Construction Input Prices Rebound in July, Says ABC

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Construction input prices expanded 0.8% in July but are down 0.6% year-over-year, according to a recently released Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data. Nonresidential construction input prices also increased 0.8% for the month but have declined 0.3% on a year-ago basis. Much of the year-over-year decline can be explained by plummeting energy prices, including crude petroleum (-20.3%), natural gas (-31%) and unprocessed energy materials (20.9%). The prices of softwood lumber (-19.5%) and iron and steel (-11.1%) are also down significantly since July 2018. “The decline in construction input prices over … Read more

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Construction Contractors Remain Confident as Summer Begins, Says ABC

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U.S. construction industry leaders remained upbeat regarding nonresidential construction’s near-term prospects in May 2019, according to the Construction Confidence Index released by Associated Builders and Contractors. While contractors were slightly less upbeat regarding profit margins and staffing levels compared to April, all three principal components measured by the survey—sales, profit margins and staffing levels—remain well above the diffusion index threshold of 50 in May. Nearly 73% of contractors expect sales to rise during the next six months and 68% expect staffing levels to increase further. The CCI for sales expectations increased from 68.4 to 70.0 in May. The CCI for … Read more

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TDIndustries Earns Excellence in Construction Award for Healthcare Project

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The Associated Builders and Contractors’ South Texas Region awarded TDIndustries an Excellence in Construction award for work on HCA/Methodist Healthcare’s Stone Oak Hospital, located in San Antonio. The accolade came in the $2-$10 million category. TD renovated and expanded 27,000 square feet dedicated to operating, prep/recovery, decontamination and anesthesia care. The general contractor performed mechanical, plumbing, medical gas and ductwork installations and change-outs. In addition, TD installed two new air handling units (renovating a third), a water-cooled chiller package, roof drains and nozzles and more than 50 plumbing fixtures. Through collaboration, pull-planning and Lean construction processes, the team completed the … Read more

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Construction Input Prices Plummet in June, Says ABC

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Construction input prices decreased 1.3% on both a monthly and yearly basis in June, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data. This is the first time in nearly three years that input prices have fallen on a year-over-year basis. Overall, nonresidential construction input prices declined 1.4% from May 2019 but are down just 0.8% from June 2018. Among the 11 sub-categories, only natural gas (+1.6%) and concrete products (+0.9%) prices increased compared to May 2019. On a yearly basis, three of the sub-category prices have declined by more than … Read more

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Nonresidential Construction Spending Slips Modestly in May, Says ABC

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According to a recent Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, national nonresidential construction spending declined 0.9% in May, totaling $788.5 billion on a seasonally adjusted annualized basis and a 4.4% increase compared to the same time last year. While total public and private nonresidential spending declined 0.9% since April, public spending was up 11.2% and private spending was down 0.1% year over year. Among the 16 nonresidential construction spending categories tracked by the Census Bureau, five experienced increases in monthly spending, including transportation (4%), communication (1.3%) and public safety (1.2%). Religious (-5.5%), commercial (-3.3%) and highway … Read more

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