's very difficult to make the decision to buy a new home, whatever the price.' The uncertainty created by the Trump administration's tariffs policy will probably result in increased volatility for home sales and new home construction this year, said Robert Dietz, the NAHB's chief economist. Still, because it can take several months for a home to be built, the larger impact of from building materials costs are going to happen 'down the road,' Dietz said. The impact tariffs are having on consumers is already evident at Slutsky Lumber in Ellenville, N.Y. 'There are not as many people getting ready for spring like they usually are,' said co-owner Jonathan Falcon. 'It seems like people are just cutting back on spending.' Falcon also worries that smaller businesses like his will have a tough time absorbing the impact of the tariffs. 'This is just like another thing that's going to be harder for small lumber yards to handle than the big guys and just sort of keep driving businesses like us to not make it,' he said. -__ Reporter Anne D'Innocenzio contributed.
