Stick built dumps

[TR25]

"A problem hiding in plain sight is keeping Americans from buying homes​

National Association of Home Builders CEO Jim Tobin says the gap has been as high as 400,000 jobs​

Builders reveal a critical labor shortage in their field is fueling the housing affordability crisis in America.
America needs more homes, but the industry doesn't have nearly enough workers to build them. With too few skilled laborers to meet the growing demand, construction is taking longer, costs are rising and, as a result, the much-needed housing supply in the U.S. remains constrained.
Experts in the industry point to an aging workforce, a lack of younger Americans entering the skilled trades and immigration policies that they say have failed to keep pace with labor needs."

While I agree with this, I'll also add that white american males haven't been entering the trades for many decades, I'd say going back to the 90s, so that's certainly valid. A lot of skills and knowledge are indeed disappearing. But.....builders are seeking to minimize their costs in ways not understandable to any knowlegeable person. Houses continue their downhill slide by using as cheap of materials as possible. Plastic is king. Now houses are being sheathed, not in 1/2" osb, but......in cardboard. Literally. Be interesting to see a house being built with cardboard sheathing and vinyl siding. Don't sneeze too close to it or your head will crash through both and into the house.

So yeah, a labor supply shortage. Just as mentioned in the other thread on the RV market here. But also junk being built.

The key component of both--and 'higher education'--though is easy money, for others that is. All of them are overpriced but all of them can secure financing for their products.

 

[sanda]

And these younger folks believe they are too good to get their hands dirty. When a heavy equipment mechanic can make 1.5 k a year that's nothing to sneeze at. Mike Rowe has been saying for years now that 2 million open jobs go unfilled.

 

[Underboss]

Thats what happens when you deport the workforce that actually worked. As for building junk, a good builder still builds with quality materials just like a top name rv builder does.
You always have to research your builder. You also needed to find a way to not deport, good, hardworking folks. You lost your carpenters, farm workers, gardeners etc and for what? You could have found a way to keep these workers here.

 

[d23haynes57]

Both of my sons have ended up following my footprints for careers even though both completed college. Being a craftsman, trades person is in the blood somewhat. As for new home building the need should be somewhat tied to population increase or maybe spread. Every time I drive to Florida, I see more large areas of land being turned into developments and commercial space. It is a blight. There is also opportunity for existing homes to be passed down to the young uns. Part of the problem with construction is job security and benefits are often much more important than a quick buck and most contractors pay the majority of their workers poorly. Few get to make 6 figures.

 

[Holdmybeer]

Couple home prices with rising inflation, rising interest rates, the genius of rounding up and deporting building crews, and it's the perfect storm for lack of housing availability. Even if builders could manage to pry Scooter from his video game ( which isn't btw happening) the cost to hire and keep him will just add another driver to the unaffordability of housing.

 

[Underboss]

I have been lucky with Florida homes. Bought three and each one was progressively better. First two homes where block and built by smaller builders. Both very good homes. The second was built by builder who built quality and efficient homes.
The current one is a custom home built using poured concrete walls by a boutique builder who does incredible work. The first two were tract homes but built well, this is a single built spec home and its impeccably done.
I am glad I am retired as with the current loss of craftsmen the homes in the foreseeable future will be built like poop

 

[Phillbo]

My grandson came to me a few years back and asked my advice on a career direction. He was set to go to a 4 year college. I told him IF he goes to college only do it if he comes out with some kind of engineering degree, otherwise go learn a trade. He went the trade route and is now working for a data center making bank while working through his apprenticeship. Some of his co workers are make over 160k......

 

[sanda]

Thats what happens when you deport the workforce that actually worked. As for building junk, a good builder still builds with quality materials just like a top name rv builder does.
You always have to research your builder. You also needed to find a way to not deport, good, hardworking folks. You lost your carpenters, farm workers, gardeners etc and for what? You could have found a way to keep these workers here.

I see what you are insinuating but that is not the case. Those 2 million jobs have been open for many years. In addition our country has had work visas for many years. They are not hard to get. Many in the trades and farms/ranches use these frequently.

 

[Boat Bum]

Yeah, and the "skilled labor" you speak of isn't buying the materials.

 

[Underboss]

I see what you are insinuating but that is not the case. Those 2 million jobs have been open for many years. In addition our country has had work visas for many years. They are not hard to get. Many in the trades and farms/ranches use these frequently.

