A $12,800 Tariff Hit Has Some Homebuilders Eyeing Side Gigs

Lance Thomas became a homebuilder in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In the years that followed, he got used to economic disruptions — from Covid-19 to sky-high insurance premiums that are tanking housing demand in the area.

Now he worries that tariffs on materials from Asia and Europe are about to drive up his costs on everything from kitchen cabinets to plumbing fixtures. If things get bad, he’s already put a contingency plan in place to supplement his income: drive for Uber Black with his new Cadillac Escalade.