NOT SO TERRIFIC: HOW TARIFFS ARE SHAPING THE ELECTRICAL TRADE

In our industry, where materials can make or break timelines and budgets, the ripple effects of tariffs are impossible to ignore, especially for those of us in the trades. While the goal of these policies is often to promote domestic manufacturing and protect American jobs, the reality on the ground tells a more complicated story. For contractors and tradespeople alike, tariffs are adding cost, uncertainty, and complexity to an already high-pressure environment.

We’ve felt it firsthand. Prices for critical electrical materials—wire, conduit, panels, gear, and even small components—have steadily climbed. Some of that can be attributed to broader supply chain issues especially since COVID, and inflation, but tariffs are without a doubt going to be part of the equation. Materials like copper, aluminum, and steel are central to everything we do—and they’ve all been subject to steep duties. The current tariff on Chinese imports alone in certain product categories have reportedly gone as high as 145%.

According to recent data from Associated Builders and Contractors, copper wire and cable—one of the most essential components of our trade—is up more than 13% year-over-year. Switchgear, switchboards, and industrial control equipment have seen even steeper increases, rising over 50%. These aren’t just background costs—they’re the backbone of nearly every system we install.

If you're bidding a job today, you may be working with a totally different material cost than you were just six months ago. That kind of volatility doesn’t just impact margins—it changes how we bid, how we schedule, and how we manage expectations with clients. In a trade like ours, where even a slight price shift on large quantities of material can swing a job from profitable to painful, we don’t have the luxury of guessing.

And it’s not just us. General contractors and developers across the country are running into the same wall. One warehouse project in New Jersey saw an 8–10% increase in steel pricing, pushing their costs up by $2 million. Another developer working near Washington, D.C. had a steel order that was about to jump 15%—only narrowly avoiding that hit because the order had already been placed. It’s a reminder that, no matter the size of the job, we’re all playing in the same market—and it’s a market being reshaped by global trade policy.

From our end in electrical, the impact is amplified by how specialized many of our components are. Panel boards, breakers, lighting controls, smart systems, and fixtures—many of these include parts or raw materials from overseas. When those imports are hit with tariffs, the whole chain feels the impact, from manufacturers and suppliers all the way down to the hands on the wire and even the homeowners.

But what makes this issue even more frustrating is the unpredictability. Tariff policies have been known to change overnight. In some cases, a new duty is announced only to be reversed within days or weeks. This kind of volatility makes long-term planning incredibly difficult. It encourages clients to delay projects, prompts suppliers to raise prices "just in case," and forces us, as contractors, to either pad our bids, add allowances, or prepare for change orders tied directly to tariff-related fluctuations—or take a financial risk; non of which feels good.

This uncertainty doesn’t just impact our books—it impacts relationships. Clients want clear numbers and tight timelines. When we can’t provide those confidently, it introduces tension. And when projects stall, it affects everyone—from employees counting on steady hours to GCs trying to meet builders’ demands.

That said, we’re no strangers to adapting. The trades have always required flexibility. We’ve worked through permit delays, material shortages, weather interruptions, pandemics and labor fluctuations. Tariffs are just another curveball—one we have to factor in, navigate around, and work through.

Still, it would be a mistake to dismiss tariffs as background noise. For those of us doing the work, they’re a real part of the equation. As the industry looks to regain momentum after a few unpredictable years, we understand that challenges like this come with the territory. Projects are lining up, confidence is returning, and our teams are ready. Tariffs may not be within our control, but adapting to them is just part of keeping the work moving and the standard high.

So for now, we plan with what we know, build in contingencies where we can, and stay in close contact with suppliers and clients alike. We keep showing up with the same responsible, sustainable, and profitable approach that we at Fiske make every decision based on—tariffs or not.