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President Trump’s 25% tariffs on steel, aluminum imports to be felt by Bay Area pool companies

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Published  March 12, 2025 5:36pm EDT
Tampa
FOX 13 News

Tariffs impacting Bay Area businesses, consumers

FOX 13's Ariel Plasencia shares how the ongoing trade war is impacting the price of pool screens here in Florida.

The Brief

    • The Trump administration's 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports went into effect on Wednesday.
    • Local pool companies could feel the impacts on pool screen enclosures, which typically have aluminum frames and use stainless steel screws.
    • One Tampa company made the decision to increase pricing on screens by 15% on March 1.

TAMPA, Fla. - Some local pool companies said they will feel the impact of the Trump administration’s 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, specifically when it comes to selling screen enclosures around pools. 

These tariffs went into effect Wednesday as President Donald Trump vowed to take back wealth "stolen" by other countries, which drew quick retaliation from Europe and Canada. 

READ: Trump's trade war 2.0: Timeline of tariffs, retaliation, and global fallout

Local perspective:

Because pool screen enclosures typically have aluminum frames and use stainless steel screws, Eric Larsen, who owns Larsen’s Pool & Spa, said the company made the decision to increase pricing on screens by 15%, starting March 1. 

"We're not making any more money. It's just costing us that much more for materials," Larsen told FOX 13.

By the numbers:

According to the Tampa pool company, roughly 80% of their projects typically include screen enclosures. Since it can take some time between the customer making a final decision to pull permits to actually starting the construction process, Larsen told FOX 13 the company had to be "proactive" with potential clients.  

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"We're just being upfront with everyone and saying, 'hey, you know, this is the price today, but we're not sure what's going to happen in three months, four months, when we're ready to build it,'" Larsen added.

The average screen enclosure can cost around $20,000, so Larsen said he understands a 15% price increase is significant for homeowners. 

What they're saying:

"I hope it doesn't hurt our business too much," Larsen said. 

MORE: CPI February update: Egg prices up another 10% though inflation cools

The business owner said he’ll stay in contact with the company’s suppliers, and if costs for these metals come back down, the pool company won’t hesitate to lower its pricing. 

"We're keeping our fingers crossed and saying our prayers and hoping for a good future," Larsen said. "So, we'll see what happens."

The Source: The information in this story was gathered through an interview with the owner of Larsen’s Pool & Spa in Tampa. The Associated Press also contributed to this report. 

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