A new 21-story apartment building proposed for Milwaukee, Wisconsin as received unanimous approval from the City Plan Commission. If built, the new tower could possibly be North America’s tallest mass timber building.
Read moreThe Top States to Work in Construction: #5 Michigan
Michigan, the mitten shaped state consisting of two peninsulas and which also seems to be both south and north of all surrounding states somehow, lands at #5 on our list. The state is already the 6th state from the Midwest Region in the top 10, joining Indiana, Kansas, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Read moreVOTES NEEDED! Construction Junkie Nominated for Best Construction Blog of 2019
Construction Junkie has once again been nominated as one of the top construction blogs on the internet and we NEED YOUR HELP to make us #1. Each year, Construction Marketing Ideas organizes a Best Construction Blog competition featuring some the best blogs in the industry. While we’ve come up short of taking the top spot in the past, we think this year is our year.
Read moreAGC: Almost 80% of Construction Firms Plan to Add Headcount in 2019
The construction industry is still booming in most of the country, which is turning into a double edged sword for many contractors. On one hand, more work equals more money. On the other, more work means the need to find more qualified workers to actually build the projects, which has proven to be a very tough task in recent years. A recent survey highlights the repercussions of that dilemma.
The 2019 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook Report
The Associated General Contractors of America and Sage Construction and Real Estate recently released the results of a survey, titled Contractors Remain Confident About Demand, Worried About Labor Supply: The 2019 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook Report that shows 79% of construction firms plan to add headcount in 2019. That percentage is a slight increase over 2018, in which 75% of respondents said they plan to increase headcount. Almost have of the group that plans to add headcount only plan to increase by 10% or less.
Over 1,300 firms responded to a 20 question survey, covering 49 states and Washington DC. You can find the full survey results here.
Workforce Shortages
On the flip side, 78% reported that they are having a tough time filling both salaried and hourly positions, which was down from 83% in 2018’s results. Not only is the inability to find qualified staff making it difficult to complete more work, 37% of the firms say they are increasing bid costs to compensate for staffing changes.
Pay and Benefits for Employees
Increased labor costs can be good news for the actual workers, though. 59% of firms reported that they gave pay raises, another 29% say they added incentives or bonuses, and another 34% increased benefit packages to help retain and attract employees.
Training and Development
63% of firms plan to invest more into training and development programs for both new and current workers, which is up from 52% last year. That’s great news to hear, because as it becomes more difficult to find qualified workers, firms are increasingly hiring “green” employees with little to no experience. Inexperience on a job site can lead to an increased risk of safety issues without proper training.
Technology
42% of responding companies said that they plan to increase their IT budget in 2019 and 30% of those will use that money towards project and document management software. That makes perfect sense to me, as companies that are serious about using technology to further their business need to pick a centralized platform for sharing and communicating with others.
The survey showed that firms are getting more comfortable with moving their project data to the cloud, with 31% saying they are very comfortable, up from 24% in 2018. Just over a quarter of the respondents say that their biggest technology challenge is finding the time to implement and train employees on the new programs. Overhauling a formerly paper driven system is no doubt a tall task not for the faint of heart.
Full Report: Contractors Remain Confident About Demand, Worried About Labor Supply: The 2019 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook Report | AGC and Sage
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Demo Permits Submitted for Future World’s Tallest Voluntary Demolition Project
JPMorgan Chase announced their intentions to tear down their existing 52-story headquarters in Manhattan, New York City early last year. When the demolition is complete, it is widely believed that it will be the tallest building ever to be voluntarily demolished. It’s speculated that the building will be dismantled floor-by-floor, as opposed to imploded, due to obvious safety concerns.
Read moreThe Top States to Work in Construction: #6 Wisconsin
Wisconsin, home of cheese, Milwaukee Tool, and 3 months of tolerable weather per year, lands just outside the top 5 on our countdown, continuing the overall dominance of the Midwest Region. The state is very close to average when it comes to cost of living, at 2.8% below national average.
Read more[VIDEO] Checking In on the Medieval Castle Being Built With 13th Century Construction Techniques
Guedelon Castle, via YouTube
Two and a half years ago, I came across one of the most interesting construction projects I’ve ever seen, called The Guedelon Castle. In a world with cordless power tools, smartphones, and tables strewn across the jobsite, the Guedlon Castle is being constructed solely from 13th Century building techniques in Burgundy, France.
Read moreThe Top States to Work in Construction: #7 Ohio
To be honest, being an Ohio resident, I figured Ohio would end up around the #25 mark on this list. The state, as a whole, tends to be extremely centered, whether it’s politics, geography, weather, or many other indicators. I can’t say there’s anything overly exciting about living in Ohio, but it is simply a nice place to live.
Read moreThe Top States to Work in Construction: #8 North Dakota
Wellll, North Dakota will be certainly be enjoying these bragging rights. Not only do they land in the top 10 of the countdown, the Dakota to the south of them landed at #45. As the 19th largest state by land area, North Dakota is also ranked 47th in both population and density. It has a slightly lower than average cost of living, at 1.1% below the national average and 0.7% lower than South Dakota, according to MERIC.
Read moreABC Offers Resources for Contractors Affected by the Federal Government Shutdown
As the Federal Government rages on in a record setting timeline, many contractors working on Federal contracts will be affected. The Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC), has compiled a group of resources to help assist those contractors until the government is fully up and running.
It’s important to note, first, that several agencies that serve the construction industry are not affected, including the Department of Labor, Defense, Education, Energy, and Veterans Affairs.
For those agencies that are performing construction work that are affected, however, ABC suggests that contractors visit that agency’s website first and/or consult the agency’s Contingency Plan and FAQs During a Lapse in Appropriations.
The E-Verify system, which is confirms employment eligibility of their employees, is also currently unavailable until funding is released to the Department of Homeland Security. That system is used for contractors performing work under a federal or certain public works contracts. To find out more about the E-Verify shutdown, please visit their website.
Full story: Resources for Contractors Affected by the Federal Government Shutdown | ABC
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