More on Contactor Job Losses
Which trades are shrinking?
Construction Trend Tuesday covers one (hopefully) interesting industry trend in a quick, two-minute read. You can access the archive of CTT posts here.
Last week’s CTT looked at contractor job losses and zoomed in on the residential building segment.
This week, we’re looking at specialty trade contractors.
The trades that have lost jobs over the past year, like framers, concrete pourers, drywallers, siders, and roofers, make a lot of sense. These are primarily involved in new construction, specifically on the residential side. The slowdown in new housing construction has clearly hit them hard.
Which trades are gaining jobs? The ones involved with data centers, of course. Electrical, HVAC, and other building equipment contractors are heavily involved in data center buildouts, and the developments require extensive site preparation.
It also makes sense that finishing carpenters, painters, and floorers are adding jobs. While residential construction activity has been slowing, remodeling work has actually gained steam over the past year and currently accounts for the highest share of private activity since 2011.
What’s Next
Next up is Week in Review, our every-Friday post that covers all the economic news and data in a breezy, five-minute read.
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