There are two things you can do if construction salary negotiation isn't a possibility. First, you can walk away. Always be prepared to walk away if the construction employer won't or can't give you the value you need and expect, provided it is a fair value. Second, you can try to negotiate benefits. Often, benefits are more flexible than actual construction salary. Remember that on-going education is expensive, moving is expensive, health insurance is expensive. The nature of the benefits translates into money in your pocket. Consider moving expenses, travel costs, stock options, profit sharing, and the review process. Can you get your construction salary review moved forward? Can you get a contingency number linked to it? All these things might have room when the actual construction salary number is fixed for a new hire.