Home improvement experts are predicting that renovation projects are about to become a lot more expensive. President Trump’s import tariffs are expected to drive up the cost of everything from stones quarried outside of the U.S. to major appliances. Import tariffs, which are taxes paid by businesses on goods from abroad, could also delay home renovations—more than half of construction and design pros expect tariffs to cause supply chain disruptions, according to new data from Houzz’s Renovation Barometer.
With all of this uncertainty looming over costs and timelines, you’re probably wondering which home renovation projects are safe to move forward with and which ones will balloon in cost.
“My best advice is to prioritize domestic sourcing and pad your current budget with a 20 percent contingency for material price hikes,” says Diana George with DG Design Group Builders, a Bay Area, California–based design-build firm. She also recommends asking for price quotes with expiration dates.
Luxury home projects dependent on finishes like Italian marble and Spanish tiles will likely be affected most by tariffs, George expects. Houzz’s survey also found that industry pros are most concerned about tariffs on lumber and plywood, steel, flooring, and aluminum.
Unfortunately, for those looking to renovate soon, few projects will be truly tariff-proof, but some may have more moderate price increases. Carpeting, for example, is mostly manufactured in the U.S., but the raw materials comprising the carpet are commonly produced overseas, explains Kevin Sturm, Head of Marketing at Hover, a home renovation app.
Ahead, here are the renovation products that experts expect will be the least impacted by tariffs.
Landscaping and Hardscaping Projects
If you’re thinking about sprucing up your yard ahead of the summer, here’s some good news: Landscaping and hardscaping lead as the most tariff-proof renovation projects, according to experts we consulted.
“Landscaping can be considered the closest to ‘tariff-proof,’ as materials like concrete, stone, plants, and other ground cover would be less exposed to global trade,” Sturm says. “So now, as the weather gets warmer, it might be a great time to consider upping your curb appeal or planning a backyard makeover.”
Landscaping with local dirt, gravel, and native plants remains predictable and avoids supply chain surprises, says George Carrillo, CEO of the Hispanic Construction Council (HCC).
You can also ask your landscape contractor to source domestic sprinkler products, suggests Valerie Helgeson, founder and principal designer at Design Directions in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Paint Projects
“Another renovation project pretty safe from tariffs is painting,” Hegelson says.
The key here is to make sure you’re selecting paint from U.S.-based companies, which there are plenty of, and be braced for some increases. Raw materials for coatings are imported from Canada, Mexico, and China, according to the American Coatings Association.
These types of materials include titanium dioxide, which is used for pigmenting and coatings that increase durability.
Adding an Accessory-Dwelling Unit
As cities and states loosen up on accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulations to help address housing shortages, there’s been an increase in these types of backyard additions that can majorly boost your property value. ADUs can serve as home offices or guest suites, and they can also provide a way to generate rental income.
Projects that use domestically sourced, prefabricated materials—like panelized accessory dwelling units—are far less vulnerable to tariffs or global supply disruptions, says Jeremy Nova, cofounder and creative director of StudioHome by Studio Shed.
“Offsite construction uses a controlled supply chain, often relying on U.S.-sourced lumber and materials, which makes pricing more stable and timelines that remain on track,” he says.
New Windows and Flooring
For projects that are moderately affected by tariffs, like flooring or window replacements, careful planning and sourcing from U.S. suppliers can make a major difference, explains Carrillo.
Vinyl flooring often includes imported resins that can raise costs by 10 to 20 percent, but domestic alternatives, such as Mohawk, can limit the increase to around $300 to $700 per 1,000 square feet.
Similarly, he says, window replacements involve materials like specialty glass coatings and aluminum that are partially sourced from Mexico and China. These could lead to cost increases of 8 to 15 percent—but opting for brands such as Pella can help minimize price jumps and reduce delays.
Upgraded Cabinets
Lastly, a safe bet on tariff-proof renovations is getting new cabinets for a kitchen or bath project, so long as you’re able to get your hands on domestic cabinetry, George says. Similarly, you could reface existing cabinets if you’re just looking for a cosmetic overhaul.
A final piece of advice when moving forward with a project amid the uncertainty of tariffs: Tap your contractor’s expertise, suggests Sturm. Ask which materials they’re seeing with the least amount of change in pricing and availability.
“They want to win the project and they want to get the project done as well, so it is in their best interest to provide insight into what materials will be available and most cost-effective for the project,” he says.
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Brittany Anas is a former newspaper reporter (The Denver Post, Boulder Daily Camera) turned freelance writer. Before she struck out on her own, she covered just about every beat—from higher education to crime. Now she writes about food, cocktails, travel, and lifestyle topics for Men’s Journal, House Beautiful, Forbes, Simplemost, Shondaland, Livability, Hearst newspapers, TripSavvy and more. In her free time, she coaches basketball, crashes pools, and loves hanging out with her rude-but-adorable Boston Terrier that never got the memo the breed is nicknamed “America’s gentleman.”
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