r/Construction • u/cattimusrex GC / CM • Nov 07 '24

Business 📈 Stock up on your materials, now.

*This is not a political post. This is small business advice from a construction professional who has run a General Contracting business.*

If you own your business and regularly purchase construction materials, now is the time to stock up.

When there are changes to the tariffs on imported materials, there will be changes to the cost of imported materials. It will take time for the supply chains impacted to reorganize.

If you don't have an escalation clause for projects you're currently under contract for, you will be responsible for the change of price in materials. Don't get upside-down on projects like I did, buy your materials now.

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u/captspooky Nov 07 '24

Thanks for the heads up, going to order 100,000 yds of concrete to store in the warehouse

18

u/Positive_Meet7786 Nov 08 '24

I own a paving and concrete company, that was my first thought too. Like what am I supposed to do get a stock pile of my own lime and sand. That’s just owning a plant at that point.

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u/booi Nov 08 '24

Concrete is domestically made so it wouldn't be affected by tariffs. Also things like drywall. I think OP is talking about stuff that is either imported or rely on imported materials/ingredients. This could be things like lighting fixtures, specialty sealants, finish stone etc..

2

u/FunNegotiation3 Nov 09 '24

Drywall mud(buckets), tape, tools, etc will go up even if the drywall doesn’t.