Springy Bounce in ConstructConnect’s March Starts, +18%

ConstructConnect announced today that March construction starts, excluding residential activity, were +17.8 versus February. The long-term February-to-March advance, due to seasonality, has been only +2.5%. It’s usually not until April that more accommodating weather causes a big lift in volume of about +12.0%. Spring has apparently come early for groundbreakings this year.

2017-04-18-US-Nonresidential-Construction-Starts-Mar-2017

March 2017 versus what was an exceptionally buoyant March 2016 did not fare as well, -5.9%. And year-to-date starts (Q1 2017) have been -5.1% versus January-to-March of last year.

The starts figures throughout this report are not seasonally adjusted (NSA). Nor are they altered for inflation. They are expressed in what are termed ‘current’ as opposed to ‘constant’ dollars.  

‘Nonresidential building’ plus ‘engineering/civil’ work accounts for a considerably larger share of total construction than residential activity. The former’s combined proportion of total put-in-place construction in the Census Bureau’s February report was 60%; the latter’s was 40%.

ConstructConnect’s construction starts are leading indicators for the Census Bureau’s capital investment or put-in-place series. Also, the reporting period for starts (i.e., March 2017) is one month ahead of the reporting period for the investment series (i.e., February 2017.)


View this information as an infographic
.

Employment in construction advanced only slowly in March, +6,000 jobs, according to the latest Employment Situation Report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Thanks to strong gains in January (+34,000) and February (+59,000), however, the average monthly climb in on-site work through the first quarter of this year, at +33,000, has been +29% relative to last year’s Q1.

Year-over-year employment in construction is presently +2.6%, which is a significant retreat from a recent high of +6.1% in late 2014, but it is well ahead of the all-jobs gain of +1.5%. By way of comparison, manufacturing and retail employment are only +0.3% and +0.4% year over year respectively. ‘Professional and business services’ employment, though, is better at +3.2%. The NSA jobless rate in construction is now 8.4%, somewhat tighter than March of 2016’s 8.7%.

Among the many data series appearing in Table B-1 of the monthly Employment Situation Report are several with construction connections. The total number of jobs in architectural and engineering services in the latest month was +3.3% year over year. Staffing in the ‘real estate’ sector, which includes developers, was +3.5% year over year. The payrolls of ‘building material and supplies dealers’ was a quiet +1.2%. And note should also be made that in the resource sector, the number of workers engaged in ‘oil and gas extraction’, while still down year over year (-1.3%), was finally headed back up month over month, +1.0% in both February and March.

February’s big step forward in starts (+17.8%), month-to-month (m/m), arose from increases in all three major type-of-structure categories. Institutional (+28.6%) was out front, with commercial (+12.4%) and heavy engineering/civil (+11.0%) following and almost in a tie. The smaller-volume category of industrial, which can display extreme percentage-change volatility brought on by the presence or absence of a mega project or two, was +94.5%.

The year over year (y/y) decline in starts (-5.9%), March 2017 compared with March 2016, resulted from drops in institutional (-23.5%), commercial (-14.3%) and industrial (-7.1%). Only engineering (+33.4%) managed a gain this March versus last March.

As for year-to-date starts (ytd), – i.e., Q1 2017 versus Q1 2016 – heavy engineering (+17.4%) earned bouquets in the spotlight for a notable upside, while industrial (-28.9%), institutional (-17.1%) and commercial (-7.7%) were all relegated to the chorus for their downsides.

Within heavy engineering, the largest subcategory so far this year (i.e., with a 40% slice) has been ‘roads/highways’. Street work in March was uniformly positive: +28.3% m/m; +30.1% y/y; and +9.0% ytd. ‘Water/sewage’ work, next biggest component among civil starts (a 23% share), had a rough time m/m (-19.0%), but recorded improvement both y/y (+25.5%) and ytd (+19.7%).

Also important in the heavy engineering/civil type-of-structure category is bridge work, which chalked up outstanding numbers in March: +81.4% m/m; +40.5% y/y; and +30.5% ytd. 

‘Private office buildings’ was the largest subcomponent of commercial work in March (with a 26% share so far this year) and it struggled m/m (-59.6%) and y/y (-47.9%), but managed to cling to an advance y/y (+10.0%). ‘Hotel/motel’ starts claimed the second largest slice (18%) and they were a notable success: +48.2% m/m; +97.0% y/y; and +43.9% ytd.

