What Are The Best Construction Staffing Agencies In Florida?

Key Takeaways

• Florida's construction boom is creating a lot of competition for skilled workers. The state added 37,100 construction jobs in the past year, but contractors still struggle to find qualified electricians, plumbers, and HVAC techs.
• Traditional staffing agencies charge 40-70% markups above worker rates. For a 5-person crew, that's $12,000-21,000 per month in extra costs on top of wages.
• There are several major construction staffing agencies that operate in Florida, ranging from local specialists like Tampa-based RAMS to national players like Tradesmen International with offices across the state.
• Direct-hire platforms like Buildforce offer a lower-cost alternative. Select workers from detailed profiles and book instantly through an app, while still getting full payroll and insurance services.

Florida added 11,400 construction jobs between March 2024 and March 2025, ranking the state third nationally for construction employment growth, according to the Associated General Contractors of America. But ask any contractor in Miami, Tampa, or Orlando, and they'll tell you the same thing: finding skilled electricians, plumbers, and HVAC techs is harder than ever.

Construction staffing agencies help contractors scale their crews quickly without the overhead of permanent hires. Here's what you need to know about your options in Florida.

Why Florida Contractors Use Staffing Agencies

Florida's construction industry is booming. The state added 37,100 construction jobs between September 2023 and September 2024, a 5.9% increase that positioned Florida as the second-highest state for job gains, according to the Associated General Contractors of America. With the state's construction unemployment rate at historic lows, demand for skilled tradespeople has never been higher.

Staffing agencies help contractors scale up for big projects or fill gaps when regular crews are stretched thin. Most agencies handle the recruiting and screening, so you don't have to spend time sorting through resumes. Many take care of payroll, workers' comp, and other administrative work, though what's included varies by company.

8 Construction Staffing Agencies Operating in Florida

QLM (Quality Labor Management)

Founded: 2008 | HQ: Orlando, FL

Florida-based QLM knows the local market inside and out. Founded in Orlando in 2008, the company operates offices across the country and specializes in electrical, mechanical, plumbing, solar, and marine trades for commercial and industrial projects. Being headquartered in Orlando means they understand everything from hurricane-resistant building requirements to seasonal project cycles. QLM operates with what they call an "SPQ Philosophy"—Safety, Productivity, Quality—and all workers undergo background checks, drug testing, and skills testing before placement. The company also runs its own specialized Energy Division that services solar projects nationwide.

RAMS Skilled Trades

Founded: 1994 | HQ: Tampa, FL

With over 30 years serving Florida contractors, RAMS is one of the most established local players. Founded in Tampa in 1994, they now operate four branch locations across Florida (Tampa, Orlando, Daytona, and Jacksonville) with 500-1,000 employees. RAMS focuses exclusively on the three main phases of vertical construction: electrical, mechanical, and plumbing. Unlike many competitors, RAMS holds electrical contractor licenses not to bid jobs but to operate JumpStart—a state-certified pre-apprenticeship program. All RAMS employees are full-time with benefits and undergo comprehensive skills testing by experienced tradesmen. They maintain relationships with Florida's largest electrical, mechanical, and plumbing contractors, placing hundreds of tradespeople daily.

Superior Skilled Trades

Founded: 2018 | HQ: Rockledge, FL

The newest Florida-based agency on this list, Superior has expanded quickly across multiple Sunbelt states since its 2018 founding. This veteran-owned and minority-owned company (certified VOSB and MBE) has grown to 11-50 employees with offices in both Rockledge and Tampa. They focus on electrical contractors, aerospace, automation, renewable energy, and data center projects, providing journeymen, foremen, apprentices, and helpers. Superior specializes in commercial construction and heavy industrial sectors, handling payroll, workers' comp, and compliance. The company recruits through traditional relationship-building and networking rather than just advertising, taking a more hands-on approach to candidate vetting.

Tradesmen International

Founded: 1992 | HQ: Cleveland, OH

One of the largest construction staffing companies in North America with a strong Florida presence across multiple office locations, including Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Tallahassee. Founded in 1992 with over 30 years of industry experience, Tradesmen operates hundreds of offices nationwide. Beyond traditional staffing, they offer OSHA 10-hour safety training for all employees, productivity analysis, labor consulting services, and their CORE+Flex methodology for workforce optimization. Their scale means they can staff large projects quickly. All craftworkers are permanent Tradesmen employees who receive benefits and undergo two interviews, multiple reference checks, and routine monthly evaluations.

