Office Construction Costs Ease as Inflation Slows: Tariff and Labor Expenses Pose New Challenges and Uncertainties

Cushman & Wakefield releases 2025 General Contractor Sentiment Survey

Inflation has eased across the Americas, causing construction cost increases to drop below their 5- and 10-year averages, but the sector still faces uncertainties due to new U.S. tariffs on imports from key trading partners like Canada and Mexico. Rising labor costs and prices of commodities such as lumber, steel, copper, and cement are expected to continue into 2025, according to Cushman & Wakefield's Winter 2025 General Contractor Sentiment Survey.

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Office: Under Construction (Graphic: Business Wire)

“While we’re seeing the pace of inflation slow on construction costs, there remain serious headwinds and uncertainty about the impact of tariffs and labor shortages on the construction industry,” said Brian Ungles, President, Project & Development Services, Americas. “Our survey shows that general contractors expect permitting times will continue to be a major pain point as well, leading to project delays and more uncertainty.”

The new office construction pipeline has declined 40% across the Americas year-over-year (YOY). This dearth of new office deliveries means that occupiers may need to focus on upgraded fit outs in existing space due to limited availabilities of new space.

“While new office construction pipeline has decreased, costs for all construction will continue to rise with more fit-out activity in existing offices and the strength of new construction in other property sectors, which increases competition for construction materials and labor,” said Richard Jantz, Tri-State Lead, Project & Development Services.

To facilitate fit outs by accommodating higher costs, office landlords increased Class A tenant improvement (TI) packages by 7% YOY, with some markets seeing a 20% YOY increase in TI allowances. However, given fit out cost escalations, occupiers should still take time to fully understand their out-of-pocket costs.

Cushman & Wakefield’s 2025 Americas Office Fit Out Cost Guide offers insights into 58 markets, providing occupiers with better support to refine their capital planning and relocation budgets. A comprehensive fit out cost section includes current costs for architectural trades; millwork; doors, frames and hardware; drywall, acoustic ceilings and carpentry; general finishes; mechanical, plumbing and fire protection; electrical and more. New in 2025, we’ve added a process to calculate all-in costs: Low Voltage Cabling, Audio Visual Equipment, Security, and Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment (FF&E), and soft costs. The report also explores key findings, an overview of general construction conditions, and a detailed analysis of the office sector.

About Cushman & Wakefield

Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK) is a leading global commercial real estate services firm for property owners and occupiers with approximately 52,000 employees in nearly 400 offices and 60 countries. In 2024, the firm reported revenue of $9.4 billion across its core service lines of Services, Leasing, Capital markets, and Valuation and other. Built around the belief that Better never settles, the firm receives numerous industry and business accolades for its award-winning culture. For additional information, visit www.cushmanwakefield.com.

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