Beyond red and blue

By Emma Peterson. 

Trent Cotney on tariffs, labor, global conflict and other issues affecting roofing professionals across the country. 

In a new episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Heidi J. Ellsworth had the chance to sit down with Adams and Reese attorney and industry advocate Trent Cotney to discuss the major economic and legal issues impacting contractors across the United States. 

As of the recording of this episode, March 9, 2026, the newest concern for American contractors was the war in Iran. Trent shared a bit about the potential impacts of this ongoing situation, sharing, “Obviously, the war in Iran is causing gas prices to rise long-term. As for short-term impacts, we might soon see material costs elevate.” But this was far from the only concern. Trent continued, “I’ve digested more news since January of 2025 than I think I have the rest of my entire life. And it's because everything’s constantly changing.” 

A great example of this is the continuing tariff issues. Trent explained, “Recently, the Supreme Court decision unraveled the IEPA tariffs, which were the tariffs that the Trump administration used to justify the existing tariffs that were placed out there based on emergency powers. And there's already been some assertion of a blanket 10% tariff.” And of course, you cannot forget the immigration policy changes that have been happening lately. Trent shared, “While it’s died down in the news with the war in Iran and such, I-9 audits and ICE raids are still up. And to be clear, none of this is a red state or a blue state thing. It's in every state.” 

So, what can contractors do in the midst of this myriad of issues and uncertainties? Trent had two main pieces of advice, both related to keeping contractor operations efficient and optimized. One, review your contracts. He explained:  

"You always want to take a look at your contracts, both upstream and downstream with your customers and your subcontractors. Make sure that you've got up-to-date provisions in there, like a price acceleration provision that allows you to get more money in the event that material prices increase for whatever reason."

And two, optimize your operations for efficiency. He gave an example of what this means, explaining, “Efficiency helps you weather uncertainty. The contractors that are utilizing AI are gaining efficiencies that will help insulate them. It's getting to the point where if you are not using it, you are not going to be as competitive.

Beyond these two internal action items, contractors can work together in the face of these issues. A great way to do this is through the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA)’s Roofing Day in D.C.! This event brings industry professionals from across the country together to advocate for the development of federal legislation and policies that support the roofing industry. Trent explained, “In construction, we don’t have blue issues or red issues. Things like tariffs and war, those impact everyone. And that’s what Roofing Day is about, it’s coming together to talk about those issues that affect us all and make the industry’s voice heard on the Hill.”  

Listen to the whole podcast or Watch the recording to hear more of Trent’s insights into the modern issues roofing professionals are facing. And for anyone interested in being a part of this year’s Roofing Day (held April 14-15, 2026), we’ve partnered with Elevate to send one professional to the event free of charge! Learn more  and enter for your chance to win.