I do not know if the members have been affected by the Tariffs being imposed on imported items, but I just had my first taste. I contacted a local franchised constructing company that I have had good luck with over the years to have the deck (just over 700 SF) replaced in the backyard. We had agreed on a price and we gave them a 30-day window to start and finish.
The 30-day window gave them the chance to get their workers and equipment scheduled. They assured me that they had all the supplies. And I always include a “Time is of the Essence” clause to ensure they do not leave us hanging with an uncompleted job, else they forfeit some of the cost… (they get penalized for dragging a job out…)
Yesterday, we received a “new” estimate that due to Tariffs imposed on Canadian Lumber, the estimate would now be about 15% or $3,100 higher with the possibility of the estimate rising by 40% or over $8,000.
I called and asked how is this even possible and the agent went into a long-winded diatribe about the President’s Tariff’s War and it took me beating the phone on the desk to get a word in edgewise…
I demanded the “WHY” and he assured me that their accountant had reviewed all of the estimate and it is correct. I asked why I would have to pay the tariff on the supplies when the original agent that wrote the initial estimate assured me that they had all the supplies in stock and nothing would have to be ordered (thus delaying the work…). The also agent assured me that all the workers were employees and not sub-contractors, so I asked where they hiring Canadian Construction workers as the new estimate also included a 15% increase on the labor…
He fumbled the labor issue, but explained that the tariff on the supplies was necessary to replace the supplies used on my project…
At this point, I explained that they can forget the project and to cancel it. I also told them that I would be filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, I would be contacting the Attorney General’s Office to notify them the they might be guilty of Fraud for charging a tariff on labor and supplies already in stock, and I would be notifying the National Franchise…
I hope this serves as a warning to rest of the members that this world is getting crazier by the day…
In order to try to keep this car-related, here’s a look at what we can expect with car insurance as a result of tariffs. Even if you’re not buying a car, it looks like your already-high car insurance rate will increase shortly. Just my luck, as my policy comes up for renewal in ~30 days.
This has to be the lamest excuse ever. Who would agree to cover the replacement cost of lumber they already have allocated to your project? That extra cost would be applied to the next customer. This is clearly a money grab or, the original person lied about the inventory status. I suspect the former since they seemed to stumble on their answer(excuse). Surprised they let you walk away. A lot of people are deciding to hold off on big expenses and they may very well be sitting on that lumber inventory for some time, begging for work…
So my car insurance could increase by 3% because of tariffs… A far bigger increase comes from buying a newer, more expensive car assembled in Flat Rock, Michigan.
The 5% increase likely anyway is bigger than the tariffs might cause and is caused by idiot drivers damaging expensive car parts.
I have not had this newer Mustang a month when some inattentive driver almost rammed into the front head-on! Judicious use of the horn woke the old lady up! How can anyone not see a black car in broad daylight right in front of them?
Consider composite decking instead. Azek and Trex are US companies and you could avoid cost increases due to tariffs. They aren’t cheap. We have Azek composite decking and it’s great. It looks a lot like painted wood, but you don’t need to paint it. Get literature on their websites and decide if composite decking works for you.
I’ve been really interested in the Trex “lumber” myself, but the cost always scares me away. I thought of replacing a few deck boards at a time with Trex, to sort of spread out the cost. Of course, the wife may feel differently…
And I’ll carry the Trex in my car, just to keep this car-related.
In these times folks will be using any excuse to increase prices whether legitimate or not. I understand replacement cost and is used for gas etc. lots of people like the plastic. My BIL spent all summer putting his down, cutting, fitting, screwing. I still like wood even though I do some replacement most every year. That stuff is a lot heavier and expands and contracts with the sun, but everyone does what they want. Yeah expect similar excuses. Remember all the fuel surcharges?
I know exactly how you must have felt. I had my new car for about 3 weeks when a woman coming from the opposite direction, in her right lane. decided to make a U-turn right in front of me and come to a complete stop. I’m glad I got the Big brake package. LOL
