CONSTRUCTION
David Willbur - InsurPro Insurance
IRMA®PROOF
Business Insurance for the Treasure Coast since 1976
David G. Willbur, CPCU
(772) 877-3021
www.insurpro.com
email: david@insurpro.com
1100 SW St. Lucie West Blvd., S. 100
Port St. Lucie 34986
One downside may be the demand has caused a need for skilled trades workers
as contractor orders soar. Businesses are aiming more at attracting young
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and now they are spending
it. People are putting on new
roofs like crazy,” McAdam adds.
CONTRACTORS STRAIN
TO MEET DEMAND
In the 1970s and 1980s,
contractors in Port St. Lucie
bought large tracts of land
then cleared out the trees, and
laid down the infrastructure,
which was a profitable largescale
venture. But after the last
recession, developers were
left owing tens of millions of
dollars when demand dried
up, says Dramis. This had led
to contractors pulling back to
smaller tracts, down to a single
lot at a time.
“Now, what is happening
is they are selling so fast, the
next piece isn’t ready in time,”
he says.
Booming demand leads to
a shortage of skilled construction
workers, many of whom
decide to answer the growing
call for inspectors, which lends
to the skilled worker shortage
just as contractor orders soar.
Dramis says a recent meeting
of skilled trades workers
led to plans for a boot camp to
interest young people in the
construction trades.
Commercial construction is
also growing in line with housing
starts over the area.
In Port St. Lucie, 43 permits
for new commercial buildings
were issued in the first three
months of 2019, including 34
for multi-family residences.
Adding in restaurants, recreation
centers, warehouses
and model homes, that means
at least $19 million in new
construction. Add to that the
nearly $110 million for new
single-family homes and $3.3
million for 28 new half-duplexes
in 2019’s first quarter.
Indian River County showed
13 permits issued for multifamily
structures, the average
price for those at $1.7 million,
in the first quarter.
Sebastian’s single commercial
construction project for the
quarter was an $800,000 Dollar
General. v
people to construction trades.
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