SOMA Living May 2025

CONTRACTOR’S CORNER

RENOVATIONS IN THE CURRENT ECONOMY

HOME RENOVATION SPECIALISTS

Recently, the NYTimes ran an article examining the projected increase in construction costs nationally under the new administration. In this week’s column, I’ll take a stab at localizing their analysis. Local projects, unlike construction in other parts of the country, tend to be contained within the shell of an existing home, making them more labor than material-intensive. Looking at the past three years of our billings, the cost of materials averaged 20 percent for projects that utilized existing space. For jobs that added square footage, such as dormers or bump outs, that number rose to 35 percent, which is still relatively low compared to the national average material cost of 65 percent for new construction. Here’s where the equation really diverges comparing local to national: while the Times was able to estimate increased labor costs using only U.S.-born workers, I cannot. In our local workforce, over 90 percent of painters, roofers, drywall hangers, and masonry helpers were born outside the U.S. The number for framers, finish carpenters, and floor installers is nearly as high. The sectors with the highest percentage of U.S.- born workers are electricians, plumbers, and HVAC, which are staffed predominantly by those over the age of 40, with a significant portion of license holders over 50. The Times was able to give an estimate of increased labor costs of 20 percent. The question around here is not what the increased cost will be, but rather who is going to do the work.

Kitchens Bathrooms Basements Attic Additions

SOMA resident and Columbia High School parent serving the South Orange and Maplewood community for over a decade

Rich Quadrini www.msohomes.com (518) 441-5479 | rquadrini69@gmail.com

Licensed Contractor 203K Certi ed Contractor License #13VH09229900

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Rich Quadrini is the proprietor of MSO Homes. If you’d like a specific topic discussed here or have questions about a project please contact him directly. (518) 441-5479 or msohomes.com

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