HBW subscribers know that Orlando is the place to look for hot residential construction job leads. October saw Florida take the leading spot in the number of construction jobs available. The state added 10.4 percent over last year’s employment rates, bringing in a total of 40,100 new construction jobs. The majority of these jobs are still up for grabs.
Central Florida contractors have had to decline projects due to a lack of labor force to complete the work. Contractor Mark Wyle, who serves as president of the Central Florida chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. says that the manpower shortage is” really driving decisions these days.
Labor positions aren’t the only building trades jobs that need filling. Contractors are also in need of estimators, project managers, and site managers to work on the many projects headed to the Orlando market, such as Interstate 4, the airport expansion, hotels, the new professional soccer stadium, and several new schools that are slated to begin construction in the next few months. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity reports that out of the 37,600 new jobs added in the metro Orlando area last year, 6,500 of them were in the building trades and construction industry.
The construction market has jumped to match pace with a recovering economy. Population growth, low mortgage rates, and foreign investment are contributing to the rise in multifamily and single-family residential construction. Unlike the 2008 housing bubble, current trends in Central Florida are far more stable because banks are far more strict with their lending and credit policies. Many developers are pushing heavy marketing campaigns to guarantee better pre-sales.
The employment outlook for Florida in 2015 indicates a 10% increase for the building professional workforce. Competition will be tight for contractors to get the best workers, which will translate to higher wages, better benefits, and more job security for construction workers in the Orlando area.
HBW serves builders in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and Oklahoma. In addition to our Building Trend Activity for Residential Construction Reports, HBW can create a number of custom reports for any need you might have. We also offer exclusive White Paper Reports to help you market your business. White papers start by giving an overview of the trends in your area and then advice on how to turn your weekly building permit information subscription into successful business leads. To show you how we can help your business succeed, HBW is glad to provide you with complementary building data report or one of our specialized White Paper Reports. Contact us today and start making your business more profitable!