Construction boom kicks in 5 months in Sandy’s wake

Updated Mar 15, 2013
Steven Hauck, owner of SJ Hauck House Movers, looks at one of the many New Jersey homes damaged by Hurricane Sandy his company is elevating. (Credit: Denise Henhoeffer, Courier-Post, Cherry Hill, N.J.)Steven Hauck, owner of SJ Hauck House Movers, looks at one of the many New Jersey homes damaged by Hurricane Sandy his company is elevating.
(Credit: Denise Henhoeffer, Courier-Post, Cherry Hill, N.J.)

A report from USA Today from along the South New Jersey shore found that the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy has finally boosted construction in the area in a very noticeable way.

The race is on to get the shore in the best condition possible as beach season approaches. And that has meant the return of several construction companies forced to shutter during the recession along with more business than many contractors can handle.

The article says that Chris Heins, Vice President of Heritage Construction Enterprises out of Ship Bottom, New Jersey, had an incredible 800 proposals on his desk. That’s 20 times the amount he was seeing more than a year ago. He’s been working 80 hours a week to meet the demand and has brought on 50 workers. The highest amount of workers he had at any time last year was 15.

Steve Hauck, owner of SJ Hauck House Movers out of Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, doubled his workforce as well. And he was able to do it with local workers.

Much of the delay between the storm’s October 29th landfall and this surge in construction activity was caused as owners waited for their insurance checks. Now that checks are in hand, demand is dwarfing the number of companies available to work and contractors are optimistic that the trend, and the work, will continue for some time.