What changed on Canadian softwood

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s seventh administrative review cut the duties on most Canadian softwood lumber. The antidumping duty fell from 20.56% to 10.66%, and the countervailing duty from 14.63% to 14.17%. Combined, that’s a drop from about 35% to about 25%. NAHB reports the lower rates took effect in August.

But one tariff stays put

The separate 10% Section 232 tariff on lumber remains in place, so Canadian softwood still faces roughly 35% in total duties and tariffs. And on August 24, NAHB reported new 50% tariffs on about $20 billion in Canadian goods, including plywood, LVL, fiberboard and Portland cement. Softwood lumber is not on that list. NAHB is urging the administration to exempt building materials given the housing affordability crisis.

New 50% tariffs reach plywood and LVL, so check engineered-wood quotes, not just dimensional lumber.

The Maine picture is mixed

For Maine’s forest products industry, the tariffs cut both ways. The Maine Monitor reported in February that Pleasant River Lumber in Enfield and Dover-Foxcroft added a second shift under the tariffs. Lumbra Hardwoods in Milo, meanwhile, is paying more than $1,000 in duties per load shipped to a longtime Quebec customer.

What you can do now

• Check your contracts for a material price escalation clause, and shorten how long quotes stay valid.
• Ask your supplier about pricing and lead times for LVL and plywood.
• Watch NAHB’s weekly framing lumber price page before you bid.

What builders reported

• Current sales conditions: 35, down 4
• Sales expectations, next six months: 37, down 6
• Traffic of prospective buyers: 23, unchanged
• 38% of builders cut prices, up from 35% in August
• 66% offered sales incentives, up from 63%

Reading the index

The HMI runs from 0 to 100. Any reading below 50 means more builders see sales conditions as poor than good. Every region is now below that line.

Owens added that “builders also continue to face higher material costs, rising gas and diesel prices and persistent labor shortages.” NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz pointed to “tight lending conditions and elevated land, labor and construction costs.”

Two out of three builders are now using incentives to close sales.

What it means for Maine members

These are the same pressures covered in August’s report on material costs, which found builders with 5 or fewer starts saw the steepest increases. Incentives are now the norm: two out of three builders nationally are offering them. If you aren’t talking with buyers about rate buydowns or closing-cost help, your competitors probably are.

What went away

45L (builders): Up to $5,000 per new home built to ENERGY STAR or Zero Energy Ready Home standards. Homes acquired from 2023 through June 30, 2026 can still qualify, so check with your tax advisor about homes you closed before then.

25C (homeowners): Up to $1,200 a year for insulation, windows, doors and similar upgrades, for property placed in service through December 31, 2025. Both were eliminated by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4, 2025.

Heat pumps and weatherization still qualify for state rebates of up to $9,000 and $8,000.

What it means for your business

New construction: Without 45L, the case for ENERGY STAR or Zero Energy Ready homes rests on buyers’ lower energy bills and resale value. Lead with operating costs in your sales conversations.

Remodelers: If you aren’t a Residential Registered Vendor, your clients can’t claim these rebates. Registering could win you work.

Who’s renovating

54% of homeowners renovated in 2025, and 50% plan projects in 2026. The top triggers are finally having the time (40%) and feeling financially ready (36%).

How they pay

84% pay with savings, and 34% use credit cards, up 5 points from the year before. At the high end, the top 10% of projects cost $150,000 or more, up 7% from 2024.

Allowances and written change orders are your best defense against the two biggest causes of overruns.

Put it to work on your next job

Price selections up front. Premium materials are the leading cause of overruns, so set allowances and show good, better and best options before the contract is signed.

Put scope changes in writing. With 31% of overruns coming from scope growth, a clear change-order process protects you and your client.

Talk budget early. If planned budgets are falling toward $15,000, ask about the number in the first conversation, not the third.

Concrete

• Plan for cold weather whenever the air temperature has fallen, or is expected to fall, below 40°F during protection (ACI 306R-16).
• Protect fresh concrete from freezing until it reaches 500 psi.
• Deal with subgrade conditions before you pour.
• Vent combustion heaters outside, or use hydronic or indirect heat. ACI warns that heater exhaust can damage the surface of concrete less than 24 hours old.

Crews

• Train crews on the four cold-related illnesses NIOSH identifies: hypothermia, frostbite, trench foot and chilblains.
• Provide a warm area for breaks and warm drinks.
• Schedule the coldest tasks for the warmest part of the day when you can.
• Encourage loose layers, waterproof boots and hats. Have crew members watch each other for symptoms.

Snow, ice and roofs

• OSHA requires fall protection and training when workers clear snow from roofs or work at heights.
• Use ladders safely. Wear footwear with good traction and insulation, and take short steps on slick surfaces.

Put weather delays in the plan and the contract before the first frost.

Site and materials

• Plan drainage so meltwater doesn’t refreeze across walkways and work areas.
• Use heated enclosures and insulating blankets where needed.
• Buildertrend notes winter can be a good time to buy materials at lower prices and restock staples. Given this fall’s tariff news, talk with your supplier early.

Clients

• Explain your weather plan and how delays will be handled before work begins.
• Review your contract language, as Buildertrend suggests.