Construction firms added jobs in 40 states and the District of Columbia between December 2013 and December 2014 while construction employment increased in 38 states and D.C. between November and December, according to a recent analysis of Labor Department data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that construction employment gains are consistent with the general optimism most contractors expressed in the association’s Construction Hiring and Business Outlook. According to the outlook, 80 percent of contractors report they plan to add new construction jobs in 2015. In addition, more contractors expect demand for most construction market segments … Read more
Gilbane’s Report Finds Multi-Sector Gains in 2015 Growth & Profits
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Gilbane Building Company recently announced the findings from its in-house quarterly economics report: Building for the Future – Construction Economics: Market Conditions in Construction. Among its most notable findings, the report indicates 2014 construction spending will finish the year 5.4 percent higher than 2013, noting all sectors have contributed to growth. Further, most major nonresidential markets, including education, healthcare, commercial retail, office and manufacturing, along with residential construction will all realize much-needed spending increases in 2015. Still, favorable growth conditions in the coming year will be met with an ongoing shortage of available skilled workers, driving up … Read more
Most Construction Firms Expect Growth this Year, Says AGC
Eighty percent of construction firms plan to expand their payrolls in 2015 while only 7 percent expect to reduce headcounts according to survey results released by the Associated General Contractors of America. The survey, conducted as part of Ready to Hire Again: The 2015 Construction Industry Hiring and Business Outlook, indicates that most contractors are optimistic about the year ahead and ready to expand, but will have to cope with challenges including worker shortages and regulatory burdens. “Contractors are extremely optimistic about the outlook for 2015,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s CEO. “Indeed, if their predictions prove true, industry … Read more
Architecture Billings Index Rebounds to End 2014 on Solid Footing
WASHINGTON, D.C. — There were 10 out of 12 months of increasing demand for design services in 2014, and the Architecture Billings Index points to a healthy outlook for the nonresidential construction industry. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate 9-12-month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects reported the December ABI score was 52.2, up from a mark of 50.9 in November. This score reflects an increase in design activity (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 58.2, following … Read more
Construction Employment Hits Five-Year High
Construction employers added 48,000 jobs in December and 290,000 for the year, the largest annual increase since 2005, as the sector’s unemployment rate fell to 8.3 percent, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said many firms are expanding payrolls to keep pace with growing construction demand, but are having a hard time finding qualified workers to fill key positions. “Construction firms are clearly ramping up their hiring to keep up with swelling demand for construction,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Demand for workers to construct apartments, pipelines and huge industrial projects … Read more