Comment from Fabrications, LLC

My family has been in the stone fabrication business since 1998. Residential builders account for the majority of our revenue, and nearly every new home we supply receives quartz countertops as part of the standard finish package. An additional tariff on quartz slabs would simply become another added cost passed on to new homebuyers. The residential construction market is already facing significant challenges due to high interest rates, increased material costs, rising labor expenses, and higher energy costs. Home sales have slowed, and small businesses like ours are struggling to remain competitive while absorbing reduced sales volume, escalating freight expenses, and existing tariffs on other building products. Domestic quartz manufacturers currently do not have the production capacity to meet market demand. Even with substantial investment, it would likely take years for domestic production to reach the levels necessary to support the industry. Over the years, we have invested millions of dollars in state-of-the-art equipment, employee training, and safety programs to comply with strict OSHA requirements for fabricating and installing stone and quartz countertops. We have made these investments to operate responsibly, protect our employees, and provide high-quality products to our customers. From our perspective, these proposed tariffs place an additional burden on small businesses, homebuilders, and consumers while providing a significant advantage to a limited number of large domestic manufacturers. The result is higher housing costs at a time when affordability is already a major concern for many American families. Unfortunately, it feels like another situation where large corporations and rich donors benefit while small businesses and everyday consumers are left to bear the cost.