‘Warehouses’ (with a 12% share) was another subcategory of commercial that had outstanding numbers in March: +50.4% m/m; +101.5 y/y; and +51.4% ytd. ‘Retail/shopping’ starts (a 14% share), however, coincident with media reports of more ‘bricks and mortar’ locations being on the chopping block, were distressingly weak: -31.7% m/m; -70.7% y/y; and -51.6% ytd.  

By far most important in institutional starts is the ‘school/college’ subcategory (a 58% share so far this year). In March, educational facility starts were +73.2% m/m; but -17.6% y/y; and -11.5% ytd. Second most significant (with a 12% slice) have been ‘hospital/clinic’ starts. They were also up m/m (+71.5%), but down y/y (-36.6%) and ytd (-46.3%).

Table 2 reorders and provides more detail on some of the type-of-structure categories in Table 1. The reasons for this ‘second view’ are set out in the footnote.

The 12-month moving average trend graphs show nonresidential building starts coming off their not-so-long-ago peak, while heavy engineering starts are in a possibly early stage of heading up. Within nonresidential building work, both commercial (especially retail) and institutional have been departing negatively from previously upward paths. ‘Roads/highways’, ‘water/sewage’ and ‘bridges’ are all swinging higher in heavy engineering. Only ‘miscellaneous civil’, which encompasses oil and gas and electric power work, is diving.

To the surprise of many, given that March’s economy-wide jobless rate of 4.5% was the best it’s been since before the Great Recession, year-over-year earnings remained restrained. For workers across all industries, including supervisory personnel, March’s year-over-year increase in average hourly earnings was +2.7% and in average weekly earnings, +2.4%. The comparable figures for construction on its own were the reverse, +2.4% hourly and +2.7% weekly.

Leaving out bosses, average year-over-year earnings economy-wide were +2.3 hourly and +2.0% weekly. The standalone construction sector was a little higher at +2.7% both hourly and weekly.

The value of construction starts each month is summarized from ConstructConnect’s database of all active construction projects in the U.S. Missing project values are estimated with the help of RSMeans’ building cost models.

ConstructConnect’s nonresidential construction starts series, because it is comprised of total value estimates for individual projects, some of which are ultra-large, has a history of being more volatile than many other leading indicators for the economy.

ConstructConnect has now moved to a better-targeted and research assigned ‘start’ date. Prior to January 2017, the ‘start’ date was recorded as occurring within 30 to 60 days of the announced bid date. In concept, a ‘start’ is equivalent to ground being broken for a project to proceed. If work is abandoned or re-bid, the ‘start’ date is updated to reflect the new information.

Click here to download the Construction Industry Snapshot Package – March 2017 PDF.

Click here for the Top 10 featured construction projects in the U.S. – March 2017.

Click here for the Nonresidential Construction Starts Trend Graphs – March 2017.

TABLE 1: VALUE OF UNITED STATES
CONSTRUCTION STARTS – MARCH 2017
YEAR TO DATE
(CONSTRUCTCONNECT)

% Change % Change % Change
Jan-MAR 17 Jan-MAR 17 vs  MAR 17 vs MAR 17 vs
($ billions) Jan-MAR 16 MAR 15 FEB 17
           
Hotel/Motel 6.076 43.9% 97.0% 48.2%
Retail 4.614 -51.6% -70.7% -31.7%
Parking Garage 0.316 -26.8% 41.2% 216.8%
Amusement 1.576 -33.3% 7.8% -6.1%
Private Office  8.727 10.0% -47.9% -59.6%
Government Office 2.376 -27.3% -29.1% 85.0%
Laboratory 0.354 -84.8% -93.5% -13.1%
Warehouse 4.052 51.4% 101.5% 50.4%
Miscellaneous Commercial 5.765 47.1% 230.8% 426.5%
COMMERCIAL 33.858 -7.7% -14.3% 12.4%
     
