How to avoid hidden labor costs

By Jenny Yu.  

Discover how this labor partner helps contractors navigate compliance, insurance and hiring before the work begins. 

Accurate labor cost estimating can make or break a construction project, especially when working across states or with unfamiliar crews. Southeast Staffing Agency helps contractors fill in the gaps and avoid hidden labor costs so they can make informed decisions and bid with confidence. 

“We want to make a team. We’re here for a partnership,” Teresa Ramirez, CEO and founder of Southeast Staffing Agency, shared in an episode of Roofing Road Trips®. “We don’t just send the workers and say, ‘Whatever you do, it's not my problem.’ No. What we want to do is share our knowledge and be very detail-oriented about how much this will cost you and how we can help to reduce those costs.” 

Wages are only one part of the labor equation. Travel, project duration, materials, per diems, workers’ compensation and compliance with local laws all impact total costs. Underestimating these can result in shrinking margins or project delays. 

“It’s very important to talk about the duration of the project, the type of material you're going to use. Each state has its own rules, requirements and laws. When you are sending people to other locations — for example, if you are in Minnesota and you are sending people to Iowa or New York — the laws are different there,” Teresa explained. “Also, you need to be aware that the insurance is different between one state and another. Make sure that your workers' comp covers the state that you're going to work with.” 

Furthermore, Teresa stressed the importance of thoroughly vetting workers to ensure dependability and performance. Southeast Staffing Agency conducts background checks, face-to-face interviews and drug testing before placing any workers on a job site.  

“Our workers are from the Rio Grande Valley, but we do an extensive background check in the state of Texas,” she said. “One very important thing is that we do not just recruit by phone or by Zoom call, because at the end of the day, it's construction workers. We need to see them.” 

Southeast Staffing Agency also helps contractors weigh whether to use local or traveling crews, depending on the job’s size and complexity. 

“At the end of the day,” Teresa said, “you're going to have your supervisor, your superintendents, your skilled workers there, making sure that your project will be quality.” 

Read the transcript or Listen to the episode to learn more about Southeast Staffing Agency and how they can help you avoid hidden labor costs for your next project.