Prices for higher-end building materials, including stone countertops and, in particular, metal finishes, have risen sharply since last year. Getty Images
Inflation Strikes Home Remodels, as Copper, Brass and Hardwood Finishes ‘Explode in Cost’
Industry experts and construction firms from Colorado to Florida are noting surging costs for copper roofs, brass details, hardwood cabinets and even steel framing
By Margaret Heidenry
Inflation has been nibbling at life’s luxuries, from Brazilian coffee to rib-eye steaks.
For high-end homeowners building or renovating at the top of the market, the pain lands not in the pantry but the expensive touches that elevate a house from something purely functional to a true sanctuary: brass faucets, millwork, hardwood cabinets or slab stone countertops. And those details are where today’s price pressures are showing most.
“I’ve watched premium interior finishes absolutely explode in cost,” said Tyler Tranni of Tranni Home Remodeling in Billerica, Massachusetts.
The latest economic data confirms this trend. While overall wholesale and consumer inflation was fairly muted in August, many building materials, especially metals and imports, have experienced the biggest price pressure, according to September’s Producer Price Index. It is causing prices to surge for architectural and design details such as copper roofs, brass and gold-brushed bathroom fixtures, and nonmetal materials such as quartz countertops.
Out on the Eastern End of Long Island, Justin Fulweiler, president and co-founder of Windward Construction Management, noted some “costs seem unchecked,” driven by the double whammy of Covid-era inflation and new tariffs.
Indeed, recent tariffs have added a new layer of pressure to already inflated building costs. Even domestically produced finishes feel the pinch, since many rely on imported components.
Kyle Peacock of Peacock Tariff Consulting has tracked the impact of inflation and tariffs from Palm Beach, Florida, to Beverly Hills, California. He noted that inflation has “particularly” sharply driven up the cost of nonferrous metals.
“In Aspen, Colorado, copper roofing has surged more than 18% compared to 2024, making it one of the priciest exterior finishes in the market,” Peacock said.
Here’s a closer look at what materials are soaring the most and affordable swaps that builders recommend to keep the Midas touch in upscale builds.