INDUSTRIAL (Manufacturing) 2.819 -28.9% -7.1% 94.5%
     
Religious 0.355 -5.6% -15.6%   -38.7%
Hospital/Clinic 2.807 -46.3% -36.6%   71.5%
Nursing/Assisted Living 1.264 -42.4% 12.2%   11.6%
Library/Museum 0.559 -27.6% -66.6%   135.1%
Police/Courthouse/Prison 2.208 79.6% -40.2%   -73.4%
Military 0.624 -29.7% -19.1%   58.1%
School/College 13.088 -11.5% -17.6%   73.2%
Miscellaneous Government 1.557 -3.4% -25.9%   18.0%
INSTITUTIONAL 22.462 -17.1% -23.5%   28.6%
       
Miscellaneous Nonresidential 1.266 -37.2% -16.2%   28.9%
NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDING 60.404 -13.4% -17.4%   21.3%
       
Airport 2.916 197.4% 480.4%   -52.5%
Road/Highway 12.091 9.0% 30.1%   28.3%
Bridge 5.034 30.5% 40.5%   81.4%
Dam/Marine 0.737 26.5% 110.0%   93.0%
Water/Sewage 6.867 19.7% 25.5%   -19.0%
Miscellaneous Civil 2.462 -27.6% -17.7%   56.0%
HEAVY ENGINEERING 30.109 17.4% 33.4%   11.0%
     
TOTAL NONRESIDENTIAL 90.513 -5.1% -5.9% 17.8%

Source: ConstructConnect Research Group and ConstructConnect.
Table: ConstructConnect.

TABLE 2: VALUE OF UNITED STATES
CONSTRUCTION STARTS
CONSTRUCTCONNECT INSIGHT VERSION
– MARCH 2017
Arranged to match the alphabetical category drop-down menus in INSIGHT

  % Change     % Change % Change
Jan-Mar 17 Jan-Mar 17 vs     Mar 17 vs Mar 17 vs
($ billions) Jan-Mar 16     Mar 16 Feb 17
           
Summary      
CIVIL 30.109 17.4%     33.4% 11.0%
NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDING 60.404 -13.4%     -17.4% 21.3%
RESIDENTIAL   64.175 4.9%     11.5% 10.2%
GRAND TOTAL   154.688 -1.2%     0.5% 14.6%
 
Verticals  
Airport 2.916 197.4%     480.4% -52.5%
All Other Civil 1.686 -43.6%     -34.0% 76.5%
Bridges 5.034 30.5%     40.5% 81.4%
Dams / Canals / Marine Work 0.737 26.5%     110.0% 93.0%
Power Infrastructure 0.776 88.6%     50.9% 28.6%
Roads 12.091 9.0%     30.1% 28.3%
    Water and Sewage Treatment 6.867 19.7%     25.5% -19.0%
CIVIL     30.109 17.4%     33.4% 11.0%
Offices (private) 8.727 10.0%     -47.9% -59.6%
Parking Garages 0.316 -26.8%     41.2% 216.8%
  Transportation Terminals 0.458 -78.5%     -49.5% 259.2%
Commercial (small subset) 9.501 -9.5%     -45.6% -52.0%
Amusement 1.576 -33.3%     7.8% -6.1%
Libraries / Museums 0.559 -27.6%     -66.6% 135.1%
Religious 0.355 -5.6%     -15.6% -38.7%
  Sports Arenas / Convention Centers 5.307 196.7%     506.0% 447.3%
Community 7.798 47.1%     142.6% 183.6%
College / University 4.254 -10.9%     -22.5% 55.6%
Elementary / Pre School 3.336 -25.7%     -24.9% 133.0%
Jr / Sr High School 5.257 1.8%     -1.8% 63.8%
  Special / Vocational 0.240 -30.8%     -58.2% -8.5%
Educational 13.088 -11.5%     -17.6% 73.2%
Courthouses 1.404 336.8%     -87.6% -97.7%
Fire and Police Stations 0.496 -6.2%     14.8% 57.6%
Government Offices 2.376 -27.3%     -29.1% 85.0%
  Prisons 0.307 -18.8%     -34.0% 209.4%
Government 4.584 1.9%     -32.8% -33.2%
Industrial Labs / Labs / School Labs 0.354 -84.8%     -93.5% -13.1%
Manufacturing 2.819 -28.9%     -7.1% 94.5%
  Warehouses 4.052 51.4%     101.5% 50.4%
Industrial 7.225 -19.5%     -24.1% 61.2%
Hospitals / Clinics 2.807 -46.3%     -36.6% 71.5%
Medical Misc. 1.557 -3.4%     -25.9% 18.0%
  Nursing Homes 1.264 -42.4%     12.2% 11.6%
Medical   5.628 -37.7%     -26.3% 38.2%
Military   0.624 -29.7%     -19.1% 58.1%
Hotels 6.076 43.9%     97.0% 48.2%
Retail Misc. 1.266 -37.2%     -16.2% 28.9%
    Shopping 4.614 -51.6%     -70.7% -31.7%
  Retail   11.956 -24.2%     -24.3% 12.7%
NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDING 60.404 -13.4%     -17.4% 21.3%
Multi-Family 20.682 4.4%     25.9% 10.2%
    Single-Family 43.494 5.1%     5.7% 10.2%
RESIDENTIAL   64.175 4.9%     11.5% 10.2%
NONRESIDENTIAL 90.513 -5.1%     -5.9% 17.8%
GRAND TOTAL   154.688 -1.2%     0.5% 14.6%

