Omaha area construction companies are keeping busy thanks to the mild winter, but the busy activity is coming at a price.
Frost is out of the ground in Omaha, meaning construction crews can get a jump start on a lot of work. Typically, frost is in the group through April.
"Have a lot of work going on this winter that we normally wouldn't have going on," Greg Key, president of Lueder Construction, said. "Frost is out of the ground so we're going full steam with site utilities and ground work all over town."
Normally, work at most sites would need to wait until spring. Site superintendent Larry LeDent says with all the warm days, crews have been keeping busy.
"Most winters it starts winter and it stays winter." LeDent said. "We had some good breaks in this year so it's allowed us to start things we normally wouldn't have been able to get done."
While the weather isn't holding them back, LeDent says the mud might.
"It's a bad situation, but it's either deal with the mud or deal with the frost," LeDent said. "And in this case, it's easier for us to deal with the mud."
All of the building activity has lead to a spike in prices for building materials, like concrete.
"Some of the trade mechanical prices, we're seeing some prices move upwards in that," Key said.
With the uptick in business, many construction companies are hiring.
"A real shortage of labor because the industry is so active," Key said. "But those are good things to have to deal with."
