Drop in April Construction Input Prices Could Help Stabilize Nonresidential Construction Sector, Says ABC

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Construction input prices fell 4.4% in April from the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data. Nonresidential construction input prices declined 4.2% for the month. Among 11 subcategories, nine experienced monthly price declines. All three energy subcategories considered in this release were lower in April, with crude petroleum down 48.9%, unprocessed energy materials down 27.5% and natural gas down 20.4%. The only subcategories that didn’t experience monthly price decreases were plumbing fixtures and fittings, which remained virtually unchanged, and concrete products, which increased 0.1%. “There has been … Read more

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Milestone Reached on Lakeview Terrace Tower

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The final trusses were recently placed on the new five-story tower at Lakeview Terrace, a lakefront, gated retirement community in Umatilla, Florida. Hoar Construction is serving as general contractor on the $30-million expansion project, which includes the apartment tower, as well as a clubhouse and villas for the 100-acre campus north of Orlando. The tower includes a mix of one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, each with a screened-in patio terrace, full kitchen, living/dining room and den. Nine two-story villas include four units each with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, two screened-in patio terraces, a full kitchen, two dens and a laundry room. … Read more

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Joint-Venture Tops Out Acute Care Hospital Wing Expansion

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The topping out of Orohealth’s new hospital tower, located in Oroville, California, was recently celebrated. The project team includes joint-venture partners Sundt Construction, Inc. and Modern Building, Inc., with CannonDesign serving as architect of record. The 159,751-square-foot expansion will add a five-story wing to the existing hospital and connect at the first and second floors. The acute care hospital wing will expand the existing 132-bed facility to a new total of 228 beds. The project consists of an ambulatory care center on the first floor, women’s and infant center including labor, delivery and recovery on the second floor, a third-floor … Read more

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Tech Tip for Disinfecting Aerial Devices, Digger Derricks

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The need for frequent and thorough disinfecting of work trucks like aerial devices and digger derricks is a new task for service managers. In response to questions from customers, Terex Utilities has released Tech Tip #140 to provide a reminder of the many surfaces on a piece of equipment that may have been touched by crew members. “It’s a good idea to clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces at the beginning and end of each shift or crew change. Terex Utilities recommends using disinfectant wipes and following CDC guidelines for developing and implementing a cleaning plan,” said Jason Julius, technical … Read more

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Nonresidential Construction Spending Falls Slightly in March, Says ABC

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National nonresidential construction spending fell 0.1% in March and is up 2.0% compared to the same time last year, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data recently published by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, spending totaled $802.6 billion for the month. Among 16 nonresidential subcategories, 12 experienced a decline in spending on a monthly basis. Private nonresidential spending fell 1.3% from February, while public nonresidential construction spending increased 1.6%. “Today’s data release answers precious few questions,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “The great debate has been whether the combination of pre-existing … Read more

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