Tariffs are pricing Americans out of renovating, survey finds

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Throughout 2025, many industries have seen increased prices on goods due to changes in tariffs. Often, these price increases are passed on to the consumer, ultimately impacting the choices they make in their daily lives. In partnership with Pollfish, Eagle Woodworking conducted a survey of 1,000 U.S. homeowners on Nov. 18 to determine how tariffs are affecting their renovation decisions.

Survey results show that many Americans are delaying their renovations until a more favorable time, while others are forgoing them altogether in the face of increased prices. Let’s take a look at the survey results to see where the economic tensions lie and how Americans are pulling back their renovation plans.

Key Takeaways

• Remodeling costs are on the rise. Over half of homeowners said tariffs increased their remodeling costs.
• Homeowners are hesitating to plan renovations due to costs. Nearly 70% of homeowners report concern that trade policies will make home projects unaffordable.
• Secondhand products are gaining popularity. Secondhand or upcycled goods are favored by 24% of homeowners.

What Renovations Are Americans Planning

Rather than get into large renovation projects, homeowners are trending toward buying new furniture and appliances, but even these purchases are getting put on hold. Among those planning a remodel, 39% were focused on remodeling and decorating a bathroom, followed closely by a third (33%) who are planning to remodel or redecorate their kitchen.

Twenty-four percent said they have other remodeling or decorating plans. Interestingly, almost a quarter (22%) responded that they weren’t planning any renovations for this year, and only 12% were planning to add an extension.

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How Tariffs Have Disrupted Renovation Plans

The tariffs, either announced, enacted, or expected, have already had an impact on the homebuilding and renovation industry. In fact, over half (52%) of survey respondents said that tariffs have increased costs for their projects. As a result, 30% paused their projects in hopes that prices would level out or come down in the future.

In April, according to the National Association of Homebuilders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), suppliers increased their prices by 6.3%. Some builders are preordering materials to keep costs down, but often don’t have a place to store them.

However, according to the latest HMI survey, 37% of builders reported cutting prices in June, which is good news for consumers. But despite these reported price cuts, between 23% and 26% of respondents say they’re turning towards cheaper or secondhand goods to keep renovation costs down.

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What Tariffs Are Costing Homeowners

Part of the issue is the uncertainty over which tariffs will be enacted and exactly what prices will be affected. This level of unpredictability when it comes to material costs can cause homeowners to hesitate starting a renovation project.

According to the survey, 84% are aware that tariffs will negatively impact remodeling costs, and 67% are concerned that these trade policies will price them out of their desired renovations. Cost increases for home renovation projects among those surveyed range from less than $500 to over $10,000, with 80% saying tariffs have increased their quotes and reporting cost increases of more than $1,000.

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Impact on Homeowner Decision Making

More homeowners are staying in their homes longer than they did in the past, averaging 11.9 years in their home compared with 6.5 years two decades ago, according to Redfin, with many older homeowners deciding to age in place rather than downsize or move into an assisted living facility.

This tendency to stay put means that homeowners will need to focus on upkeep and remodeling when necessary to maintain the home long-term. With 27% of homeowners saying that tariffs have significantly influenced their decisions, some updates and remodeling may be put on the back burner, which could lead to a need for more extensive work down the road.

The survey found that 62% of homeowners say that tariffs significantly or somewhere negatively influenced their remodeling or decorating decisions. Around a fifth of homeowners were avoiding a kitchen remodel or a bathroom remodel altogether (21% and 20%, respectively). If the tariffs were lifted, some of these homeowners would no longer avoid remodeling these spaces, which could make things more comfortable for those staying in their homes for the long haul.

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What Happens If Tariffs Are Lifted

While you can’t predict the future, let’s imagine that you wake up tomorrow and the tariffs are lifted. In this scenario, 40% of homeowners say they would expand or speed up their remodeling plans. But there’s still some uncertainty. Over a quarter (27%) of homeowners say they’re unsure. These numbers allow room for consumer behavior to shift in response to future economic policies.

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Get Creative With Your Renovation Strategy

While Americans are eager to invest in their homes to make them more comfortable and functional, many are waiting for costs to come down before they embark on remodeling and redecorating projects. It can be easy to hear about economic policies without always seeing their real-world impact, but tariffs have shown how these policies affect the decisions of everyday Americans. Tariffs aren’t just a supply chain issue, something for large companies and suppliers to worry about; they’re directly responsible for reshaping homeownership and renovation behavior in 2025.

So, what can you do to help your clients navigate the uncertainty surrounding tariffs? Rethinking the scope of the project and recommending smaller upgrades or remodels can help clients refresh their home without being as vulnerable to price hikes and uncertainty. Focusing on smaller projects, like replacing the cabinet doors and hardware or upgrading existing drawers to new dovetail drawers and other specialty drawers, can upgrade the space without the cost of a full renovation.

This story was produced by Eagle Woodworking and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.