How Trump's 2025 Tariffs Are Affecting Commercial Roofing Costs in Florida

Published April 2026 · Ocean Group Construction

If you're planning a commercial roofing project in Florida in 2026, you're dealing with a price environment that's fundamentally different from two years ago. The tariffs implemented in 2025 — targeting steel, aluminum, and a range of imported building materials — have rippled through the commercial construction supply chain in ways that directly affect every re-roof, new construction project, and maintenance program in the state.

Here's an honest breakdown of what's happening, what it means for your roofing budget, and what strategies smart property managers are using to manage the impact.

Which Tariffs Are Affecting Commercial Roofing?

Steel and Aluminum Tariffs (25%)

The 25% tariff on imported steel and aluminum directly affects multiple components of commercial roofing systems:

• Metal roofing panels — Standing seam steel and aluminum panels have seen 15-25% price increases
• Edge metal and coping — Every flat roof requires perimeter edge metal, and prices are up 18-22%
• Fasteners — Mechanical attachment fasteners for TPO and EPDM systems are steel-based
• Flashing — Roof-to-wall, curb, and penetration flashings use galvanized steel or aluminum
• Gutters and downspouts — Commercial drainage systems impacted across the board

Broader Material Tariffs

Beyond steel and aluminum, tariffs on Chinese-manufactured goods and broader trade policies have affected:

• PVC and TPO raw materials — Resin costs have increased 8-12% due to tariffs on chemical precursors
• Insulation boards — Polyiso insulation costs up 10-15%, partly tariff-driven, partly supply chain adjustment
• Adhesives and sealants — Silicone and polyurethane products impacted by chemical tariffs
• Equipment and tools — Imported construction equipment carries higher costs, passed through as overhead

Real-World Impact on Florida Commercial Roofing Costs

Here's what we're seeing in actual bids across Florida in early 2026 compared to early 2024:

Metal roofing is material-sensitive. Tariffs and supplier pricing may affect panels, edge metal, fasteners and accessories differently. Use dated quotes rather than a universal escalation percentage.

The least affected: silicone coatings. Silicone roof coating systems are seeing the smallest price increases because the material is primarily domestically produced and doesn't rely heavily on imported metal components. This is making coating restoration an even more attractive alternative to full re-roofing.

What Smart Florida Property Managers Are Doing

1. Locking in Material Pricing Early

Material prices are still volatile. Manufacturers are releasing price increase letters quarterly rather than annually. Property managers who commit to projects and allow contractors to order materials early are locking in current pricing rather than gambling on further increases. If you're planning a 2026 project, order materials now — even if installation is months away.

2. Shifting from Metal to TPO Where Possible

For projects where metal roofing was specified primarily for durability rather than aesthetics, some owners are re-evaluating. A quality TPO system with a 20-year NDL warranty costs significantly less than standing seam metal right now — and the performance gap in Florida's flat-roof commercial market is negligible for most building types.

3. Choosing Coating Restoration Over Replacement

A coating restoration may reduce some tear-off and new-material scope only when the existing assembly is eligible. Compare current bids after moisture, adhesion, deck and detail conditions are documented.

4. Bundling Multi-Building Portfolio Work

Property managers with multiple buildings are bundling projects to negotiate volume material pricing. Manufacturers offer better per-square pricing on large orders, which helps offset tariff-driven increases. If you manage 5 buildings that all need roof work in the next 3 years, bidding them together produces better numbers than bidding them individually.

5. Exploring the 179D Tax Deduction

Section 179D treatment depends on current law, project timing, whole-building performance and professional certification. Review the current Section 179D guidance with qualified tax and engineering professionals.

Will Prices Come Down?

The honest answer: probably not soon, and possibly not at all. Even if tariffs are reduced or restructured, the commercial roofing supply chain has already repriced. Manufacturers who've raised prices rarely reduce them when input costs stabilize — they absorb the margin improvement. The construction industry saw this after the 2018 steel tariffs: prices rose, tariff pressure eased, but installed costs never returned to pre-tariff levels.

For Florida property managers, the practical takeaway is: if you have roofing work that needs to be done, doing it now is cheaper than doing it in 12 months. Every price increase letter we've received from manufacturers in 2026 has been upward. Waiting is not a savings strategy in this environment.

How Ocean Group Is Managing Tariff Impact

As certified applicators for GAF, Carlisle, Versico, Firestone, Sika, Tremco, and Soprema, we have direct relationships with manufacturers that give us visibility into pricing changes before they hit the broader market. We're helping clients:

• Lock in material pricing with early ordering on committed projects
• Value-engineer specifications to reduce tariff-exposed components without sacrificing performance
• Evaluate coating restoration as an alternative to full replacement where appropriate
• Structure multi-building packages for volume pricing advantages

Contact us to discuss your roofing project and get current pricing before the next round of increases.

📞 786-696-4829 · [email protected] · Request a Commercial Roof Assessment