Let’s be blunt. Home maintenance isn’t a walk in the park these days. There’s a construction labor shortage underway, due in part to the pandemic and an aging workforce. Skilled tradespeople are hard to come by. There are also supply chain issues to deal with, and volatile material costs.
Whether you have a newly built dream home, or are taking care of an estate that requires constant attention, there are several factors to consider when maintaining your custom home during a construction labor shortage.
Today, we’re going to talk about the construction labor shortage, and what it means for managing your home’s maintenance plan. We’re also going to let you know how working with a residential property management company can help.
Construction labor shortage statistics
There is a construction labor shortage underway, and according to Associated Builders and Contractors, an additional 650,000 construction workers are needed in 2022 on top of the normal pace of hiring to meet the labor demand.
The need for new skilled tradespeople to enter the workforce is apparent, with the number of construction workers in the 25 to 54 age bracket falling 8 percent in the last ten years, according to ABC. Older workers are leaving the workforce, and many did not return to work following the pandemic.
To combat the construction labor shortage, around 2.2 million construction new hires are needed from 2022 to 2024, according to the Home Builders Institute, a Washington, D.C., organization focused on training and educating home construction workers.
Survival tips during a labor shortage
The current statistics on the construction labor shortage don’t paint a pretty picture. Whether you’re maintaining your current high-end home, embarking on a new custom home build, or doing a small home renovation, there are a few things to take into consideration.
The first thing to know is that home maintenance needs to be strategic. Here are five ways to stay ahead of the curve, so the construction labor shortage doesn’t interfere with your maintenance and building needs.
Routinize your scheduled services
Having your home maintenance services routinized helps ensure you’ll get consistent service and maintenance. Doing so will keep your home in better shape, and will help prevent any major repairs that could go unnoticed if maintenance services are delayed—or canceled entirely—due to the labor shortage.
Schedule services in advance
In addition to having your maintenance routinized, scheduling service calls well in advance is important. You don’t want to call to book your fall maintenance visit in September, only to find out your needs can’t be met for months to come. Call at least 2 months ahead to schedule maintenance, or work with a home maintenance company that will automatically schedule your seasonal maintenance and stay on top of your to-do list, small projects and odd jobs.
And while it would be easy to put off routine maintenance during a construction labor shortage, deferring maintenance will just cause more headaches in the end. You don’t want routine maintenance issues to compound into larger maintenance problems. Think dental cleanings vs. root canal.
Know that maintenance services may be cut
During a construction labor shortage, the first thing companies tend to cut is maintenance service. When there’s a lack of labor, some companies decide to forgo service calls and instead focus on installs only. When companies are stretched to the max and don’t have as many field technicians as they need, service tends to suffer.
Expect projects to cost more and take longer
That’s the reality during a construction labor shortage. Companies are paying higher hourly wages, and overtime, as they fight to recruit and retain tradespeople. Supply chain issues are also sending the cost of materials up. Difficulty finding skilled workers and tradespeople can mean a delay in your maintenance or new project timeline. Look to work with a home maintenance company that has a stable of skilled tradespeople on their payroll.
You’ll also want to find a residential property management company that has transparent pricing for its services and work completed for you.
Think outside the box
Your go-to handyman or tradesperson may be swamped with calls during a construction labor shortage. They may be too busy, or unavailable entirely, to help maintain your estate. Resist the urge to pick up the phone and reach out to random workers. You’ll likely waste time running into dead ends, or, if they are available, it may be a red flag. Get trade recommendations from trusted builders, architects, or neighbors with similar homes to yours.
How working with a residential property management company can help
One way you can avoid the pitfalls of a construction labor shortage is by hiring a service-oriented residential property management company. A company with a solid, existing network of tradespeople can handle your home maintenance needs, whether there’s a labor shortage or not. Having an exclusive trade and subcontractor network already in place means a much smoother ride during a construction labor shortage.
If you’re considering hiring a home maintenance company, ask if they are the main source of work for the subcontractors they use. If they are, those relationships run deep. You want to work with a company that has logged many hours with their tradespeople, instilling trust, not just to get the job done, but to show up everyday and excel at their work.
Also consider the caliber of your custom home when choosing who should manage your maintenance. The luxury home market is specialized, so you’ll want to find a reliable company with a good reputation and a singular focus on high-end residential. Find tips on how to choose (and work with) a home maintenance company here.
See how our home management plans can help
Looking for the right luxury home maintenance and concierge company to fulfill your maintenance needs? My Estate Concierge provides annual home maintenance plans focused on the right care and services your custom home or estate requires; scheduled and responsive maintenance, property management, handyman/carpentry services, and oversight of projects large and small. My Estate Concierge is a membership-based company that provides custom home maintenance plans and single point of contact services for all your home needs.
Contact us today to find out how our custom home maintenance plans and local team can help you—especially during a labor shortage.
