November’s Starts See Shortage of Mega Projects
ConstructConnect announced today that the latest month’s volume of construction starts, excluding residential work, was $34.3 billion (green shaded box, Table 3, below), -14.4% versus October’s figure of $40.1 billion (originally reported as $38.7 billion). November’s month-to-month decline was partly due to ‘seasonality’ (i.e., less favorable weather for construction as fall transitions to winter), but more on account of a shortage of ‘mega’ projects of $1 billion or more each. In October, there were three mega project starts with a combined estimated value of $6.1 billion. November’s inventory of such work was only two projects at $1.0 billion each (see Top 10 Project Starts in the U.S. - November 2019).
November 2019’s total nonresidential start’s level versus November 2018 was ahead by +6.7%. The latest month’s year-to-date performance (i.e., versus January-November 2018) was also upbeat to nearly the exact same degree, +6.8%.
View this information as an infographic.
‘Smoothed’ Series ‒ Grand Total +3.3%
Since large project groundbreakings can often introduce notable volatility in the monthly ‘starts’ numbers and their period-to-period percentage changes, it is informative to also study ‘smoothed’ series, such as are set out in the middle columns of Table 3 below.
On a 12-month moving average basis, November 2019’s total nonresidential starts were +8.3% versus the previous 12 months (i.e., December-2018-to-November-2019 vs December-2017-to-November-2018). Type-of-structure subcategory starts on the same 12-month-over-prior-12-month basis in November 2019 were: commercial, -2.6%; industrial, +60.5%; institutional, +4.8%; and engineering, +9.9%. The ranking of the four subcategories by dollar volume has engineering first, followed by commercial and institutional almost tied, and industrial trailing.
The ‘smoothed’ grand total of starts, which includes residential, was +3.3% in November. Residential activity was -4.5% on a 12-month moving average basis, with multi-family starts retreating (-6.2%) a little more severely than single-family groundbreakings (-3.7%).
‘Starts’ as a Leading Indicator
The ‘starts’ figures appearing in this report’s tables and graphs are not seasonally adjusted (NSA). Nor have they been altered to remove the effects of price changes, otherwise known as inflation. They are expressed in what are termed ‘current’ as opposed to ‘constant’ dollars.
‘Nonresidential building’ plus ‘engineering/civil’ work accounts for a larger share of total construction than residential activity. The former’s combined proportion of total put-in-place construction in the Census Bureau’s latest report for October was 61%; the latter’s was 39%.
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 (November 2019) is one month ahead of the reporting period for the investment series (October 2019).
Construction Overview – Monthly Average Jobs Growth -56%
The U.S. ‘all jobs’ unemployment rates in November were notably tight at 3.5% SA (down from 3.6% in October) and 3.3% NSA (the same as the month before). The construction sector’s jobless rate, however, loosened a little in November to 4.4% NSA. It had been a bit better in October at 4.0%. In November of 2018, it was 3.9%. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the total number of jobs in construction stayed unchanged in the latest month. 2019’s monthly average pickup in construction jobs has dropped back to +12,000, a decline of more than half (-55%) when compared with 2018’s January-to-November average of +26,000 jobs.
Construction’s year-over-year jobs climb of +2.0% is now tied with ‘professional and business services’ for third spot among industrial subsectors, after +2.8% for ‘education and health’ services and +2.5% for ‘leisure and hospitality.' The ‘all jobs’ change has been +1.5%.
November’s annual jobs gains in other corners of the economy with close ties to construction were: ‘oil and gas extraction,’ +11.4%; ‘machinery and equipment rental,’ +8.3%; ‘real estate activities,’ +3.1%; ‘cement and concrete product manufacturing,’ +2.8%; ‘architectural and engineering services,’ +2.5%; and ‘building material and supplies dealers,’ +0.7%.
M/M, Y/Y, and YTD Results ― Apple Campus, Austin and Union Station, Chicago
The -14.4% drop in total nonresidential starts month-over-month (m/m) in November came primarily in heavy engineering/civil work (-35.9%), with industrial (-22.3%) and institutional (-4.0%) also down. Commercial starts, aided by the Union Station redevelopment in Chicago and an Apple Campus in Austin (see Top 10 Project Starts in the U.S. - November 2019), moved in the opposite direction (+17.1%).
The +6.7% uplift in November 2019’s nonresidential starts relative to November 2018 (y/y) resulted from improvements in industrial (up by nearly one-third at +30.5%), institutional (ahead by one-fifth, +19.6%), and commercial (+11.7%), while engineering (-9.2%) took a step back.
As for the +6.8% year-to-date (ytd) rise in total nonresidential starts (i.e., Jan-Nov 2019 versus Jan-Nov 2018), industrial was up impressively (+52.3%) and engineering was higher significantly (+9.1%). Institutional (+1.3%) and commercial (-1.9%) were essentially flat.
