NH home building supplier says costs for materials going up

AS MUCH AS 40%. WHAT WE CAN’T TELL IS KIND OF WHAT THE STRATEGY IS HERE. SENATOR MAGGIE HASSAN IS TALKING ABOUT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S STRATEGY ON TARIFFS. SHE SPOKE WITH THE FOLKS AT BELL TATE, THE NEW ENGLAND HOME BUILDING SUPPLIER. CANADIAN LUMBER HAS BEEN SPARED FROM AN IMPORT TAX, AT LEAST FOR NOW. BUT THE COSTS OF OTHER GOODS HAVE JUMPED SOME AS MUCH AS 40%. THE TARIFFS ON OTHER KINDS OF BUILDING MATERIALS, METALS, WINDOWS, FLASHING ARE REALLY CREATING HIGHER COSTS FOR HOUSING. SENATOR HASSAN SAYS THE UNCERTAINTY COMES AT A TIME WHEN THE GRANITE STATE IS DEALING WITH A HOUSING CRISIS. BECAUSE OF THE TARIFFS, IS MAKING IT HARDER TO INCREASE OUR SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAID THIS ON TARIFFS TODAY AS HE DEPARTED THE WHITE HOUSE. I THINK THE TARIFF PLAN IS DOING VERY WELL. WE’RE RESETTING THE TABLE. WE’RE GOING TO MAKE OUR COUNTRY VERY RICH, VERY, VERY RICH. IT’S ALREADY HAPPENING. THE PRESIDENT HAS TOUTED HIS ECONOMIC PLAN AS A BOOST FOR DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING AND JOBS. THOSE AT BELL STATE TELLING THE SENATOR IT’S TOO SOON TO TELL IF THAT’S HAPPENING IN THE INDUSTRY. BUT AS THE PRESIDENT KEEPS THREATENING TARIFFS AND REALLY IMPOSING THEM IN A RANDOM AND RECKLESS WAY, IT CREATES A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY. SO INCREASED TARIFFS ON CANADIAN LUMBER GOT SCRAPPED EARLIER THIS MONTH. BUT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDERS, A TRADE

U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-New Hampshire, met Friday with workers at home building supplier Belletetes, who said that the prices of some imported goods have jumped as much as 40%.

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