Mon, 20 Oct 2025

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 I finished building my house just before new tariffs hit

Tariffs on furniture and lumber could intensify the US housing market's woes and push up prices.

* Home buyers and builders are struggling with rising prices due to new US tariffs on key building materials, including imported kitchen cabinets, timber, and wooden furniture.
* The tariffs, which took effect this week, are expected to add to the woes of an already weak housing market, where construction costs are already high.
* Economists warn that the tariffs could slow down construction and make it more expensive for consumers to buy or renovate homes.
* A recent report from Goldman Sachs found that US consumers will shoulder as much as 55% of the cost of Trump's tariffs this year.
* Furniture companies such as RH and IKEA have already been warning about the impact of tariffs on their businesses, with some companies delaying product releases or increasing prices.
* Material costs have also been rising due to previous tariff increases, including a 50% tariff on steel and copper imports.
* Homeowners and interior designers are scaling back purchases and projects due to tariff-related uncertainty, taking a toll on sales for businesses such as design galleries.
* The new tariffs will create additional headwinds for an already challenged housing market by further raising construction and renovation costs.
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