The plumbing industry is currently experiencing a deficit in skilled workers. With qualified workers being few and far between, contractors must often assess their jobs to determine where the inefficiencies lie, and determine the best strategies to maximize productivity. Sometimes the answer is simple: “With more help, more work can be completed.”
The following are some key indicators that your projects could use additional, skilled plumbers:
1. You are starting more projects than you are finishing.
Every contractor wants to have a healthy backlog. However, if start dates outnumber the plumbing trucks you have in the parking lot, you may need to consider hiring more plumbers to either wrap up jobs, or help get things roughed in.
2. Your plumbing crew has more Baby Boomers than Millennials.
Large waves of retirement are the foreseeable future of skilled trades, with a large percent of those in the trades belonging to the Baby Boomer demographic. This means contractors should actively be seeking out new talent to remain competitive. Also, it is better to recruit them now before demand further outstrips supply, causing a drastic increase in wages.
3. Your plumbing crews are working overtime on every project.
Paying time and a half (or more) for labor will eat away at profit margins quickly. Are there punch list items that could be knocked out by an entry-level plumbing apprentice? Could you accomplish twice the work with a more experienced lead plumber? Consider being able to eliminate the need for overtime, as well as the capability to bid more work.
If you are a plumbing contractor who has identified one of the items mentioned above after reviewing your plumber job board, give Grus a call or visit our Request a Quote page to speak with an account manager today. In most cases we can get the best qualified plumbers to your jobs this week!