A Boost to Total Starts from ‘Miscellaneous Civil’ Projects
Within engineering starts to date in 2019, the largest share among subcomponents has come from ‘roads/highways,’ with a 36% slice. November’s three ‘change’ metrics for street starts were -17.0% m/m and -6.9% y/y, but +0.7% ytd. Making a nearly one-quarter contribution (a 24.0% share) to engineering has been the ‘miscellaneous civil’ subcategory, comprised of rapid transit, railroad, electric power, and pipeline projects. In November, the ‘miscellaneous’ combination was -76.0% m/m and -54.8% y/y, but a solidly positive +26.3% ytd.
With only one month remaining in 2019, ‘water/sewage’ (17% share) and ‘bridges’ (15% share) have also figured prominently in engineering. The former, in November, was +11.5% m/m, +32.0% y/y, and +4.6% ytd, while the latter was -18.3% m/m and -2.8% y/y, but +10.4% ytd.
Dominating institutional starts in 2019 has been the ‘school/college’ subcategory (with a 57% share). Educational facility starts in November were +17.7% m/m, +9.3% y/y, and +2.7% ytd. Health care facility starts, ‒ as the combination of the subcategories ‘hospital/clinic,’ ‘nursing/assisted living,’ and ‘miscellaneous medical’ ‒ have made up 29% of institutional in 2019. In November, their composite starts were -17.7% m/m and -0.7% ytd, but +48.0% y/y.
The commercial starts designation has a wide mix of significant subsegments. This year, it’s been ‘private office buildings’ that has played the biggest role, with a 24% share. Private office building starts in the latest month were +1.2% m/m, +124.3% y/y, and +9.8% ytd. Other significant contributors to the commercial starts total have turned in tough year-to-date results. ‘Hotel/motel’ starts have been -23.9% ytd; ‘warehouses,’ -16.5%; and ‘retail/shopping,’ -7.9%.
Construction Employment Struggling to Match Previous Peak
Since updated JOLTS data will not be published until after this Industry Snapshot is released, usual Graphs 1 and 2 have been replaced in favor of employment charts for ‘all jobs’ and construction. While the level of total employment now sits far beyond its former prerecession peak, construction employment has still not quite regained its previous high-water mark. In 2006-07, there was a frothy bubble in housing starts that soon burst with the credit crunch.
The 12-month moving-average trend graphs (see Nonresidential Construction Starts Trend Graphs - November 2019) showcase what has been happening in specific type-of-structure markets. From Graph 2, commercial and institutional starts have been scooting sideways for the past three years. Within commercial (Graph 3), though, private office buildings have been on a winning track, while retail has hit the skids. Within institutional (Graph 4), ‘schools/colleges’ are on recess after a nice ascent from 2014-17. But hospitals/clinics have yet to break free from a narrow and low dollar volume range. In engineering (Graphs 5 and 6), ‘roads/highways,’ ‘bridges,’ and ‘miscellaneous civil’ have all demonstrated good strength.
Graph 1: U.S. Employment: Total
Gray shadings denote recessions, Q2-Q3 2001 ('dot.com' collapse) & Q1 2008-Q2 2009 ('Great' Recession).
Latest data points are for November, 2019 / Based on seasonally adjusted (SA) data.
Data source: Payroll Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Chart: ConstructConnect.
Graph 2: U.S. Employment: Construction
Gray shadings denote recessions, Q2-Q3 2001 ('dot.com' collapse) & Q1 2008-Q2 2009 ('Great' Recession).
Latest data points are for November, 2019 / Based on seasonally adjusted (SA) data.
Data source: Payroll Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Chart: ConstructConnect.
Wage Gains – Construction Workers Being Left Behind
Tables B-3 and B-8 of the BLS’ monthly Employment Situation report set out average hourly and average weekly wages for industry sectors. B-3 is for all employees (i.e., including bosses) on nonfarm payrolls. B-8 is for ‘production and nonsupervisory personnel’ only (i.e., it excludes bosses). For ‘all jobs’ and construction, there are eight relevant percentage changes to consider.
From November’s BLS Table B-3 (including supervisory personnel), the ‘all-jobs’ earnings climbs, both hourly and weekly, were +3.1% year over year. Construction workers as a subset of ‘all-jobs’ underperformed hourly, +2.7%, but outperformed weekly, +3.8%. From the latest Table B-8 (excluding bosses), the all-jobs compensation jumps were +3.7% hourly and +3.0% weekly. Construction workers, at +2.0% and +2.5%, fared less well, especially hourly.