Table 1 conforms to the type-of-structure ordering adopted by many firms and organizations in the industry. Specifically, it breaks nonresidential building into ICI work (i.e., industrial, commercial and institutional), since each has its own set of economic and demographic drivers. Table 2 presents an alternative, perhaps more user-friendly and intuitive type-of-structure ordering that matches how the data appears in ConstructConnect’s on-line product ‘Insight’.

Source: ConstructConnect.
Table: ConstructConnect.

TABLE 3: VALUE OF UNITED STATES
NATIONAL
CONSTRUCTION STARTS – MARCH 2017 – CONSTRUCTCONNECT
Billions of current $s, not seasonally adjusted (NSA)

Latest month actuals  Moving averages (placed in end month) Year to Date. 
    3-months 12-months JAN-MAR JAN-MAR
JAN 17 FEB 17 MAR 17 JAN 17 FEB 17 MAR 17 JAN 17 FEB 17 MAR 17 2016 2017
Single Family 13.208 14.408 15.878 13.637 13.561 14.498 15.650 15.675 15.746 41.389 43.494
   month-over-month % change 1.1% 9.1% 10.2% -9.5% -0.6% 6.9% 0.5% 0.2% 0.5%    
   year-over-year % change 7.8% 2.1% 5.7% 6.7% 5.3% 5.1% 7.9% 5.6% 4.9% 20.4% 5.1%
Apartment 6.136 6.920 7.625 6.321 6.480 6.894 6.566 6.435 6.566 19.808 20.682
   month-over-month % change -3.9% 12.8% 10.2% -5.8% 2.5% 6.4% 1.1% -2.0% 2.0%    
   year-over-year % change 16.7% -18.5% 25.9% 14.9% 1.5% 4.4% 39.0% 27.5% 25.4% 53.0% 4.4%
TOTAL RESIDENTIAL 19.345 21.328 23.503 19.958 20.041 21.392 22.216 22.110 22.312 61.198 64.175
   month-over-month % change -0.5% 10.3% 10.2% -8.3% 0.4% 6.7% 0.7% -0.5% 0.9%    
   year-over-year % change 10.4% -5.6% 11.5% 9.2% 4.1% 4.9% 15.5% 11.1% 10.2% 29.3% 4.9%
Hotel/Motel 0.834 2.112 3.131 1.188 1.424 2.025 1.416 1.500 1.628 4.223 6.076
   month-over-month % change -37.2% 153.3% 48.2% -23.5% 19.9% 42.2% -3.9% 5.9% 8.6%    
   year-over-year % change -45.2% 89.6% 97.0% -19.0% 0.0% 43.9% 35.9% 38.9% 49.3% 7.8% 43.9%
Retail 1.539 1.828 1.248 1.467 1.671 1.538 2.770 2.771 2.521 9.537 4.614
   month-over-month % change -6.6% 18.8% -31.7% -9.1% 13.9% -8.0% -5.5% 0.0% -9.0%    
   year-over-year % change -55.6% 0.8% -70.7% -42.1% -29.5% -51.6% 27.4% 24.8% 2.6% 155.6% -51.6%
Parking Garages 0.104 0.051 0.162 0.245 0.124 0.105 0.402 0.387 0.391 0.432 0.316
   month-over-month % change -52.3% -50.7% 216.8% -17.6% -49.3% -15.0% 0.3% -3.7% 1.0%    
   year-over-year % change 17.3% -77.7% 41.2% 90.1% -16.2% -26.8% 65.8% 53.0% 58.9% -18.4% -26.8%
Amusement 0.418 0.597 0.561 0.505 0.497 0.525 0.568 0.497 0.501 2.365 1.576
