Try Outs

It's a balancing act: Business is growing but not enough to justify raising overhead by hiring. What to do? David Sturm, owner of Attention to Detail in Atlanta, thought using a temp agency was a good idea. “If I could get extra projects and use temp staff for lead carpenters and carpenters, I'd be able to grow the company enough to hire people,” Sturm says.

He called a local construction-related temp agency. Costs were $27 to $37 per hour. The agency carried workers' compensation, liability insurance, and, given specified criteria, could screen people. If the temp didn't work out within four hours, the agency would send a replacement. Unfortunately for Sturm, the carpenter it sent didn't perform to his expectations, nor did his replacement. Sturm is back to using Craig's List (www.craigslist.org), newspaper ads, and asking around at his local National Association of the Remodeling Industry chapter to find skilled workers.

Sturm's experience isn't unusual, says Brian Roberts, vice president of client services at Construction Recruiters in Boston. “[Temp agencies] are like a union. They have a revolving talent pool. You'll have A's, B's, and C's. The first time you use an agency it's like rolling the dice.”

Depending on when you try the service and how lucrative your potential contract is makes a difference. A large, well-regarded custom builder who needs workers all the time might get preference over a small remodeler. So when you arrive, Roberts says, you may have just “20% of what's left of the talent” to choose from. Roberts recommends sticking with it, however, and developing a relationship with the agency.

The quality of a temporary hire is a concern. Roberts reasons, however, that it's like anything else. In a random group of 100 carpenters, “you'd have 5 or 6 really great guys, 10 or 15 B-plus guys, some B guys, and everyone else.”

It's worth noting that there's a difference between a temp firm and a permanent placement firm. “Temp firms are built for speed, and permanent placement firms for quality,” Roberts says. Unfortunately, Roberts, whose company permanently places superintendents, project managers, general management, and finance and administrative employees, knows of no permanent placement services for carpenters. He suggests running an ad every day for field people, if you can afford it. “To get real fish,” he says, “you have to keep your hook in the water for a long time.”