BETTER BUILDER, BETTER BUSINESS

Our standards cost little to implement but make a big impact. Our program saves developers time and money by reducing turnover, increasing worker productivity, lowering insurance rates, and enhancing your market position as a socially conscious business.

 Interested in becoming a Better Builder? Contact jessica.wolff@workersdefense.org 
After running the numbers, it was clear that we could require higher standards from our contractors and maintain a healthy bottom line"
-Perry Lorenz, Austin Developer

Lower Turnover

Studies have shown that providing OSHA 10 training for workers reduces the frequency of on site accidents and creates a safer work environment. Greater workplace safety can, in turn, reduce the turnover rate as injury and unsafe working conditions are the top reasons for worker absenteeism in the construction industry.  Furthermore, studies of living wage ordinances in multiple cities have shown that paying living wages boosts worker morale and contributes to lower levels of workplace absenteeism as well as lower turnover rates. As recruiting and training new employees increase labor costs, paying living wages can result in savings for developers.

Lower Insurance Rates

The average Texas firm pays $1.61 per $100 of payroll expenses for workers compensation insurance. Policy holders can save up to 5% on their coverage by implementing a safety program that includes, but is not limited to, requiring all construction workers to have OSHA-10 safety training.
My wife and I decided to join the Better Builder program because we believe in providing safe working conditions and a living wage for all workers.... We found that on our project participation in the program would only increase construction cost by a few percentage points." 
- Brian Carrico, Co-Developer of the Arrive Hotel

Increased Worker Productivity

A study done by Harvard University found that employees who are paid more than those at other firms for the same work are more productive, while other studies show that increased wages can pay for themselves with a corresponding increase in productivity.

We believe development in Austin should benefit families who work in construction, and these standards help ensure construction workers don't receive poverty level wages and face dangerous working conditions, which is too ofter the case in Austin."
- Walter Moreau, Executive Director of Foundation Communities

Goodwill and Property Value Added

Achieving Better Builder Certification generates goodwill for the developer and can add value to the property. Austin consumers are conscientious-75% of residents and tourists surveyed in downtown Austin stated they were unlikely to purchase a home or stay in a hotel if labor laws were violated during construction. Not only will Better Builder Certification improve consumers’ perception of a company, but it also adds tangible value to a property. A survey found that about half of Austin residents surveyed would be willing to pay 5% or more of their current monthly payment to live in a property that was Better Builder Certified.
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