A Building Dilemma for Local Home Builders

FARGO — Tariffs on Canadian imports are creating new worries for the local home building industry as its leaders anticipate having to pass increased costs on to consumers.

They’re estimating the tariffs could add ten thousand dollars more to the cost of building a new home in the region over the next year or so.

That’s less than the fourteen thousand dollars estimated by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, but building industry insiders say it’s still a problem for customers here.

That’s because Canada is the third-largest source of imports used in U.S. home construction, behind China and Mexico, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

Canada accounted for nearly 70% of U.S. lumber imports, 25% of imported iron and steel, and nearly 20% of copper imports.

Bill Rothman is with the Kilbourne group and is part of the leadership at the Building Association of the Red River Valley, formerly the Home Builders Association.

They’re part of the national association.

He joined the Morning Show to talk about why it’s going to take time to source these supplies domestically,  and why consumers should expect to start paying more in the short term.

For more information:

https://www.buildrrv.org/