   month-over-month % change -12.2% 42.8% -6.1% -15.1% -1.5% 5.7% 0.3% -12.5% 0.7%    
   year-over-year % change 5.5% -58.8% 7.8% 3.5% -38.4% -33.3% 5.4% -18.7% -10.8% 12.3% -33.3%
Office 2.261 4.605 1.861 1.645 2.841 2.909 1.968 2.157 2.014 7.934 8.727
   month-over-month % change 36.5% 103.6% -59.6% -2.3% 72.7% 2.4% 1.0% 9.6% -6.6%    
   year-over-year % change 11.8% 96.7% -47.9% -5.4% 30.6% 10.0% 46.6% 48.9% 21.8% 110.4% 10.0%
Governmental Offices 0.948 0.501 0.927 0.973 0.906 0.792 1.086 1.047 1.015 3.270 2.376
   month-over-month % change -25.3% -47.1% 85.0% 2.7% -6.9% -12.5% -0.4% -3.6% -3.0%    
   year-over-year % change -4.9% -48.1% -29.1% 35.7% 7.7% -27.3% 21.0% 12.2% 2.3% 90.2% -27.3%
Laboratories 0.063 0.156 0.135 0.135 0.149 0.118 0.290 0.297 0.135 2.336 0.354
   month-over-month % change -72.3% 145.8% -13.1% 4.4% 10.1% -20.8% -3.4% 2.6% -54.7%    
   year-over-year % change -65.6% 142.0% -93.5% 13.7% 18.3% -84.8% 47.5% 54.6% -60.9% 465.2% -84.8%
Warehouse 0.902 1.258 1.892 1.074 1.025 1.351 1.239 1.269 1.348 2.676 4.052
   month-over-month % change -1.5% 39.4% 50.4% -12.9% -4.6% 31.7% 0.4% 2.4% 6.3%    
   year-over-year % change 7.6% 40.0% 101.5% -9.6% 15.5% 51.4% 14.3% 13.8% 19.2% 39.6% 51.4%
Misc Commercial 1.883 0.620 3.263 1.269 0.963 1.922 1.232 1.098 1.288 3.920 5.765
   month-over-month % change 387.5% -67.1% 426.5% 50.9% -24.1% 99.6% 8.6% -10.9% 17.3%    
   year-over-year % change 166.5% -72.2% 230.8% 54.8% -27.4% 47.1% 16.5% 0.0% 14.7% 7.4% 47.1%
TOTAL COMMERCIAL 8.951 11.727 13.179 8.501 9.601 11.286 10.972 11.024 10.841 36.692 33.858
   month-over-month % change 10.2% 31.0% 12.4% -4.4% 12.9% 17.5% -1.0% 0.5% -1.7%    
   year-over-year % change -12.4% 5.6% -14.3% -7.6% -5.0% -7.7% 27.9% 23.2% 12.9% 68.7% -7.7%
TOTAL INDUSTRIAL  (Manufacturing) 0.589 0.757 1.472 0.810 0.907 0.940 1.537 1.458 1.449 3.965 2.819
   month-over-month % change -57.1% 28.4% 94.5% -5.7% 11.9% 3.6% -0.5% -5.2% -0.6%    
   year-over-year % change -12.5% -55.7% -7.1% 25.5% -18.8% -28.9% 45.0% 21.9% 55.5% -26.0% -28.9%
Religious 0.145 0.130 0.080 0.143 0.139 0.118 0.135 0.137 0.136 0.376 0.355
   month-over-month % change 1.7% -10.7% -38.7% -1.8% -2.4% -15.1% -1.6% 1.2% -0.9%    
   year-over-year % change -15.4% 18.3% -15.6% 0.5% -3.6% -5.6% -2.1% -0.9% -0.2% -7.2% -5.6%
Hosptials/Clinics 1.004 0.664 1.139 1.257 0.815 0.936 1.635 1.552 1.498 5.232 2.807
   month-over-month % change 29.3% -33.9% 71.5% -14.2% -35.1% 14.8% -3.8% -5.1% -3.5%    
