Worker shortage could complicate post-Hurricane Harvey rebuilding

Builders will need a lot of construction insurance – if they can get more workers

Worker shortage could complicate post-Hurricane Harvey rebuilding

Construction & Engineering

By Lyle Adriano

With the worst of Hurricane Harvey behind them, many south Texans are looking forward to rebuilding and renovating their homes and businesses as the floodwaters recede, while brokers and insurers may be looking to offer construction coverage to builders in the area –however, many of those builders will first need to find new workers to bolster their ranks.

A survey published by the National Association of Homebuilders discovered worker shortages among some construction trades are at their highest levels since 2000. The study found that over 70% of builders reported difficulty in hiring carpenters, 63% had trouble finding masons, and more than half said they were hard-pressed to find electricians, painters, plumbers, and roofers.

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The construction worker shortage in Texas, in particular, was so severe that builders estimated that it added as much as a month-and-half in additional time to the construction of a new home.

“You can only imagine that it’s going to be that much worse after the storm,” Texas Association of Builders executive director Scott Norman told CBS News.

General contractors who deal with large infrastructure are also facing a crisis. A survey released last week by Associated General Contractors of America found that 70% of respondents had a “hard time” filling skilled labor positions. Sixty-seven per cent (67%) are expecting labor markets to get tighter this year. In the same survey, half of the firms responding said they are raising worker pay as a result, and another 24% are providing bonuses to attract talent.

Experts have also warned that scammers operating fly-by-night repair businesses will try to take advantage of the worker shortage, preying upon homeowners desperate to have their homes fixed immediately.


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