Gilbane Building Co. has released the Fall 2012 edition of Construction Economics -- Market Conditions in Construction. Based on an array of economic data, construction starts, and material cost trends, this free report indicates an increase in construction spending over last year but cautions of an expected downturn again in early 2013. The Architectural Billings Index (ABI), which predicts activity 9-12 months out, indicates increasing spending nearly through the end of the year before another slowdown.
"Jobs continue to be the difficulty in this construction recovery. They are at a near standstill, while spending continues a slow climb," says Ed Zarenski, the report's author and a 40-year veteran of the construction industry. "A nugget of good news, though, is that climb may mean productivity is increasing. Spending is up only 2.5% since the beginning of the year, but up 6% from a year ago. Supported by positive growth trends, contractors may be able to recover a bit of lost margins."
According to the report, the construction industry has seen a small but continued growth in contractor's margins that started a very slow return to positive in 2011. Material price increases and labor cost growth will still contribute to escalation. Contractors' building costs "charged" in 2012 are above labor and material cost increases, signaling a continued movement towards recovery of more normalized margins.
Among the topics covered in this comprehensive report are:
- Construction Starts, Spending, & Costs
- Material Price Movement
- Trends and Costs for Structural Steel, Recycling Steel, & Copper
- Architectural Billings Index
- Current Inflation Forecast
- ENR Index -- BCI History
This free report is available for download at http://info.gilbaneco.com/construction-economics. +
Related Stories
| Sep 1, 2016
INDUSTRIAL GIANTS: A ranking of the nation's top industrial design and construction firms
Stantec, BRPH, Fluor Corp., Walbridge, Jacobs, and AECOM top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest industrial sector AEC firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Sep 1, 2016
HOTEL SECTOR GIANTS: A ranking of the nation's top hotel sector design and construction firms
Gensler, HKS, Turner Construction Co., The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., Jacobs, and JBA Consulting Engineers top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest hotel sector AEC firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Sep 1, 2016
CULTURAL SECTOR GIANTS: A ranking of the nation's top cultural sector design and construction firms
Gensler, Perkins+Will, PCL Construction Enterprises, Turner Construction Co., AECOM, and WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest cultural sector AEC firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Sep 1, 2016
COURTHOUSE GIANTS: A ranking of the nation's top courthouse design and construction firms
DLR Group, NBBJ, Hensel Phelps, Sundt Construction, AECOM, and Dewberry top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest courthouse sector AEC firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
Airports | Aug 31, 2016
Aircraft manufacturing facility innovation from The Austin Company
Austin’s many innovations contributed to the success of our clients by enabling them to operate in more efficient environments, optimize the flexibility of their operations, and meet aggressive schedules.
| Aug 30, 2016
CONVENTION CENTER GIANTS: A ranking of the nation's top convention center sector design and construction firms
Gensler, LMN Architects, AECOM, Turner Construction Co., and WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest convention center sector AEC firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
BIM and Information Technology | Aug 30, 2016
BIM GIANTS: A ranking of the nation's top BIM design and construction firms
HOK, Perkins+Will, Turner Construction Co., The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., Jacobs, and Thornton Tomasetti top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest BIM AEC firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
Building Tech | Aug 26, 2016
NBBJ’s Goldilocks sensor technology can help employees find a workspace that is just right
The technology measures light levels, humidity and temperature, motion, and sound.
Great Solutions | Aug 23, 2016
11 great solutions for the commercial construction market
A roll-up emergency department, next-gen telemedicine center, and biophilic cooling pods are among the AEC industry’s clever ideas and novel innovations for 2016.
| Aug 19, 2016
RECONSTRUCTION GIANTS: Facelifts give buildings new identities, even as they keep a few wrinkles
Reconstruction is always a balancing act between the client’s pro forma and what the building needs to be vibrant again.
