flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

The average U.S. contractor has 9.2 months worth of construction work in the pipeline, as of August 2023

Contractors

The average U.S. contractor has 9.2 months worth of construction work in the pipeline, as of August 2023

Contractor backlogs dropped slightly in August, to 9.2 months, according to Associated Builders and Contractors.


By Associated Builders and Contractors | September 12, 2023
Image by Jason Goh from Pixabay
Image by Jason Goh from Pixabay

Associated Builders and Contractors' Construction Backlog Indicator declined to 9.2 months in August, down 0.1 month, according to an ABC member survey conducted from Aug. 21 to Sept. 6. The reading is 0.5 months above the August 2022 level.

Backlog decreased on a monthly basis for all categories of company size except for those with more than $100 million in annual revenues, while only the smallest two revenue categories have higher backlog than in August 2022.

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

“There’s no sign of a construction recession in the near term,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “If anything, contractors are more upbeat, as policy and technology shifts along with economic transformation, are creating substantial demand for improvements and growth in America’s built environment.

“While a plurality of contractors expects only small improvements in sales, profit margins and staffing over the next six months, even incremental improvement is remarkable in the context of tightening credit, higher project financing costs and lingering fears of recession,” said Basu. “Backlog continues to be at the upper end of historic levels, with the infrastructure category registering substantial gains in backlog in August. That suggests that a growing number of public works projects is poised to break ground.”

Construction Backlog Indicator declined to 9.2 months in August 2023

Construction Backlog Indicator declined to 9.2 months in August 2023

Related Stories

Building Team | Jun 27, 2022

Chapel of St. Ignatius by Steven Holl Architects receives AIA’s twenty-five year award

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is honoring the Chapel of St. Ignatius in Seattle, designed by Steven Holl Architects, with its Twenty-five Year Award.

Green | Jun 22, 2022

The business case for passive house multifamily

A trio of Passive House experts talk about the true costs and benefits of passive house design and construction for multifamily projects. 

Building Team | Jun 22, 2022

Design for new San Clemente Marine Safety Headquarters would create new public plaza

A proposed design by HMC Architects for a new San Clemente Marine Safety Headquarters makes creative use of the seaside topography of the Pacific Coast.

Augmented Reality | Jun 22, 2022

Not just for POKÉMON GO anymore: how augmented reality is transforming architecture

By solving a long-standing communication problem, Augmented Reality (AR) is poised to make architecture quicker, nimbler, and more cost effective.

Healthcare Facilities | Jun 22, 2022

Arizona State University’s Health Futures Center: A new home for medical tech innovation

In Phoenix, the Arizona State University (ASU) has constructed its Health Futures Center—expanding the school’s impact as a research institution emphasizing medical technology acceleration and innovation, entrepreneurship, and healthcare education.

Market Data | Jun 22, 2022

Architecture Billings Index slows but remains strong

Architecture firms reported increasing demand for design services in May, according to a new report today from The American Institute of Architects (AIA).

Green | Jun 22, 2022

World’s largest commercial Living Building opens in Portland, Ore.

The world’s largest commercial Living Building recently opened in Portland, Ore.

Multifamily Housing | Jun 21, 2022

Two birds, one solution: Can we solve urban last-mile distribution and housing challenges at the same time?

When it comes to the development of both multifamily housing and last-mile distribution centers, particularly in metropolitan environments, each presents its own series of challenges and hurdles. One solution: single-use structures.

Libraries | Jun 21, 2022

Kingston, Ontario, library branch renovation cuts energy use to 55% of benchmark

A recent renovation of the Kingston (Ontario) Frontenac Public Library Central Branch greatly boosted energy and water efficiency while making the facility healthier and safer.

Building Materials | Jun 20, 2022

Early-stage procurement: The next evolution of the construction supply chain

Austin Commercial’s Jason Earnhardt explains why supply chain issues for the construction industry are not going to go away and how developers and owners can get ahead of project roadblocks.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category



Curtain Wall

7 steps to investigating curtain wall leaks

It is common for significant curtain wall leakage to involve multiple variables. Therefore, a comprehensive multi-faceted investigation is required to determine the origin of leakage, according to building enclosure consultants Richard Aeck and John A. Rudisill with Rimkus. 


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