As hundreds of new healthcare construction projects hum along across the nation, contractors and developers are being squeezed by higher costs on everything from concrete and copper to Sheetrock and steel. Short supplies and strong demand, some attributed to the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast, are expected to drive up costs across the board by at least 10% this year, providing a sobering boost to the final price tag of construction projects. What's more, the sheer volume of projects has also created worker shortages, leaving many contractors scrambling to find enough engineers, carpenters, plumbers, electricians and other skilled craftsman to get the jobs done. That's also contributing to the steady spike in costs.
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