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April 28, 2025
Two evolving trends are likely to slow down the U.S. home-remodeling industry at some point in 2025 – federal and state authorities’ crackdown on undocumented laborers, believed to represent as much as 20 to 30 percent of the construction labor face in some locales; and expected tariff-rate increases, which can drive up import prices for certain raw materials and finished products.
The U.S. home construction and remodeling industries have long depended on undocumented workers to keep their projects progressing and their profit margins acceptable. But on April 28th, President Trump issued an executive order directing the Department of Homeland Security and the Attorney General to publish lists identifying state and local authorities that obstruct the arrest or deportation of undocumented migrants.
Such naming and shaming of cities accused of “obstructing” the U.S. crackdown on illegal immigration by hindering the arrest and deportation of undocumented migrants is aimed at “protecting American communities from criminal aliens,” the White House said. But stricter enforcement of immigration laws could shrink the construction/remodeling labor pool, among others, making it harder for contractors to find experienced workers. Moreover, reduced supply of experienced workers could push up wages, raising the cost of remodeling projects, and potentially extending project lead times and timelines.
The second ominous threat to home renovation activity – higher tariffs – could drive up the cost of imported building materials such as lumber, steel and aluminum, as well as furniture and fixtures, forcing contractors to either accept lower profit margins or to pass on higher input costs to homeowners. The latter scenario is the more likely of the two, meaning that remodel-project cost estimates could rise, causing a higher percentage of homeowners than normal to decide to postpone home renovations.
The intent of tariffs is to encourage a shift to U.S.-sourced materials and to encourage suppliers to move production (and jobs) to the U.S. In this respect, some companies are better positioned than others. One such company is the Butcher Block Co. – an online-only supplier of butcher-block and wood-plank kitchen countertops and island tops. Notably, most home remodels are kitchen-focused and involve the replacement and upgrading of kitchen counters, in particular. According the company’s owner, Kathleen Grodsky, “100 percent of our John Boos-brand countertops (available in Maple, Walnut, Cherry and Oak) are sourced domestically, and almost all of the sixteen varieties of our BBCO-brand countertops are made of hardwoods sustainably harvested from U.S. forests exclusively.”
ABOUT BUTCHER BLOCK CO. – Established in 2007, BBCo. offers butcher-block and plank-style countertops in 16 different species of wood, plus a wide array of butcher-block islands, tables, carts and cutting boards.
For more information, please visit Butcher Block Co.
Contact Info:
Name: Kathleen Grodsky
Organization: Butcher Block Co.
Address: 2641 E Cortez St. Phoenix, AZ 85028-1819
Phone: (877) 845-5597