Construction Jobs Exceed Pre-Pandemic Level in 18 States, D.C., Says AGC

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Only 18 states and the District of Columbia have added construction jobs since just before the start of the pandemic in February 2020 despite a pickup in most states from October to November, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said one reason employment is below pre-pandemic levels in many parts of the country is the lack of available workers to hire. “Construction activity has picked up in recent months but still has not reached the employment levels of early last year in most of the country during … Read more

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XL Construction Completes ‘Mass Timber’ School Construction Project

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XL Construction, in collaboration with Aedis Architects and Daedalus Structural Engineering, has completed its first TimberQuest “mass timber” school construction project for Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton, in Atherton, California. The project, which was built with a quick turnaround of 11 weeks during the summer of 2021, is approximately 4,000 square feet in size and contains four 1,000-square-foot classrooms, each with a restroom. Features include extensive natural lighting with exposed timber walls and ceilings. The Sacred Heart classrooms exceed California’s Building Energy Efficiency Standards Title 24 by between 35-60% and has solar and net-zero capabilities. The new classrooms now serve Sacred … Read more

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ABC Construction Backlog and Contractor Confidence Rebound in November

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ABC’s Construction Confidence Index readings for sales, profit margins and staffing levels increased in November. All three indices stand above the threshold of 50, indicating expectations of growth over the next six months. Associated Builders and Contractors reports that its Construction Backlog Indicator rose to 8.4 months in November, according to an ABC member survey conducted Nov. 19 to Dec. 3. The reading is up 0.3 months from October 2021 and 1.2 months from November 2020. “It’s getting better out there,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “While the outlook for construction remains imperfect, extraordinarily low interest rates have created … Read more

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Construction Complete on New Chase Bank Branch in Missouri

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A new Chase Bank branch in O’Fallon, Missouri is open with Knoebel Construction serving as the general contractor. Part of Chase Bank’s major national expansion initiative, the location is the fourth build that Knoebel has completed this year. Knoebel completed Chase Bank branch locations in Richmond Heights, Missouri; O’Fallon, Illinois and Little Rock, Arkansas. Each of the approximately 3,300-square-foot locations features modern design elements and open, collaborative spaces with room for meetings and customer education sessions. Each branch was built with a drive-up teller and ATM lanes. Significant building material shortages during the O’Fallon build posed a primary project challenge, … Read more

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Widespread Steep Increases in Materials Costs in November Outrun Prices for Construction Projects, According to AGC Analysis

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Prices of numerous construction materials soared again in November, outpacing the rate at which contractors raised their bid prices, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data. Association officials said the current steps being taken to address supply chain problems and rising prices have been insufficient and urged public officials to redouble their efforts. “Prices for nearly every type of construction material are rising at runaway rates,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “These costs are compounding the difficulties contractors are experiencing from long lead times for production, gridlocked supply chains and record … Read more

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