Construction Costing ‒ Mainly Downward Momentum
November 2019’s y/y results for three BLS Producer Price Index (PPI) series were: ‘construction materials special index,’ -2.6% (a further softening from October’s -2.1%); ‘inputs to new construction index, excluding capital investment, labor, and imports,’ +0.2% (turning around October’s -0.4%); and ‘final demand construction,’ +3.7% (a pullback from the previous month’s +3.9%).
The value of construction starts each month is derived 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 non-residential construction starts series, because it is comprised of total-value estimates for individual projects, some of which are super-large, has a history of being more volatile than many other leading indicators for the economy.
ConstructConnect’s total residential starts (i.e., single-family plus multi-family starts) in the latest month were -23.9% m/m, -6.2 y/y, and -5.2% ytd. To date in 2019, the multi-family segment of residential (-8.8%) has taken more of a tumble than the single-family (-3.6%) market. ‘Grand total’ construction starts in November were -18.2% m/m, +1.6% y/y, and +2.2% ytd.
ConstructConnect has 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 rebid, the ‘start’ date is revised to reflect the new information.
Click here to download the Construction Industry Snapshot Package - November 2019 PDF.
Click here for the Top 10 Project Starts in the U.S. - November 2019.
Click here for the Nonresidential Construction Starts Trend Graphs - November 2019.
TABLE 1: VALUE OF UNITED STATES CONSTRUCTION STARTS
NOVEMBER 2019 – CONSTRUCTCONNECT
| % Change | % Change | % Change | ||||
| Jan-NOV 19 | Jan-NOV 19 vs | NOV 19 vs | NOV 19 vs | |||
| ($ billions) | Jan-NOV 18 | NOV 18 | oct 19 | |||
| Hotel/Motel | 18.651 | -23.9% | -2.9% | 21.0% | ||
| Retail | 15.857 | -7.9% | 56.7% | 101.0% | ||
| Parking Garage | 2.925 | 15.6% | -38.4% | 38.5% | ||
| Amusement | 6.593 | -16.8% | -45.3% | -36.3% | ||
| Private Office | 29.827 | 9.8% | 124.3% | 1.2% | ||
| Government Office | 10.514 | 1.5% | -17.4% | 28.5% | ||
| Laboratory | 2.085 | -21.6% | 55.7% | 26.2% | ||
| Warehouse | 17.451 | -16.5% | -63.5% | -26.9% | ||
| Miscellaneous Commercial* | 18.677 | 59.1% | 113.4% | 52.2% | ||
| COMMERCIAL | 122.580 | -1.9% | 11.7% | 17.1% | ||
| INDUSTRIAL (Manufacturing) | 49.094 | 52.3% | 30.5% | -22.3% | ||
| Religious | 1.574 | -19.6% | -25.6% | 45.7% | ||
| Hospital/Clinic | 17.678 | 24.6% | 257.9% | -2.4% | ||
| Nursing/Assisted Living | 8.676 | -9.9% | -8.3% | -17.3% | ||
| Library/Museum | 3.580 | 38.6% | 65.0% | -33.8% | ||
| Police/Courthouse/Prison | 6.522 | -11.9% | -11.7% | -5.5% | ||
| Military | 5.054 | 5.1% | 23.5% | -22.3% | ||
| School/College | 68.333 | 2.7% | 9.3% | 17.7% | ||
| Miscellaneous Government | 7.779 | -26.2% | -57.6% | -59.1% | ||
| INSTITUTIONAL | 119.198 | 1.3% | 19.6% | -4.0% | ||
| Miscellaneous Nonresidential | 6.660 | -2.3% | 33.3% | -29.7% | ||
| NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDING | 297.532 | 5.6% | 16.6% | 2.2% | ||
| Airport | 6.688 | -3.3% | -24.5% | -65.1% | ||
| Road/Highway | 60.230 | 0.7% | -6.9% | -17.0% | ||
| Bridge | 24.566 | 10.4% | -2.8% | -18.3% | ||
| Dam/Marine | 8.189 | 33.0% | 79.6% | 1.0% | ||
| Water/Sewage | 28.832 | 4.6% | 32.0% | 11.5% | ||
| Miscellaneous Civil | 39.487 | 26.3% | -54.8% | -76.0% | ||
| HEAVY ENGINEERING | 167.992 | 9.1% | -9.2% | -35.9% | ||
| TOTAL NONRESIDENTIAL | 465.525 | 6.8% | 6.7% | -14.4% |
*Includes transportation terminals and sports arenas.
Source: ConstructConnect Research Group and ConstructConnect.
Table: ConstructConnect.