   year-over-year % change -43.6% -59.9% -36.6% -18.3% -45.9% -46.3% 46.4% 31.8% 21.1% 45.9% -46.3%
Nursing/Assisted Living 0.263 0.473 0.528 0.639 0.496 0.421 0.703 0.668 0.673 2.195 1.264
   month-over-month % change -65.0% 80.1% 11.6% -25.6% -22.4% -15.0% -6.3% -5.0% 0.7%    
   year-over-year % change -68.4% -47.0% 12.2% 5.1% -33.3% -42.4% 52.0% 34.0% 33.0% 49.3% -42.4%
Libraries/Museums 0.341 0.065 0.153 0.312 0.300 0.186 0.287 0.281 0.256 0.772 0.559
   month-over-month % change -30.9% -80.9% 135.1% 13.4% -3.8% -37.9% 4.8% -1.9% -9.0%    
   year-over-year % change 84.5% -49.7% -66.6% 83.9% 98.6% -27.6% 20.1% 16.4% -5.0% 147.0% -27.6%
Police/Courthouse/Prison 0.344 1.472 0.391 0.422 0.762 0.736 0.509 0.604 0.583 1.229 2.208
   month-over-month % change -26.6% 328.3% -73.4% -22.5% 80.7% -3.4% 1.6% 18.8% -3.6%    
   year-over-year % change 37.6% 352.7% -40.2% 1.0% 142.4% 79.6% 1.3% 23.7% 12.3% 16.8% 79.6%
Military 0.327 0.115 0.182 0.371 0.192 0.208 0.438 0.426 0.423 0.887 0.624
   month-over-month % change 145.7% -64.8% 58.1% -43.6% -48.4% 8.5% -1.4% -2.8% -0.8%    
   year-over-year % change -18.7% -55.8% -19.1% -22.2% -43.6% -29.7% -13.0% -18.2% -19.7% 131.0% -29.7%
Schools/Colleges 4.930 2.987 5.172 4.692 4.390 4.363 5.806 5.715 5.623 14.782 13.088
   month-over-month % change -6.2% -39.4% 73.2% -6.2% -6.4% -0.6% 0.7% -1.6% -1.6%    
   year-over-year % change 11.3% -26.7% -17.6% 9.5% 4.4% -11.5% 15.9% 14.3% 9.8% 14.7% -11.5%
Misc Government 0.530 0.471 0.556 0.610 0.583 0.519 0.619 0.616 0.599 1.611 1.557
   month-over-month % change -29.2% -11.0% 18.0% -19.0% -4.4% -11.0% 2.4% -0.5% -2.6%    
   year-over-year % change 49.4% -6.8% -25.9% 81.4% 40.2% -3.4% 110.3% 99.6% 66.1% 126.3% -3.4%
TOTAL INSTITUTIONAL 7.883 6.378 8.201 8.445 7.677 7.487 10.131 10.000 9.789 27.085 22.462
   month-over-month % change -10.1% -19.1% 28.6% -12.9% -9.1% -2.5% -0.4% -1.3% -2.1%    
   year-over-year % change -6.2% -19.8% -23.5% 5.9% -1.8% -17.1% 22.6% 19.4% 12.9% 30.1% -17.1%
Misc Non Residential 0.408 0.375 0.483 0.559 0.469 0.422 0.647 0.629 0.621 2.016 1.266
   month-over-month % change -34.6% -8.3% 28.9% -15.5% -16.1% -10.1% -5.3% -2.9% -1.2%    
   year-over-year % change -51.4% -37.5% -16.2% -3.9% -26.5% -37.2% 43.8% 30.5% 24.3% 125.2% -37.2%
TOTAL NONRES BUILDING 17.832 19.237 23.335 18.316 18.653 20.135 23.288 23.110 22.700 69.758 60.404
   month-over-month % change -5.6% 7.9% 21.3% -8.9% 1.8% 7.9% -0.8% -0.8% -1.8%    
