It’s 7:30am on a Monday morning. The materials you were expecting last week have finally arrived, your client is keen to accelerate the project timeline, and suddenly you need additional trades on-site by Wednesday.

Or weather delays have compressed your schedule, and what was meant to be a phased rollout now needs all hands on deck.

For main contractors across the UK, this scenario plays out far too often, creating a cascade of delays, frustrated clients, and mounting pressure to find immediate solutions.

The construction industry has long operated on relationships, trust, and the infamous ‘little black book’ of reliable contacts.

Traditionally, when main contractors need additional resource at short notice, they turn to their personal networks or contact specialist recruitment agencies.

While these methods remain valuable, a new alternative has emerged in the form of digital platforms like Tradys App, offering contractors immediate access to available local sub-contractors when time is of the essence.

The current landscape of last minute resource for projects

When projects’ timelines suddenly accelerate or sub-contractors fail to turn up, main contractors typically turn to one of two solutions – their personal network of trusted contacts or specialist recruitment agencies.

The personal network approach relies heavily on relationships built over years. While these contacts often provide quality workmanship, they’re not always available when needed most.

Recruitment agencies, on the other hand, have traditionally filled the gap for longer-term staffing needs. They maintain databases of available workers and can often provide coverage, but their focus tends toward permanent or extended temporary placements.

Louise Orrell, now Director at Tradys for Business, experienced these challenges firsthand during her position as National Operational Director for a Tier 1 main contractor.

“The reality of managing field operations is that you’re constantly adapting to changing circumstances.

When weather clears unexpectedly or materials arrive ahead of schedule, you need additional resource within hours to capitalise on the opportunity. Traditional methods of sourcing labour simply weren’t designed for this level of responsiveness.”