The orders are stacking up for smaller housebuilders in the East of England as they record the fastest rate of growth of any English region.
A report by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) showed a net balance of +42 for small and medium-sized (SME) construction firms in the East in the second quarter of 2017, meaning more firms had seen rises in recent and expected workloads and enquiries. It is one of only two regions to have seen positive net balances every quarter for the last two years.
Nationally, SME construction firms saw a bigger rise in residential than non-residential workloads in the quarter.
But skills shortages continue to bite, with 60% struggling to hire bricklayers, 57% struggling for carpenters and joiners, and 47% struggling to find plumbers.
Many builders suspect cost rises are looming, with 83% anticipating an increase in materials prices in the next six months and 62% expecting salaries and wages to rise.
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