A Letter to Our Community on the Impact of President Trump's Sweeping NewTariffs on Construction Pricing Estimates

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Dear Handoff Community,

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With President Trump’s sweeping tariffs going into effect this weekend, our industry is once again bracing for material price swings.

We want everyone in the Handoff community to know: you’re covered.

Because Handoff is connected to local, real-time construction pricing databases, your new construction estimates will automatically reflect the latest material costs.

You can keep bidding with confidence, knowing your pricing is up to date and accurate, even as the market shifts on a daily basis. We also know this isn’t a one-time change. Tariff policies are evolving, and with them, so is the pricing landscape. That’s why we’re doubling down on building more tools and resources to help you stay ahead—whether it's smarter estimating, pricing insights, or better forecasting.

More updates are coming soon. In the meantime, if you have questions or need help navigating these changes, please let us know. We can be reached 24/7 through our in-app support chat, or via email at hello@handoff.ai.

Dmitry Alexin
CEO of Handoff

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do tariffs affect construction material prices?
Tariffs can increase the cost of imported construction materials and create price volatility across the supply chain. For contractors, that means material pricing can change quickly, which makes it harder to estimate jobs accurately if pricing data is outdated.

Why do tariffs make construction estimating harder?
Because they can cause material costs to shift faster than most contractors can track manually. If your estimate is based on old pricing, even a small increase in material costs can eat into your margin or make your bid less reliable.

Can Handoff help contractors estimate accurately during tariff-related price changes?
Yes. Handoff uses local, real-time construction pricing data, which helps estimates reflect current material costs as pricing changes. That gives contractors more confidence that the numbers they’re sending out are aligned with what materials actually cost at the time of the estimate.

Will my estimates in Handoff update with current material pricing?
Yes. Handoff is designed to use up-to-date pricing data in new construction estimates, which helps contractors avoid relying on stale numbers during periods of market volatility.

Why is real-time pricing important for contractors right now?
Because when prices are moving quickly, outdated estimates become much riskier. Real-time pricing helps contractors protect their margins, bid with more confidence, and reduce the chances of underpricing work when the market shifts.

What should contractors do when construction material prices are unstable?
They should use current pricing data, tighten up estimating workflows, and make sure proposals reflect the latest known costs. In unstable markets, speed and pricing accuracy matter even more because small changes can have a bigger impact on profitability.