According to the National Specialist Contractors Council’s latest trade survey a third of its members are now planning to hire more staff in the first three months of this year.

The industry recruitment push comes as a record high of 60% of firms anticipate an increase in workload for the upcoming year and nearly one in five are raising tender prices, compared to last year.

But a quarter of the firms surveyed also warned that they are experiencing increasing difficulty finding the right candidates for specialist work.

This is the highest number since the second quarter of 2007, just before the banking crisis.

NSCC chief executive Suzannah Nichol warned that many firms were now questioning whether the recent growth spurt can be sustained.

Firms report they are now having difficulty finding experienced roofers, floorers, cladding operatives, managerial and supervisory staff.

Low number of applicants with the required skills was cited by most firms as the principal reason for the recruitment difficulty.

While still relatively low, 4% of firms said they have been unable to bid for work because of skills shortages.