   year-over-year % change -11.4% -10.0% -17.4% -0.5% -5.2% -13.4% 26.9% 21.6% 15.2% 42.9% -13.4%
Airports 0.262 1.800 0.854 0.328 0.767 0.972 0.570 0.660 0.719 0.981 2.916
   month-over-month % change 9.0% 587.3% -52.5% -37.9% 133.8% 26.7% 2.3% 15.7% 8.9%    
   year-over-year % change 149.0% 147.1% 480.4% 146.9% 161.4% 197.4% 52.7% 54.5% 71.5% 140.3% 197.4%
Roads/Highways 3.815 3.626 4.651 3.499 3.769 4.030 4.256 4.314 4.404 11.091 12.091
   month-over-month % change -1.4% -5.0% 28.3% 3.9% 7.7% 6.9% -1.5% 1.4% 2.1%    
   year-over-year % change -16.8% 23.8% 30.1% -9.4% 4.3% 9.0% -2.7% -1.1% 0.4% 13.0% 9.0%
Bridges 1.569 1.231 2.233 1.247 1.365 1.678 1.309 1.344 1.398 3.856 5.034
   month-over-month % change 21.3% -21.5% 81.4% 14.1% 9.4% 22.9% 0.7% 2.7% 4.0%    
   year-over-year % change 7.6% 52.1% 40.5% -9.5% 12.5% 30.5% 19.1% 28.6% 28.2% 11.9% 30.5%
Dams/Marine 0.309 0.146 0.282 0.350 0.280 0.246 0.333 0.325 0.337 0.583 0.737
   month-over-month % change -19.9% -52.7% 93.0% -9.0% -19.8% -12.3% 2.7% -2.5% 3.8%    
   year-over-year % change 51.9% -40.4% 110.0% 1.6% 7.5% 26.5% -32.2% -29.5% -24.4% -60.5% 26.5%
Water/Sewage 2.307 2.519 2.042 2.315 2.544 2.289 2.544 2.612 2.647 5.738 6.867
   month-over-month % change -17.8% 9.2% -19.0% 0.1% 9.9% -10.0% -0.3% 2.7% 1.3%    
   year-over-year % change -4.2% 47.9% 25.5% 4.5% 23.6% 19.7% 4.7% 7.0% 8.7% 10.6% 19.7%
Misc Civil 0.810 0.645 1.007 0.919 0.784 0.821 1.125 1.111 1.093 3.403 2.462
   month-over-month % change -9.6% -20.4% 56.0% 2.9% -14.7% 4.7% -4.0% -1.2% -1.6%    
   year-over-year % change -40.8% -20.4% -17.7% -36.2% -37.8% -27.6% -32.5% -32.8% -33.4% -10.5% -27.6%
TOTAL ENGINEERING 9.072 9.968 11.069 8.658 9.510 10.036 10.138 10.366 10.597 25.653 30.109
   month-over-month % change -4.4% 9.9% 11.0% 0.9% 9.8% 5.5% -0.9% 2.3% 2.2%    
   year-over-year % change -10.4% 37.9% 33.4% -7.6% 9.3% 17.4% -2.8% -0.2% 1.7% 6.3% 17.4%
GRAND TOTAL 46.249 50.532 57.907 46.931 48.204 51.563 55.642 55.587 55.609 156.608 154.688
   month-over-month % change -3.3% 9.3% 14.6% -7.0% 2.7% 7.0% -0.2% -0.1% 0.0%    
   year-over-year % change -3.2% -1.3% 0.5% 1.9% 1.2% -1.2% 15.9% 12.8% 10.4% 30.2% -1.2%
NONRES BLDG + ENGINEERING 26.904 29.205 34.404 26.973 28.163 30.171 33.425 33.477 33.297 95.411 90.513
   month-over-month % change -5.2% 8.5% 17.8% -6.0% 4.4% 7.1% -0.8% 0.2% -0.5%    
   year-over-year % change -11.1% 2.1% -5.9% -2.9% -0.8% -5.1% 16.1% 13.9% 10.6% 30.8% -5.1%