I am not insinuating anything, its factual. An insinuation is not necessarily fact. Its a fact that many skilled workers and migrant farm workers, ones that have been legal were sent back. I call it as it is, not what I am told it is. I research.

 

[TR25]

And these younger folks believe they are too good to get their hands dirty. When a heavy equipment mechanic can make 1.5 k a year that's nothing to sneeze at. Mike Rowe has been saying for years now that 2 million open jobs go unfilled.

16-18/hr just to walk in the door, an unskilled person. I know of a few places where the starting wage was 20/hr. No skills needed as it was a factory.
OK, that's 40 grand a year. Get married and have your spouse work there as a few of my neighbors do and that's 80 grand a year. If a couple can't figure out how to live on 80 grand a year...something is very wrong with them.

Know of many trades where they will train people off the street. That's paid training. One even said if they want to go to school, work for him for 5 years and he'll pay for the schooling.
Still, no one showed up. The few that would take up the job every year or so, they'd not show up for work the next monday. Or work monday and disappear tues on. All ghosting.

Yeah, the youths have been brainwashed to look down upon people wo work in the trades, mainly by the govt skools. So they're told to get a college degree to be somebody. Yeah, they then go to college and sometimes even finish it, with a useless degree and mired in inescapable debt, only to not find work or work part time retail, a barista, live at home, etc.

The only people who benefit from the brainwashing those kids got are the public union schools and govt, and they are often overlapping. The kids don't. Society doesn't in many different ways.
It's a money laundering scam

 

[sanda]

I am not insinuating anything, its factual. An insinuation is not necessarily fact. Its a fact that many skilled workers and migrant farm workers, ones that have been legal were sent back. I call it as it is, not what I am told it is. I research.

I also research. I have also worked the trades and know what really goes on. I also have a SIL from China so I am well versed in Visas and citizenship. Maybe you should seek other sources.

 

[TR25]

Thats what happens when you deport the workforce that actually worked.

Having lived and worked in a sanctuary city and state since the 90s....I can say what you say isn't true at all. Shops/builders/contractors would always look to hire the illegals as yes, they did work, but also they were ripe for being ripped off by the american business owners.

After 911, security was strict as far as mil bases. ICE came through, rounded up all the illegals and deported them. Yeah, it'd be a sob story except for a few weeks later the same guys came back, working the same job, but this time they had a different name. And I'm sure a different stolen SS number.

The americans would train a spanish speaking lead who is an american. Then they'd hire illegals with the lead running them, training them. Native born would have a hard time getting a job w/businesses like that as 1, the illegals worked for 1/2 and two, only the lead spoke english.

Also there is great fraud with those workers. They would work at a factory and during the slow time, they'd be laid off. So they'd collect unemployment. Oh, and then got another ID with a stolen SS number and got another job.

They would also buy houses they couldn't afford, but HUD had/has a stated policy to not verify the identity or income of the applicant. They covered the mortgage by renting out rooms to other illegals for cash. This is why you see so many vehicles parked there btw.

Same rent a room with section 8 and/or it's their wife/gf. They just had to say he was visiting there, not living there as it's not allowed.
They also share kids for benefits.

I could go on and on, but it should be clear things like this are ripe for abuse.

It could be solved with a simple guest worker program where immigrants are registered, get a real ID, etc. But that will never happen as 'some group' wants to use them for, ah, thinking of the rules here....let's say, just for some type of gain.

The white american kids just do not want to work. I hired a kid out of iowa, trained him and about a year later he just ghosted us. Turns out he was a bartender at some chain restaurant. White kids prefer retail jobs as it's 3/4 time, they don't work much and mostly just hang out and talk.

I speak spanish, lived w/the mexicans/illegals, worked with them, hired them, worked in mgmt and worked as a contractor and contractor sales. So I think I know a bit about how it works.

 

[TR25]

Both of my sons have ended up following my footprints for careers even though both completed college.

One might be surprised with the number of college grads swinging hammers. I have a masters degree in business and I started over again at 40, pushing a broom to make my way in.

 

[TR25]

Yeah, and the "skilled labor" you speak of isn't buying the materials.

On jobsites, we'd sometimes stop working as what happens is the 'other people' watch how you do things. Some builders will hire skilled american tradesmen to do something...and have his illegals watch how they do it. Then a job or two, a house or two later, he no longer has a need for you as "his guys will do it".

Skills and knowledge has also been transferred to non americans. And americans have no one to blame for that but themselves.