Sheet Metal Workers & HVAC Careers

The Job Market for HVAC Labor is Growing

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the market for HVAC labor is predicted to grow by at least 9% over the next 8 years, which means adding upwards of 12,000 new jobs for sheet metal workers.

HVAC is a growing industry with good jobs and secure career opportunities.

When factors like salary, job growth, future prospects, and job stress are taken into account, “sheet metal worker” has been ranked one of the top 10 construction jobs in a report by U.S. News, with an HVAC career boasting a median salary of $46,940 and a 5.1% unemployment rate.

In 2019, as in recent years, however, the industry is expected to continue dealing with a worrisome shortage of labor.

According to the 2018 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook Survey, conducted by Sage and the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), while HVAC contractors are optimistic about demand, they are they continue to face workforce shortages.

The existing labor force is getting older and many are reaching retirement age. The educational system’s generation long push toward college degrees has left the construction industry with a dwindling pool of qualified job-seekers.

Making the Most of HVAC Labor

Over the next 8 to 10 years, we can expect HVAC labor to become scarcer, while qualified and talented sheet metal workers command higher salaries.

To maximize profits, or in some cases to remain profitable at all, HVAC Contractors must rethink how they use labor.

Wasteful and inefficient practices, more than ever before, spell doom for companies unwilling to change with an evolving market.  What can be done?

A primary goal of every HVAC contractor should be to eliminate unneeded labor, especially tasks that can be handled through automation and increasingly capable software solutions.

A good example is Field Measuring and Sketching Labor (FMSL). An expensive and time-consuming process, FMSL is usually performed by experienced foremen or project managers at a cost $40 to $60 per hour.

Today, measuring HVAC duct runs and fittings in software is: faster and more accurate, results in less errors, optimizes materials purchases, and results in significant cost savings. In the hands experienced CAD teams, Building Information Modeling data can be transformed into precise Coordination/FAB Duct drawings, eliminating FMSL labor and reducing costs.

Once ductwork arrives on-site, both the precision of its manufacture and the organization of its delivery directly affect costs.

When duct, fittings, and accessories arrive that are organized and labeled, as well as precisely planned and cut according to coordination drawings, less experienced (and less expensive) labor is needed for installation. Problem solving and adjustments on site are expensive, as is sorting through a trailer load of sheet metal puzzle pieces.

The future is about precision manufacture, extreme organization, and reducing on-site labor costs through automation and software solutions.

How Can TCG Duct Help?

In anticipation of a changing HVAC market, TCG Duct has developed a comprehensive suite of services that HVAC contractors can take advantage of. These include:

• Precision Estimating. Our experienced teams use the latest software in ways that help you boost sales, decrease turnaround time on quotes, and streamline the entire sales process.
• Shop Drawings and Take Offs. We deliver up to 50% faster than traditional turnaround times, eliminating drafting errors and meeting SMACNA standards with ease.
• Coordination Drawings. Working with Building Information Modeling (BIM) data, we can precisely position ductwork in virtual models, eliminating conflict between the trades on-site and resulting in significant savings.
• Duct Fabrication. With 20-years’ experience on the cutting edge of the industry, our coil lines and plasma tables are among the most efficient in the business, giving you a pricing edge even over bending sheet metal in house.
• Proactive Delivery. Our premium service shrink-wraps and labels duct so that installation crews receive precision cut puzzle pieces they can hang and bang with ease. On large jobs, we can time delivery floor by floor or area by area, to avoid confusion as to which resources are used where.

Throughout the entire process we work to optimize the number of standard lengths of duct and minimize the number of joints and fittings.

At TCG Duct, we’ve seen automation and improved workflow processes deliver real cost savings between 30% and 35%. In an industry where labor is becoming scarcer and more valuable by the day.  Want to hear more, call us at 878-295-8009, or visit our Contact Us page today.

Find a Service Partner

Don’t be overwhelmed. The future may be here, but that doesn’t mean it needs to leave you behind.

To make the most of your HVAC installation business, one approach is to maximize the values of your core skills and rely on a service partner to handle the software and technical challenges that continue to advance rapidly.

The Cincinnatus Group can be that partner. Our services include:

• Quality HVAC duct fabrication
• Estimating and Takeoffs
• Shop Drawings
• Coordination Modeling

We deliver these services in a fast, reliable, and affordable way that allows you to do what you do best, install ductwork with expertise and efficiency. When your team and our team work hand-in-hand, we know we can help improve your bottom line.

After all, the true trend in 2019 should be for increased profits for everyone in the HVAC industry.

Call us today at 878-295-8009, or visit our Contact Us page today.

Duct Fabrication is TCG’s Business

At TCG Duct, we can provide all or part of your HVAC fabrication needs. Your project is priced from a Material List or via a take off from prints you provide. Our team of engineers, fabricators and technicians are trained on the latest equipment and methods that enable us to meet your exacting standards.

Let TCG Duct be your partner in the HVAC Industry as an experienced, high-quality manufacturer of HVAC duct of all types. Our goal is to partner with our customers in ways that make the entire workflow from order to installation a seamless exercise in time and cost savings.

The Cincinnatus Group supplies traditional Rectangular Ductwork as well as Spiral Ductwork, Double Wall Spiral Duct , PCD Ductwork, and Industrial Welded Ductwork.

Why Choose The Cincinnatus Group?

As your partner, The Cincinnatus Group helps your organization stand out in its marketplace, win more bids, save substantial costs, and build the knowledge and skills your team needs to continually meet new challenges effectively and profitably.

Our strong work ethic, accountability, and pursuit of excellence sets us apart from other contracted sales and marketing services, and our unique expertise and proprietary ductwork systems make us unique amongst our competitors.

At The Cincinnatus Group, our fabrication partners gain access to our unique experience and expertise in contracted sales and marketing.

Our assets help you navigate the ever-changing markets of the 21st century.

To learn more about our Contracted Sales services or other services we provide: Contracted Estimating and Take Offs, CAD/BIM/Coordination Drawings, and Project Management Assistance, please call The Cincinnatus Group at 878-295-8009, or visit our Contact Us page today. We are looking forward to the opportunity to help grow your business.