Help Us Develop The Next Generation Of Reuse Contractors & Renovators
Greetings Reuse Fans,
I have had numerous over the last few months around the construction and renovation trades labor issues. The Wall Street Journal in July reported that the share of young construction workers has declined 30% from 2005! The WSJ referenced this as trouble for the housing market, but I am also concerned about what this trend means for the renovation and reuse/repair market. I recently had a conversation with a small business owner who has a tub refinishing business. A business he has built and run successfully for 35 years. Now he is having trouble finding people interested in potentially taking over his business or even doing the work. I have also heard comments of the challenges of finding quality renovation contractors. I believe it is even more challenging to find remodeling contractors who want to work with reclaimed materials given how labor intensive these secondhand materials can often be.
As we begin our project to offer paid deconstruction training, we see this as an entry point into the construction and renovation trades. As we explore “the bigger picture” around how CJ can play a role in identifying the next generation of laborers and craftsmen who want to work in the renovation/restoration/repair fields, I would like to hear from you about your challenges of finding contractors who will work with used materials.
What specific jobs have you had difficulty finding contractors who would do the work? Would you like CJ to provide services that would clean up and finish material in a way that involved less labor when you get it home? Or perhaps make it easier for your contractor to install? What services would you like to see us provide? I would like to explore this topic through your feedback, experiences and suggestions for services or ideas for trainings. Please email me at mgable@cjreuse.org.
