Builders in short supply

SHORTAGES of joiners, carpenters and brickies are hitting trade and pushing up wages, the Federation of Master Builders claims.

It found 60% of small to medium-sized construction firms had problems recruiting and expect material and labour costs to rise.

Brian Berry, of the FMB, which quizzed 350 firms, said: “Rising costs are dampening the performance of construction SMEs. The spike in salaries is a result of the ever worsening skills shortage.”