By Paul Davidson | USA TODAY
Construction of homes and commercial buildings is up significantly this year but the industry would be sizzling if not for a critical shortage of workers, industry officials say.
The labor crunch is delaying projects, raising home prices and forcing companies to turn down work, which in turn curtails building activity and economic growth.
Spot labor shortages began in 2012 as new construction slowly came to life following the 2000’s real estate crash. But they’ve spread across most of the country and have been accentuated this year by a strong recovery in both residential and commercial building.
