Lack of Skilled Labor
Because many of the snafus building inspectors face have to do with incompetent installation, they could be minimized or eliminated by a well-trained workforce, says Armstrong. In his market he often sees the detrimental effects of the construction labor shortage, especially for roofing and insulation subcontractors. Job superintendents turn over quite a bit as well, he says, as they get scooped up by competing building firms.
“This provides an inconsistency to a job,” he says. “You get a superintendent trained in how what goes in to a high-quality house and then when they leave someone new has to be trained.”
The problem is
affecting builders’ bottom line as well: New research from Metrostudy found that 46% of builders and contractors are
increasing pay and benefits to keep labor.
