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Builders reported more widespread labor shortages in September 2026 than in April 2025, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index survey. Shortages increased in 14 of the 16 trades measured, and the median reported labor-cost increase for the same home over the prior 12 months was 4.2%.
Homebuilding labor shortages increased across most trades in September 2026, with builders also reporting higher labor costs, according to the latest NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index survey. Shortage reports rose in 14 of 16 trades compared with April 2025, and the median increase in labor costs for the same home over the previous 12 months was 4.2%.
The survey asked builders about shortages in 16 trades, counting either serious or some shortages among workers they employ directly. Reported shortages ranged from 33% for excavators and building maintenance managers to 58% for workers doing finished carpentry. Plumber shortages held at 45%, while HVAC shortages remained at 43%; the other 14 trades each recorded at least a slight increase from the prior survey.
The largest increases were reported for framing crews, up 9 percentage points to 57%; landscaping workers, up 7 points to 39%; and roofers, up 6 points to 36%. Across the nine trades NAHB has tracked consistently since 1996, the shortage rate averaged 47% in September 2026, compared with 42% in April 2025.
Builders also reported increases in the cost of labor. The survey’s median 12-month increase was 4.2% for labor on the same home. The source report does not provide trade-by-trade wage changes or a breakdown of how labor costs varied by region, builder size or project type.
Shortages Meet Slower Housing Starts
The survey points to a labor constraint at a time when housing construction is not at the peak levels cited in earlier building booms. The 47% average shortage rate across the nine consistently tracked trades was higher than any reported during the 2004–2006 housing boom, when annual housing starts were consistently above 1.8 million, according to the source report. By comparison, August 2026 housing starts were running at a seasonally adjusted annual rate below 1.3 million.
That contrast matters to builders, buyers and suppliers because difficulty staffing trades and rising labor costs can affect the pace and expense of home construction. The survey documents shortages and cost increases, but it does not quantify their effects on home prices, construction schedules or the number of homes completed. Those outcomes may vary among projects and markets.
For building-material retailers and other suppliers, tighter labor availability can also influence demand for products tied to particular stages of construction. The survey does not measure those business effects directly, so any impact on purchasing or sales remains a possible consequence rather than a finding established by these figures.
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A Rebound After Pandemic-Era Declines
Reported residential construction labor shortages rose sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, then declined consistently from 2022 through 2025, according to the report. The latest survey indicates that the downward trend has reversed: the average shortage measure for the nine consistently tracked trades climbed from 42% in April 2025 to 47% in September 2026.
The comparison covers different survey points, not a continuous monthly series. NAHB’s nine-trade measure offers a longer historical reference, while the September survey’s broader 16-trade questions provide a snapshot across more occupations. The findings describe builders’ reports of labor availability; they are not a direct count of unfilled positions or an independent measure of the construction workforce.
The report was published by Hardware Retailing on October 15, 2026, based on results from the September 2026 NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index survey. Its figures compare the latest results with NAHB’s previous survey in April 2025.
“The median increase in the cost of labor for the same home over the previous 12 months was 4.2%.”
— Annie Dameworth, Hardware Retailing report
Survey Limits and Local Differences
The published figures do not identify which regions or builder types face the most severe shortages, nor do they detail the number of workers needed to fill vacancies. The survey records builders’ reports of shortages, rather than independently verified job openings or workforce totals.
It is also unclear from the source report how the 4.2% median labor-cost increase translates into total construction costs, home prices or project delays. No forecast is provided for whether shortages or labor-cost increases will persist, and the reported figures do not establish why shortages increased in the latest survey.
Next HMI Results Will Test the Trend
The next NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index survey results will show whether the September increase was sustained or changed in subsequent months. Readers can compare future results with the April 2025 baseline and the September 2026 readings, including the nine-trade average and the changes in framing, landscaping and roofing shortages.
Further detail on labor availability, costs and housing construction could help clarify how broadly the reported pressures are affecting builders. The current report does not give a date for the next trade-shortage survey or promise that future releases will include regional or project-level breakdowns.
Key Questions
How many homebuilding trades reported increased shortages?
Builders reported at least slight increases in 14 of the 16 trades compared with NAHB’s April 2025 survey. Plumber and HVAC shortages were unchanged.
Which trade had the highest reported shortage?
Finished carpentry workers had the highest reported shortage rate, at 58%. Framing crews followed at 57%.
How much did reported labor costs rise?
The median reported increase in labor costs for the same home over the previous 12 months was 4.2%, according to the September 2026 survey.
Does the survey show that home prices will rise?
No. The survey reports labor shortages and labor-cost increases, but the source does not quantify their effects on home prices, construction schedules or completed housing.
How does the latest shortage rate compare with the housing boom?
The 47% shortage average across nine consistently tracked trades was higher than any level reported during 2004–2006, when annual housing starts were consistently above 1.8 million. August 2026 starts were below a 1.3 million seasonally adjusted annual rate.
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