Contractors, electricians and other tradesmen are in short supply after the Southern California fires; many fire victims may have to wait years to rebuild their homes, according to The Associated Press.
Even in normal economic conditions, it's difficult to get good contractors, but now contractors are stretched even more thin because of the fires, said LaDonna Monsees, vice chairman and president of La Jolla, Calif.-based Newland Homes, a developer that sells lots to builders.