PeopleReady

Founded: 1987 | HQ: Tacoma, WA

Part of TrueBlue Inc., a publicly traded workforce solutions company (NYSE: TBI), PeopleReady serves commercial, residential, and industrial construction sectors nationwide with over 600 branch locations across all 50 states. Founded in 1987 with nearly 40 years of experience, PeopleReady connects approximately 464,000 people to work annually. Their mobile app JobStack lets you request workers on-demand and track job progress in real-time, which works well for fast-moving Florida projects. The platform provides 24/7 access to place orders and watch them get filled in real time. PeopleReady has extensive Florida coverage with locations across Tampa, Orlando, Miami, and other major markets.

Premier Electrical Staffing

Founded: 2009 | HQ: Raleigh, NC

Premier focuses exclusively on electrical trades across 9 Southeastern states, including Florida. Founded in 2009, the company has grown to approximately 223 employees and $12 million in annual revenue, making it the largest electrical-only staffing company in the country. What sets Premier apart is that their core recruiting staff includes experienced contractors, project managers, superintendents, and master or journeyman electricians who understand the field. Their specialization means deep databases of pre-screened electricians, from apprentices to project managers, for commercial, industrial, and residential work. All candidates pass written exams, background checks, drug testing, and skills tests monitored by experienced tradesmen.

Finish Line Staffing

Founded: 2014 | HQ: Louisville, KY

Finish Line serves electrical, mechanical, plumbing, concrete, and masonry trades with both temporary and direct-hire placements. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, the company has expanded to strategic locations, including Orlando and Tampa in Florida. They maintain a nationwide network of skilled journeymen, foremen, apprentices, and helpers with onsite offices and local recruiters throughout the country. Finish Line's technology platform streamlines requesting workers and tracking hours, making the staffing process smoother for busy contractors. The company specializes in commercial construction, heavy industrial, and infrastructure projects.

CCS Construction Staffing

Founded: 2008 | HQ: Charlotte, NC

CCS (originally Carolinas Construction Solutions) provides skilled trades across multiple disciplines including electrical, plumbing, HVAC, pipefitting, sheet metal, carpentry, and concrete. Founded in 2008, the company has grown from operating in one state to over 15 states with 386 total employees. CCS prides itself on being more flexible than large national firms while focusing exclusively on skilled construction trades. They serve contractors throughout Florida and the Southeast with temporary, temp-to-hire, and direct hire placements. The company focuses on job site safety management and handles all administrative functions from payroll to insurance. CCS has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list multiple times (2013-2018).

What Traditional Staffing Agencies Cost

Most construction staffing agencies charge a markup of 40-70% above the worker's hourly rate. So if a worker makes $30/hour, you're paying $42-51/hour.

That markup covers workers' compensation insurance, general liability insurance, payroll taxes and administration, recruiting and screening, time tracking and billing, and replacement workers if needed.

For a 5-person crew working 40 hours/week, that extra markup adds up to $12,000-21,000 per month in added costs.

The Direct Staffing Alternative: Buildforce

Buildforce takes a different approach. Instead of traditional agency processes that are slow and frustrating, we built a platform that connects Florida contractors directly with pre-screened electricians.

How it works:

Sign up for a free account, create a project with your specific requirements, and let electricians apply directly. Review their detailed profiles showing experience, certifications, and ratings, then send offers to the workers you want. Once they accept, they can start as soon as the next day. Manage everything online with time tracking, approvals, and payments in one place.

We still handle all the administrative work like workers' comp, payroll, insurance, and background checks. But the direct connection means substantially lower costs than traditional agency markups.

Traditional Agency vs. Buildforce: Quick Comparison

Which Staffing Solution is Right for You?

Choose a traditional agency if:

• You prefer phone-based coordination over apps
• You want the agency to handle all worker selection
• You have established relationships with specific agencies

Choose Buildforce if:

• You want to control who shows up on your job site
• You're managing tight project budgets
• You value transparency in worker backgrounds and experience
• You prefer modern, app-based tools over phone calls

Finding reliable workers is one of the biggest problems Florida contractors face. Having a staffing solution that can deliver qualified tradespeople when you need them makes all the difference.

If you’re ready to staff your next Florida electrical project with much less administrative setupand work, you can sign up for free with no payment information required. Browse our network of pre-screened Florida electricians and see how direct hiring can improve your bottom line.