Tariffs, Lumber, and What It Means for Your Custom Home Build

As a proud member of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the Greater Houston Builders Association (GHBA), I make it my business to stay ahead of market shifts that affect homebuilding—especially when they directly impact materials, pricing, and timelines for my clients here in the Houston area.

Last week, President Trump announced a new set of reciprocal tariffs: a baseline 10% on imports from nearly all U.S. trading partners, with only Canada and Mexico temporarily exempt. As a custom homebuilder, I’ll cut through the noise and give you the bottom line—what it means for you if you're thinking about building.

Let’s start with the good news. Canada, which supplies the lion’s share—roughly 85%—of our softwood lumber imports, is not currently impacted by these new tariffs. That’s a big deal for our industry and for any homeowner planning a new build. Framing lumber is the backbone of residential construction. Had Canada been hit with this tariff, we would’ve seen an immediate price spike on the most basic material we use.

But we’re not entirely in the clear. Other building essentials—steel, aluminum, copper wiring, home appliances, HVAC components—are all exposed to cost increases under this policy. According to NAHB estimates, we could be looking at average cost increases of around $9,200 per home across the country, depending on how supply chains react in the coming months.

At CRV Homes, we’re already strategizing around these shifts. We’re locking in prices where we can, leaning on our supplier relationships, and staying hyper-focused on cost control without sacrificing quality or timeline. That’s the benefit of working with a builder who’s not only active in the field but also on the front lines of national and local policy discussions.

So, is now still the time to build? Absolutely.

Here’s why: lumber prices have stabilized for now. Interest rates may fluctuate, but they remain historically favorable compared to past decades. And the longer you wait, the more you expose yourself to the rising costs of labor and materials. Your money stretches further today than it will six months from now—especially if retaliatory tariffs come into play or if exemptions expire.

If you're even thinking about building your dream home, now is the time to start the design and planning process. Let’s get ahead of future cost hikes while the market still gives us the upper hand.

Let’s build something exceptional—on time, on budget, and built to last.