Remodel Now or Wait? Tariffs and Rising Costs in 2026

Last updated October 18, 2026. Tariffs change often; we update this page when they do.

If you've been putting off a remodel, deck, or shop to see whether prices come down, here's the short answer: for most projects, they haven't, and the data doesn't point that way right now. Building-material prices are at a record high, labor keeps getting more expensive, and one major tariff increase on kitchen cabinets and vanities has a date on it: January 1, 2027.

That doesn't mean every price only goes up. Some materials swing both ways, and there are good reasons to wait on some projects. Here's what's actually changed, and how to decide for your own project.

What Anthony is seeing on his own jobs

Anthony has been building and remodeling around Sandy since 1997. On his own jobs, he's seen prices go up roughly 25% over the past few years. That's his rough read across the work he does, not a formal index, but it lines up with the national numbers below.

What changed with tariffs

Tariffs are taxes on imported goods, and several of them land directly on building materials:

Material	Tariff	Status
Kitchen cabinets and vanities	25%	In effect since Oct 14, 2025. Scheduled to rise to 50% on Jan 1, 2027, except for countries with a trade agreement that sets a different rate.
Softwood lumber	10%	In effect since Oct 14, 2025
Canadian softwood lumber	10% plus antidumping and countervailing duties	Commerce lowered those duties in October 2026, from about 35.16% to 24.75%, for a total of 34.75%
Steel and aluminum	Up to 50%	In effect

The cabinet and vanity increase was first set for January 1, 2026. In a December 2025 proclamation it was delayed one year, to January 1, 2027. It could be delayed again, or it could take effect on schedule. If your project includes new cabinets or a vanity, that date is worth knowing.

Some 2025 tariffs were struck down by the Supreme Court in February 2026, but the ones above were issued under a different law (Section 232) and stayed in place.

What the price data shows

The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks what builders pay for the goods that go into a house. Its index for inputs to residential construction:

• Rose 9.7% from September 2025 to September 2026.
• Hit its highest level on record in September 2026.
• Is up about 64% compared with September 2017.

Labor matters as much as materials. Average hourly earnings for construction workers rose 4.3% over the same year, faster than overall consumer prices, which rose 3.7%. The Associated General Contractors put it plainly in August 2026: "Construction firms are being hit with outsized cost increases for a host of materials and also labor."

When waiting can make sense

An honest answer includes the other side:

• Lumber prices swing. The BLS softwood lumber index fell by about half in a few months in 2021 after a spike, and in 2026 it was already down about 4% from its July high by September. If your project is mostly framing lumber, prices can move either way in the short run.
• Duties can fall. The Canadian lumber duty cut in October 2026 is a recent example.
• Borrowing is expensive. If you'd finance the project, rates matter. Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 7.40% in mid-October 2026, up from 6.27% a year earlier. Saving up first can beat borrowing at that rate.
• An uncertain project isn't worth rushing. If you're not sure what you want yet, a few months of planning will save more than any price change.

What usually doesn't work is waiting for a general drop in costs. The building-materials index held roughly flat from 2022 to 2025 and then climbed to a record in 2026, and construction wages are up about 45% since 2017. Even with the swings, the long-run direction has been up.

Which projects feel it most

• Kitchen and bath remodels: cabinets and vanities carry the 25% tariff, with the 50% step scheduled for January 2027. See our kitchen remodel page.
• Decks, fences, and shops: lumber tariffs and duties, plus steel for fasteners, connectors, and metal roofing and siding. See decks and covered porches, fences, gates and arbors, and shops and pole barns.
• Flooring and siding: materials vary widely by product and where they're made. Ask your contractor which parts of your bid are imported.

How to protect yourself either way

• Get a written bid with a date on it. Anthony's estimates are good for 30 days. Whoever you hire, ask how long the price holds.
• Ask how material price changes are handled. If a project will run past the bid's price window, ask in writing what happens if material costs change before materials are bought.
• Order cabinets and other long-lead items early once the design is settled, especially before January 1, 2027 if tariffs apply to what you're buying.
• Check the license. Rising prices bring out low-ball bids. Check the contractor's CCB license and compare bids line by line.

When to start

Anthony doesn't have a slow season, so there's no special month to wait for. If your plans and budget are ready, the best time to get a bid is now, while that 30-day price holds. If you're still deciding, start with a conversation and a written estimate so you know what the project costs today.