Eye On Housing
Labor and subcontractor shortages remained widespread in July of 2019 and are continuing to impact the industry in a number of ways—including putting additional upward pressure on new home prices— according to results from special questions on the survey for the NAHB/Well Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). In July, the HMI survey asked builders specifically about shortages in 16 different occupations. … Read More ›
Last Thursday’s post reported on the record share of single-family builders reporting shortages of labor and subcontractors.in the July survey for the NAHB/Well Fargo Housing Market Index. The same survey asked builders about the effects the shortages were having on their businesses. The most widespread effects were causing builders to pay higher wages/subcontractor bids (reported by 84 percent of builders),… Read More ›
Labor and subcontractor shortages became even more widespread in July of 2018 than they were a year earlier, according to single-family builders who responded to special questions on the survey for the NAHB/Well Fargo Housing Market Index. The July 2018 survey asked builders about shortages in 15 specific occupations that were either recommended by Home Builders Institute or other key… Read More ›
From the trough of the housing downturn in 2010 through 2015, the number of homes under construction increased by 131 percent and the number of employees working in construction trade businesses increased by 18 percent. Over that span, how much would you guess the number of one-person construction trade firms increased? The answer, believe it or not, is not at all. … Read More ›
Labor and subcontractor shortages have become even more widespread in July of 2017 than they were in June of 2016, according to single-family builders responding to special questions on the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) survey. The July 2017 HMI survey asked builders about shortages in 15 specific occupations that were either recommended by Home Builders Institute (NAHB’s workforce development arm)… Read More ›
A survey of single-family builders conducted by NAHB in June 2016 shows that shortages of labor and subcontractors have become more widespread than they were a year ago. The survey consisted of special questions on labor and subcontractor availability that NAHB has periodically added to the instrument for the monthly NAHB/Well Fargo Housing Market Index. The questions have covered 9… Read More ›
Based on the recently released 2012 Economic Census data, new NAHB research shows that residential construction remains the industry of independent entrepreneurs with 81 percent of homebuilders and specialty trade contractors being self-employed independent contractors. Even among establishments with paid employees, the industry is dominated by small businesses, with two-thirds of homebuilders and three out of four specialty trade contractors… Read More ›
A previous post discussed how the current shortage of subcontractors in residential construction is becoming more acute. This is significant, because subcontractors are very important to the construction of the typical home. Periodically, NAHB has found it worthwhile to remind the public just how important. NAHB addressed the topic most recently in the September 2015 Special Study in Housing Economics. … Read More ›
A survey of single-family builders conducted by NAHB in June 2015 shows that shortages of labor and subcontractors—already quite widespread in mid-2014—have become even more widespread during the past year. The shortages are most acute for basic skills like carpentry, which are needed during the construction of any home. For example, in the 2015 survey 69 percent of builders reported a… Read More ›
Data from a June 2014 NAHB survey show that shortages of labor and subcontractors have become substantially more widespread since 2013. Shortages are particularly acute for workers with basic skills like carpentry, who are needed in significant numbers during the construction of any home. The incidence of reported shortages is also surprisingly high relative to the current state of new home construction, which… Read More ›