English
English
Español
Français

Sign Up for Our E-News!

Join over 18,000 other roofers who get the Week in Roofing for a recap of this week's best industry posts!

Sign Up
NRCA - Sidebar Ad - National Roofing Week 2025
Sales Assist - Sidebar Ad - Build Present Close
IKO - Sidebar - Dynasty
Leap - Sidebar - Free Trial
Hi-Peak - Sidebar ad - Counteroffers
People Make Roofing - Jim Ziminski - sidebar
English
English
Español
Français

What you need to know about tariffs and government policy

What you need to know about tariffs and government policy
June 1, 2025 at 9:00 a.m.

By Dani Sheehan.

With changes happening every day, learn from industry experts to understand the policies, prices and pressures shaping roofing this season.

From material price hikes to supply chain slowdowns, federal tariffs and trade negotiations are quietly reshaping the roofing industry. In a recent Coffee Conversations®, made possible by supporters like Central States Manufacturing Inc., Heidi J. Ellsworth chatted with Trent Cotney of Adams and Reese LLP and Will Lorenz of General Coatings Manufacturing Corp to break down how policies are unfolding and what contractors should watch for as the busy season ramps up.

Since early this year, tariffs and immigration have dominated industry conversations. As Trent explained, “The primary purpose [of these tariffs] is to provide leverage for negotiation. There are desires to bring manufacturing back, raise revenue – but ultimately, it’s about trade positioning.”

The back and forth between countries continues to create volatility. While some tariffs are currently paused, Trent warned that “you can anticipate even as we’re talking, there’s probably going to be more changes.”

As a manufacturer, Will confirmed the impact is already being felt: “I have seen some price increases just generically – 10 to 15 to 20%, depending on which type of material.” Roofing metals like coated steel and aluminum are particularly affected. Trent added, “Most manufacturers are probably going to have pricing adjustments. That will trickle down to distribution, then the contractor, then ultimately the consumer.”

An interesting observation Will made was that roofing doesn’t get hit first, but it does get hit. “The roofing industry is one of those metrics that sort of lags behind the economy,” he shared. “If there’s going to be a recession or a downturn, it hits us later.”

That means jobs already planned and financed are likely to proceed with minimal disruption. And while pricing and material availability remain in flux, you still have time to make smart decisions. As midterm elections get closer, Trent and Will are optimistic that the uncertainty will slow down. By securing your materials, reviewing pricing strategies and staying informed, you can buffer your business from future shock.

Read the transcript, Listen to the podcast or Watch the webinar to dive deeper into how tariffs, trade policy and supply chain strategies are shaping the roofing industry and what you need to do to prepare.

Learn more about Central States Manufacturing Inc. in their Coffee Shop Directory or visit www.centralstatesco.com.

About Dani

Dani is a writer for The Coffee Shops and AskARoofer™. When she's not writing or researching, she's teaching yoga classes or exploring new hiking trails.

 

 



Recommended For You


Comments

There are currently no comments here.

Leave a Reply

Commenting is only accessible to RCS users.

Have an account? Login to leave a comment!


Sign In
FRSA - Banner Ad- FRSA Annual Convention & Expo 2025
English
English
Español
Français

Sign Up for Our E-News!

Join over 18,000 other roofers who get the Week in Roofing for a recap of this week's best industry posts!

Sign Up
Dataforma - Sidebar - Project Management
SRS - Sidebar Ad - Your complete source for solar solutions & building products
CIDAN - Sidebar Ad - Avoid Import Tariffs
MuleHide-Sidebar-Q1
Everest - Sidebar - Ascend
RCS - Sidebar - L&L contest