Cushman and Wakefield released analysis this month confirming that current tariff rates as of April 7, 2026 have pushed construction materials costs up approximately 6% from the 2024 baseline, with total project costs estimated up about 3%. Steel mill products are up 17% year over year according to Bureau of Labor Statistics producer price data. The Associated General Contractors of America updated their Tariff Resource Center on April 8, noting that the situation remains fluid and that contractors should plan for continued uncertainty throughout 2026.
The tariff structure is broad. Section 232 duties on imported steel and aluminum currently sit at 50%, per AGC guidance at agc.org. Derivative products containing those metals face 25% duties. For a Texas contractor, the exposure shows up across structural framing, rebar, mechanical systems, and electrical components on virtually every commercial or civil job. The AGC has been advising contractors to include price escalation clauses in new contracts and to confirm material pricing as close to order date as possible.
“Current tariff rates as of April 7, 2026 will result in an increase to construction materials costs by 6.0% relative to a 2024 baseline, and total project costs are estimated to rise 3.0%.”
Source: Cushman and Wakefield, “The Impact of Tariffs on U.S. CRE Construction Costs” · April 2026 · cushmanwakefield.com
Aggregate sits in a different category. Crushed concrete, limestone, road base, fill dirt, and rip rap are quarried and processed domestically. They are not subject to import tariffs. The cost pressure on aggregate in 2026 is coming from elevated diesel and hauling costs, not trade policy. When a project budget has multiple line items moving upward due to tariff exposure, aggregate is one area where pricing is driven by market and logistics conditions rather than policy uncertainty.
For estimators putting together bids right now, that distinction is worth knowing. It does not mean aggregate pricing is static. Fuel costs at $5.59 per gallon nationally as of April 17 (Source: AAA Fuel Gauge Report, April 17, 2026) still drive hauling costs on every load. But the volatility is different in character and source from what is hitting steel and structural materials.
The practical move is to get current delivered pricing confirmed before bids are submitted. In a cost environment this active, a quote from 60 or 90 days ago is not a reliable budget number for any material on the job, including aggregate.
In a project budget with multiple line items moving upward, aggregate is one of the more predictable inputs. Locking in a delivered price before a bid is submitted removes one variable from a budget that already has enough of them.