Homeowners can hire construction workers on the cheap on clarkhoward.com

CLARKONOMICS: A recent report in The Washington Post revealed how states are getting an unexpected windfall from construction jobs they've bid out coming in under budget.

Construction firms that typically seek state contracts are in a deep depression and there's fierce competition in the industry.

Likewise, the residential construction business is also ailing. So if you are in a position to afford it, this is a great opportunity for you to do a renovation on your home; have an addition installed on your house; or have your home retro-fitted for energy purposes.

During the peak of the real estate market, there was a certain disregard for the customer. Very often, contractors would say they'd show up at a certain time and then never materialize. Now that coin has flipped.

The old rule of thumb about expecting a job to run twice as long and cost twice as much as initially quoted is out the window. Today, your job is likely to finish on or before schedule because all the subs that a contractor might use are available and waiting for work.

What others are saying

construction workers
I hope it slows down so much that all the illegal workers here in Ga. go back to the countries they came from. I gave up my painting contracting business a year and a half ago because i refused to learn Spanish. The way most construction in Ga works is an American contractor who seldomly lifts a tool, goes out and bids the job, puts an unskilled and underpaid crew of illegal aliens on the work, collects thew check and keeps half or more of the money earned by his crews low quality work. Lazy middlemen and illegals have killed American Craftsmanship...I hope they don't build any new houses or shoping centers untill all the empty ones are full and I hope all the homeowners thinking of getting work done on their houses ask for documentation on the people doing work on their houses.
By Dave @ 04/27/09 01:05:11 PMreport abuse

construction workers

I hope it slows down so much that all the illegal workers here in Ga. go back to the countries they came from. I gave up my painting contracting business a year and a half ago because i refused to learn Spanish. The way most construction in Ga works is an American contractor who seldomly lifts a tool, goes out and bids the job, puts an unskilled and underpaid crew of illegal aliens on the work, collects thew check and keeps half or more of the money earned by his crews low quality work. Lazy middlemen and illegals have killed American Craftsmanship...I hope they don't build any new houses or shoping centers untill all the empty ones are full and I hope all the homeowners thinking of getting work done on their houses ask for documentation on the people doing work on their houses.

By Dave @ 04/27/09 01:05:11 PMreport abuse

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Apr 24, 2009 -- Homeowners can hire construction workers on the cheap

What others are saying