Keeping costs down and projects on time is a challenge in itself when conditions seem normal. Throw in a global labor shortage and rising inflation costs, and it could seem like the world is ending for any architect or builder. Streamlining construction and using building materials that don’t break the bank is what will keep the budget and project on track in today’s economy. Fire Trol’s prefabricated fireproof columns offer an innovative solution.
Labor Shortages and Jobsite Unproductivity
We’re not going to tell you anything you don’t already know about the growing labor shortage, but just so we’re all on the same page, it’s good to know that the US employment rate was at 4.0 percent in the beginning of 2022. At the end of 2021, there were 10.9 million unfilled positions, compared to only 5.9 million unfilled positions at the end of 2019.
The construction and architecture industries weren’t invincible either. Productivity fell by 40 percent or more whenever the labor shortage was at its peak. Late deliveries and managers’ inability to take time assessing skills and experience of applicants have contributed to the drop in productivity.
The effects of the global labor shortage don’t just come from within the construction industry itself. The industry is highly impacted by the labor shortages in other industries that they work alongside.
Late material deliveries have always been a threat to any project, but at the end of 2021, “project owners were reporting that up to 25 percent of material deliveries to sites were either late or incomplete.” Late deliveries impact all aspects of a project and force work to halt in areas, which leads to less productivity overall.
Project partners, manufacturers, designers, and clients are all feeling the impact of not having enough workers. Projects get behind schedule because the client doesn’t have the support needed in their own job so the project halts until the client can give direction and make decisions.
Inflation’s Effect on the Construction Industry
Another threat to the industry is rising inflationary costs. Materials and people are demanding expenses that are growing with no plateau in sight. Just since the beginning of 2022, construction material costs have increased 4.9%. According to the latest Producer Price Index report, “Year-over-year, building materials prices are up 19.2% and have risen 35.6% since the start of the pandemic.”
Not only is the industry dealing with rising construction material costs, but wages have also increased. With the COVID-19 pandemic and a competitive labor market fueled by benefit and wage offerings, the construction wage was forced to increase and grew by 7.9 percent between 2019 and 2021.
So, what do you do as a business owner, architect, designer, construction manager, or project manager? Discover a building product that will help you streamline construction costs in an economy with rising inflationary costs and labor shortages. Discover Fire Trol Prefabricated Fireproof Columns.
Streamline Construction with Fire Trol
Fire Trol has been manufacturing prefabricated fireproof columns since 1945. At Fire Trol, we know that projects need to stay on schedule and on budget, which is why 98% of our column orders have delivered on time.
Not only do we deliver columns when they are expected, but we save clients time at the jobsite because of the nature of our product. Our fireproof columns are prefabricated, which means no additional labor is needed on field after installation. Columns arrive ready to be installed and already fireproofed.
It’s more than just using a product that cuts labor costs and saves time, Fire Trol fireproof columns bring increased durability to building design. Our UL-certified columns are designed with fireproof building materials that carry fire-retardant classification of 2, 3, and 4 hours.
The diagram shows (1) Concrete (2) Structural Steel (3) Fire Trol’s special proprietary insulating material (4) Outer steel shell that permanently protects the fireproofing material.
Here’s just a few benefits of using Fire Trol:
- Support from AISC Certified Structural Fabricators
- Little to No Long-Term Maintenance
- Aesthetically Pleasing
- Affordable
- Increased Consistency and Quality Control
- Reduced Size Compared to Other Fireproof Products
- Custom Design Options
- Made in the USA
Next Steps with Fire Trol
No one knows when the labor shortages will subside or when inflation will return to normal levels, but Fire Trol offers a proactive solution to rising building costs and wages. Discover how Fire Trol prefabricated columns enhance building designs and support designers and builders by streamlining construction.
Contact Fire Trol today to receive a quote on your next project or just to learn more about who we are. Take a look at our spec sheets to read the relevant build and material information too!
