KEY POINTS:
Skilled tradesmen are raking in $2000 a week, thanks to an industry shortage that's pushing up wages and causing long delays to home renovations.
Builders and carpenters are still in high demand, despite construction consents dropping to a six-year low.
The situation could get worse if significant Auckland building projects such as the Western Ring Route tunnel and the harbour redevelopment go ahead.
Some think luring skilled migrants to New Zealand will solve the problem, others fear it could drive down wages.
Builder Keith Brown said some carpenters "boast you can write out your own cheques".
He used to employ chippies for about $30 an hour but had people asking for up to $50.
"That's too much really. That's $2000 a week they're getting."
Brown estimated the cost of a qualified carpenter had increased by 50 per cent in the past two years.
He had a Scot and an Australian on his worksite and thought more foreigners should be lured here.
"More skilled competition in the market would not hurt at all."
Brown, a builder for 30 years, said the tunnel, linking State Highway 20 with the Northwestern Motorway, and Auckland waterfront projects would have a big impact.
"It will make it worse. Those good tradespeople who are around are going to be able to ask for premium rates."
Hamilton builder Clive White was subcontracting carpenters for $45 an hour, compared with $35 just six months ago.
"I know there are carpenters or builders out there who are charging out at $50, $55, and $60 [an hour]."
White believed overseas workers would help the present boom.
But Auckland builder Ross McPherson said allowing in more skilled migrants would cause problems.
McPherson said specialised training for chippies in Europe could mean they had to learn new skills to work here.
Auckland builder Brian Day said the skills shortage was the worst he had experienced in his 34 years in the business, and predicted it could be six months before we saw a slowdown.
Tauranga builder Gary Baker predicted a drop in qualified builders once new laws requiring builders to be licensed took effect.
Baker said older builders might drop out of the industry rather than go through the licensing process, brought in because of the leaky homes fiasco.
But other areas are starting to feel a slowdown in work because of the drop in consents.
H. W. Coyle manager David Henderson didn't think there was the same pressure on the plumbing industry. He said his 40 staff were on a range of wages. "It goes from extortionate to minimum wage, depending on skills. The price reflects what the market's calling for."
Plumber Bryan Heron thought wages had increased only slightly.
His West Auckland firm had increased its callout fee and labour from $65 to $75 in the past 18 months.
He said he would prefer more support for firms training apprentices rather than luring skilled migrants.
Electricians who spoke to the Herald on Sunday said their work had slowed down, too.
Mt Eden sparkie Daniel Jackman said his industry had a work shortage rather than a labour shortage.
He said the electrical industry was getting more competitive, with the influx of overseas sparkies willing to work for less than his $50-an-hour rate.
"They can do it for peanuts," he said.
But Electrical Contractors Association chief executive Neville Simpson thought there was a need to allow more qualified migrants into New Zealand.
"Given that the New Zealand labour market at the moment is so tight yes, definitely, but they need to be able to fit in fairly quickly."
Tradesmen too busy
Like most new homeowners, Jason Walker wanted to get his Warkworth house just the way he liked it. But he had to wait nine months before he could find a builder for the simple job of re-lining some of the bedrooms, renovating a bathroom and putting in an en suite.
"A lot of people couldn't commit because of the amount of work they had," said the air-conditioning engineer.
After trying several builders since last April, Walker finally begged a builder mate to do the work for him.
Auckland builder Craig Canty has been trying to renovate a Greenlane home for four months but his phone hasn't stopped ringing. "People are telling me it's slowing down but I haven't found that," he said.
Canty had been trying to get to the home to start a kitchen alteration, but had to take on emergency bathroom repairs after a burst waterpipe. He was hoping to start on the kitchen next week.
