flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator Jumps in September; Contractor Confidence Remains Steady

Market Data

ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator Jumps in September; Contractor Confidence Remains Steady

Associated Builders and Contractors reports today that its Construction Backlog Indicator increased to 9.0 months in September, according to an ABC member survey conducted Sept. 20 to Oct. 5.


By ABC | October 14, 2022
Construction Backlog September
Courtesy Pexels.

Associated Builders and Contractors reports today that its Construction Backlog Indicator increased to 9.0 months in September, according to an ABC member survey conducted Sept. 20 to Oct. 5. The reading is 1.4 months higher than in September 2021.

View ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index tables for September 2022.

Backlog reached its highest level since May 2022 and is once again above the level observed at the start of the pandemic (8.9 months in February 2020). Backlog in heavy industrial increased sizably in September, spurred by a 21.5% year-over-year increase in manufacturing-related construction spending.

ABC’s Construction Confidence Index readings for profit margins and staffing levels increased in September, while the reading for sales moved slightly lower. All three readings remain above the threshold of 50, indicating expectations of growth over the next six months.

“The construction confidence and backlog metrics appear strong despite the U.S. economy facing headwinds like inflation, financial market volatility and rapidly rising borrowing costs,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Contractors remain decidedly upbeat, with backlog expanding and expectations for rising sales, employment and profit margins over the next six months.

“One would think the recent surge in interest rates would be enough to dampen contractor confidence,” said Basu. “Instead, project owners continue to move forward with a significant number of projects. Faced with high demand for their services, contractors continue to show pricing power, helping to offset rising compensation and other construction delivery costs.”

Construction Backlog Indicator September
Courtesy ABC.

Note: The reference months for the Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index data series were revised on May 12, 2020, to better reflect the survey period. CBI quantifies the previous month’s work under contract based on the latest financials available, while CCI measures contractors’ outlook for the next six months.

Related Stories

Retail Centers | Mar 10, 2015

Orlando's Skyscraper to be world's tallest roller coaster

The Skyscraper is expected to begin construction later this year, and open in 2016. It will stand at 570 feet. 

Museums | Mar 9, 2015

Architecture based on astronomy principles for new planetarium in Shanghai

The ancient Chinese civilization left some of the earliest records of humans studying the stars and skies. To exhibit this long history, a new planetarium and astronomy museum is planned for construction in Shanghai.

Cultural Facilities | Mar 9, 2015

London council nixes plans to rebuild the Crystal Palace

Plans for the new Crystal Palace Park were scrapped when the city and the project's developer could come to an agreement before the 16-month exclusivity contract expired.

Sponsored | Building Team | Mar 6, 2015

How to give feedback effectively

A great feedback-giving leader evaluates the individual

Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 5, 2015

New HOK designs for St. Louis NFL stadium unveiled

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has assembled a task force to develop plans for an open-air NFL stadium on the North Riverfront of downtown St. Louis.

Reconstruction & Renovation | Mar 5, 2015

Chicago's 7 most endangered properties

Preservation Chicago released its annual list of historic buildings that are at risk of being demolished or falling into decay.

High-rise Construction | Mar 4, 2015

Must see: Egypt planning 656-foot pyramid skyscraper in Cairo

Zayed Crystal Spark Tower will stand 200 meters tall and will be just a short distance from the pyramids of Giza. 

Energy Efficiency | Mar 4, 2015

DOE launches crowdsourcing website for technology innovators

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory launched a new crowdsourcing website called the Buildings Crowdsoucing Community to collect and share ideas by innovators for energy-efficient technologies to use in homes and buildings.

Architects | Feb 27, 2015

5 finalists announced for 2015 Mies van der Rohe Award

Bjarke Ingels' Danish Maritime Museum and the Ravensburg Art Museum by Lederer Ragnarsdóttir Oei are among the five projects vying for the award.

K-12 Schools | Feb 25, 2015

Polish architect designs modular ‘kids city’ kindergarten using shipping container frames

Forget the retrofit of a shipping container into a building for one moment. Designboom showcases the plans of Polish architect Adam Wiercinski to use just the recycled frames of containers to construct a “kids city.”

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021