News

Building material price growth declines for first time in a year

Residential building material price growth rate drops for the first time since April 2025. According to the National Association of Homebuilders’ analysis of the Producer Price Index release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, building material prices are increasing, but at a lower rate than the year before. The Producer Price Index final demand increased 0.5% in January, a continuation of the 0.4%  increase in December. Specifically in the industry, metal products are experiencing the largest price growth while lumber and wood material products are stabilizing. “The goods component has a…

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Home remodel design trends to avoid

While plenty of designers turn to social media platforms like Pinterest to put together design inspiration for a client for home renovations, there are trends that fail to translate the same in real life.  “Pinterest is one of the best places to start when planning a home renovation,” said Nicole Rodriguez, Director of Cabinet Design with Revive Design and Renovation. “It helps homeowners visualize styles, discover finishes they love, and finally put language to ideas they’ve been carrying around for years. The challenge is that what photographs beautifully doesn’t always…

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Remodels are more popular than relocating

Current homeowners are choosing to remodel according to their needs instead of relocating. According to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, only about 1 in 10 households changed homes in 2024. This is across varying markets from young homeowners to retired households. Many first-time homebuyers choosing to remodel their starter homes instead of leaving their pandemic-era sub-3% mortgage rates. “The reality today is that many households appear to be “locked in” to their homes,” wrote Riordan Frost, Senior Research Analyst at Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. As for…

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Legislation aims to exclude building materials from tariffs

On Feb 27, 2026, the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) worked Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) to introduce the Housing Tariff Exclusion Act, which would automatically exempt many home building materials from current and future tariffs. The legislation would also allow importers to apply for tariff exemptions on home building materials that are not automatically exempted.  “Roughly 60% of builders have already seen cost increases due to tariffs, which means higher housing costs for American home buyers and renters,” said NAHB Chairman Bill Owens. “This bill is…

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Remodel of the week: Jenny O’Leary

Architect and designer Jenny O’Leary transformed a kitchen inside a late-1800s brownstone in Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn, N.Y., into a modern, functional space while still preserving historical charm. The challenge was more than updating and preserving an old house, but designing a kitchen a couple could comfortably share on the daily. Another challenge was the fact that O’Leary’s clients had two opposing design styles. While one liked darker tones and strong lines, the other preferred softer elements. O’Leary aimed to renovate the kitchen to feel classic and calm for each…

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LP Scores Two Finalist Spots in Best of IBS Awards

LP Building Solutions (LP), a leading manufacturer of high-performance building products, announced today that LP® SmartSide® ExpertFinish® Naturals Collection™ siding and LP BurnGuard™ FRT OSB panels have been recognized by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) as a finalist for the Best of IBS™ Awards. Held annually at the NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS), the world’s largest light construction event, the Best of IBS Awards honor the most innovative and impactful products in the residential construction industry. Finalists are selected based on innovation, functionality, design and appeal to builders and consumers. LP SmartSide ExpertFinish Naturals…

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NAHB Chairman responds to Supreme Court tariff ruling

On Feb. 20, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled that the President’s attempts to use emergency powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) was not within his right. “IEEPA does not authorize the President to impose tariffs,” written by the supporting justices in the opinion decision. The National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) throughout these tariff decisions advocated for the exception of building materials in these trade agreements. They cited affordability and supply chain concerns. The association estimated in 2024, an estimated 7% of all goods used in new residential…

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Homeowners choose remodeling over moving

Homeowners in Loudon County, Va., are choosing to renovate their homes instead of moving due to tight housing inventory and discouraging mortgage rates. Across multiple homes in the area, outdated kitchens with dark cabinetry and inefficient layouts have been transformed into bright, functional spaces designed for modern living. Rather than searching for a new home, homeowners are reinvesting in the spaces they already love,  improving flow, storage and long-term comfort. “Many of the homes we work in have great bones,” said Justin Butler, owner of Klappenberger & Son in Loudoun…

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Supreme Court’s tariff ruling will offer construction relief

On Feb. 20, 2026, the Supreme Court threw out a large number of tariffs that were imposed on imports. This decision is expected to have numerous impacts, including some much-needed relief for building materials and inflation as a whole.  A decline in material prices, specifically specialty equipment, HVAC and electrical systems, as well as fixtures, can be an expected result after the ruling. However, tariffs on lumber, steel, copper products and lumber are still in place. Contractors can still expect an overall lessening of material prices.  Read More

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NARI announces their Remodel of the Year Awards

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) announced their Remodel of the Year Awards. These awards are distributed across 44 categories among 7 regions with 159 winners. NARI was formed in 1982 with the merge of the the National Remodelers Association and the National Home Improvement Council. The categories range from best residential kitchen, bath, basement, interiors, whole home and more. The winners for the entire house over $1,000,000 category were Alloway Construction & Restoration, Inc. (Region 1 Northeast), Alair Homes Arlington (Region 2 Southeast),  Gordon James (Region 3…

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