Data Source and Table: ConstructConnect.

TABLE 4: U.S. YEAR-TO-DATE REGIONAL STARTS
NONRESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION
* — CONSTRUCTCONNECT

Jan-MAR 2016 Jan-MAR 2017 % Change
Connecticut $813,952,902 $768,908,877 -5.5%
Maine $176,135,767 $109,202,122 -38.0%
Massachusetts $1,564,491,513 $1,569,673,068 0.3%
New Hampshire $279,885,512 $168,853,253 -39.7%
Rhode Island $187,589,488 $183,768,695 -2.0%
Vermont $66,067,806 $89,816,340 35.9%
Total New England $3,088,122,988   $2,890,222,355   -6.4%
New Jersey $2,125,286,318 $2,749,450,254 29.4%
New York $5,317,779,901 $11,328,419,141 113.0%
Pennsylvania $3,665,519,916 $2,556,946,446 -30.2%
Total Middle Atlantic $11,108,586,135   $16,634,815,841   49.7%
TOTAL NORTHEAST $14,196,709,123   $19,525,038,196   37.5%
Illinois $3,077,279,677 $2,751,205,132 -10.6%
Indiana $1,220,850,761 $980,656,945 -19.7%
Michigan $3,144,345,700 $2,343,562,438 -25.5%
Ohio $2,762,243,831 $2,269,137,080 -17.9%
Wisconsin $1,544,158,875 $1,241,426,134 -19.6%
Total East North Central $11,748,878,844   $9,585,987,729   -18.4%
Iowa $1,119,690,729 $576,292,328 -48.5%
Kansas $777,218,456 $682,842,634 -12.1%
Minnesota $1,318,641,525 $903,123,503 -31.5%
Missouri $1,518,903,877 $2,269,685,291 49.4%
Nebraska $699,781,825 $616,982,055 -11.8%
North Dakota $411,843,599 $249,616,798 -39.4%
South Dakota $263,673,911 $290,255,966 10.1%
Total West North Central $6,109,753,922   $5,588,798,575   -8.5%
TOTAL MIDWEST $17,858,632,766   $15,174,786,304   -15.0%
Delaware $200,294,680 $398,515,738 99.0%
District of Columbia $791,076,317 $644,004,357 -18.6%
Florida $5,869,577,282 $5,917,523,531 0.8%
Georgia $3,775,287,863 $3,166,017,388 -16.1%
Maryland $3,259,043,651 $1,214,193,255 -62.7%
North Carolina $4,058,252,421 $2,905,461,562 -28.4%
South Carolina $1,723,519,526 $1,764,930,615 2.4%
Virginia $1,873,883,507 $2,194,225,041 17.1%
West Virginia $696,774,751 $280,915,219 -59.7%
Total South Atlantic $22,247,709,998   $18,485,786,706   -16.9%
Alabama $1,421,419,981 $1,367,703,125 -3.8%
Kentucky $1,406,665,588 $638,174,869 -54.6%
Mississippi $625,545,761 $721,845,886 15.4%
Tennessee $2,081,892,164 $1,027,582,201 -50.6%
Total East South Central $5,535,523,494   $3,755,306,081   -32.2%
Arkansas $680,508,956 $851,820,931 25.2%
Louisiana $914,750,405 $1,156,560,479 26.4%
Oklahoma $1,165,489,194 $2,145,957,898 84.1%
Texas $12,629,302,048 $9,067,549,832 -28.2%
Total West South Central $15,390,050,603   $13,221,889,140   -14.1%
TOTAL SOUTH $43,173,284,095   $35,462,981,927   -17.9%
Arizona $1,262,807,934 $2,067,842,332 63.7%
Colorado $1,301,555,114 $798,940,818 -38.6%
Idaho $321,076,360 $245,529,660 -23.5%
Montana $154,716,999 $252,746,269 63.4%
Nevada $1,461,859,011 $411,213,540 -71.9%
New Mexico $385,315,260 $592,984,880 53.9%
Utah $1,462,279,631 $1,585,991,214 8.5%
Wyoming $234,228,289 $286,487,032 22.3%
Total Mountain $6,583,838,598   $6,241,735,745   -5.2%
Alaska $556,261,844 $335,309,289 -39.7%
California $9,127,944,037 $9,378,465,691 2.7%
Hawaii $698,242,438 $275,232,291 -60.6%
Oregon $1,185,431,404 $1,844,359,646 55.6%
Washington $2,030,445,209 $2,274,895,299 12.0%
Total Pacific $13,598,324,932   $14,108,262,216   3.8%
TOTAL WEST $20,182,163,530   $20,349,997,961   0.8%
TOTAL U.S. $95,410,789,514   $90,512,804,388   -5.1%

*Figures above are comprised of nonres building and engineering (i.e., residential is omitted).

Data Source and Table: ConstructConnect.

Leave a Reply