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This is why I am very particular about who I allow to work on my house. No dusty non-English-speaking campesinos allowed because there's about a 99% chance they're illegal.
I have a contractor coming by today to do a bit of work for me. He's from Michigan and a veteran. He's as American as they come.
There are plenty of guys out there underbidding legitimate contractors because they hire illegals and aren't paying taxes and insurance on them. How can a company win a bid when the low bidder comes in 25%-30% less? Nevermind that they don't speak English, no one knows if they're criminals or rapists. Homeowners like the cheap price, not knowing what they've opened themselves up to.
Contractors who hire illegals AND the homeowners who use these contractors should all be tried. People know when they're getting cheap, illegal labor. They aren't that stupid.
There are plenty of guys out there underbidding legitimate contractors because they hire illegals and aren't paying taxes and insurance on them. How can a company win a bid when the low bidder comes in 25%-30% less? Nevermind that they don't speak English, no one knows if they're criminals or rapists. Homeowners like the cheap price, not knowing what they've opened themselves up to.
Contractors who hire illegals AND the homeowners who use these contractors should all be tried. People know when they're getting cheap, illegal labor. They aren't that stupid.
And these houses won't last long, they're quickly and cheaply built with unskilled very cheap labor and shoddy materials.
And these houses won't last long, they're quickly and cheaply built with unskilled very cheap labor and shoddy materials.
Most will need tearing down in 20 or so years.
Many places in the US use primarily spanish speaking workers. The problem of paying people off the books predates the illegal though the illegal exacerbates the problem. There is little indication that houses are built less well than they used to be. For instance energy efficency is vastly better than 25 years ago.
My nephew had a new house built in Mandarin, Florida, back in around 2000 and he said there wasn't a straight wall in the house. Very shoddy work. Luckily his divorce happened before the crash and he was able to sell the house. He said being out on the job site occasionally, few workers spoke english.
This country gave up quality for quantity 30+ years ago. Many of us were forced from doing what we loved as craftsman. Who can compete with Jose?
Sure the work isn't square, plumb. It may be filled with caulk and puffy but WOW! Look at the price!
I watched the McMantions being slapped together throughout the 90's. They are BIG square boxes without architectural detail. The roof gutters nearly touch their neighbors.
We all like to complain about the illegal Mexican invasion but American greed has caused much of the problem. Few are willing to pay for quality these days.
Many places in the US use primarily spanish speaking workers. The problem of paying people off the books predates the illegal though the illegal exacerbates the problem. There is little indication that houses are built less well than they used to be. For instance energy efficency is vastly better than 25 years ago.
When non English speaking illegals are hired to do work that they are not trained for, the result is sub standard construction. Equating energy efficiency (products built in factory like windows) with rough framing? How do you make that stretch? This is my trade. I can't begin to tell you how many jobs we go to in which we have to correct shoddy work by earlier contractors whose illegal workforce has no idea what they were doing. Walls out of plumb causing doors to not close properly, additions not tied in, electrical nightmares.
Think about it: many of the illegals coming in are poorly educated (if at all) and come from farming communities or slums. What opportunity do you think they've had to learn building methods which comply with American building codes?
When non English speaking illegals are hired to do work that they are not trained for, the result is sub standard construction. Equating energy efficiency (products built in factory like windows) with rough framing? How do you make that stretch? This is my trade. I can't begin to tell you how many jobs we go to in which we have to correct shoddy work by earlier contractors whose illegal workforce has no idea what they were doing. Walls out of plumb causing doors to not close properly, additions not tied in, electrical nightmares.
Think about it: many of the illegals coming in are poorly educated (if at all) and come from farming communities or slums. What opportunity do you think they've had to learn building methods which comply with American building codes?
You are citing evidence that has not been presented. Virtually all framers and wall board mechanics in the SW are Hispanic. Undoubtedly some are illegal. But their immigration status has little bearing on how they do their task.
Best tile layer I ever saw always had an assistant or two who were sometimes Hispanic. I would virtually guarantee that they were paid in cash whether illegal or not. And the work done could not have been any better even though they were beating the US out of taxes.
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