TABLE 2: VALUE OF UNITED STATES CONSTRUCTION STARTS
CONSTRUCTCONNECT INSIGHT VERSION – NOVEMBER 2019
Arranged to match the alphabetical category drop-down menus in INSIGHT
| % Change | % Change | % Change | ||||||
| Jan-Nov 19 | Jan-Nov 19 vs | Nov 19 vs | Nov 19 vs | |||||
| ($ billions) | Jan-Nov 18 | Nov 18 | Oct 19 | |||||
| Summary | ||||||||
| CIVIL | 167.992 | 9.1% | -9.2% | -35.9% | ||||
| NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDING | 297.532 | 5.6% | 16.6% | 2.2% | ||||
| RESIDENTIAL | 261.700 | -5.2% | -6.2% | -23.9% | ||||
| GRAND TOTAL | 727.224 | 2.2% | 1.6% | -18.2% | ||||
| Verticals | ||||||||
| Airport | 6.688 | -3.3% | -24.5% | -65.1% | ||||
| All Other Civil | 26.524 | 11.4% | -70.4% | -83.9% | ||||
| Bridges | 24.566 | 10.4% | -2.8% | -18.3% | ||||
| Dams / Canals / Marine Work | 8.189 | 33.0% | 79.6% | 1.0% | ||||
| Power Infrastructure | 12.963 | 73.7% | 218.9% | 19.2% | ||||
| Roads | 60.230 | 0.7% | -6.9% | -17.0% | ||||
| Water and Sewage Treatment | 28.832 | 4.6% | 32.0% | 11.5% | ||||
| CIVIL | 167.992 | 9.1% | -9.2% | -35.9% | ||||
| Offices (private) | 29.827 | 9.8% | 124.3% | 1.2% | ||||
| Parking Garages | 2.925 | 15.6% | -38.4% | 38.5% | ||||
| Transportation Terminals | 9.866 | 94.3% | 239.2% | 62.5% | ||||
| Commercial (small subset) | 42.618 | 22.6% | 103.1% | 10.2% | ||||
| Amusement | 6.593 | -16.8% | -45.3% | -36.3% | ||||
| Libraries / Museums | 3.580 | 38.6% | 65.0% | -33.8% | ||||
| Religious | 1.574 | -19.6% | -25.6% | 45.7% | ||||
| Sports Arenas / Convention Centers | 8.811 | 32.2% | 49.4% | 41.8% | ||||
| Community | 20.559 | 7.5% | -6.0% | -11.3% | ||||
| College / University | 16.878 | -5.8% | -9.9% | 6.0% | ||||
| Elementary / Pre School | 19.767 | 6.2% | 64.8% | -4.3% | ||||
| Jr / Sr High School | 29.927 | 5.5% | 9.6% | 46.3% | ||||
| Special / Vocational | 1.761 | 5.7% | -42.5% | -2.2% | ||||
| Educational | 68.333 | 2.7% | 9.3% | 17.7% | ||||
| Courthouses | 1.613 | 5.9% | 8.2% | 102.2% | ||||
| Fire and Police Stations | 2.997 | 5.3% | 26.0% | -16.6% | ||||
| Government Offices | 10.514 | 1.5% | -17.4% | 28.5% | ||||
| Prisons | 1.913 | -37.0% | -52.3% | -38.9% | ||||
| Government | 17.037 | -4.1% | -15.4% | 13.3% | ||||
| Industrial Labs / Labs / School Labs | 2.085 | -21.6% | 55.7% | 26.2% | ||||
| Manufacturing | 49.094 | 52.3% | 30.5% | -22.3% | ||||
| Warehouses | 17.451 | -16.5% | -63.5% | -26.9% | ||||
| Industrial | 68.631 | 23.0% | -27.3% | -21.9% | ||||
| Hospitals / Clinics | 17.678 | 24.6% | 257.9% | -2.4% | ||||
| Medical Misc. | 7.779 | -26.2% | -57.6% | -59.1% | ||||
| Nursing Homes | 8.676 | -9.9% | -8.3% | -17.3% | ||||
| Medical | 34.133 | -0.7% | 48.0% | -17.7% | ||||
| Military | 5.054 | 5.1% | 23.5% | -22.3% | ||||
| Hotels | 18.651 | -23.9% | -2.9% | 21.0% | ||||
| Retail Misc. | 6.660 | -2.3% | 33.3% | -29.7% | ||||
| Shopping | 15.857 | -7.9% | 56.7% | 101.0% | ||||
| Retail | 41.168 | -15.2% | 22.8% | 28.7% | ||||
| NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDING | 297.532 | 5.6% | 16.6% | 2.2% | ||||
| Multi-Family | 78.545 | -8.8% | -23.1% | -26.7% | ||||
| Single-Family | 183.155 | -3.6% | 3.2% | -22.7% | ||||
| RESIDENTIAL | 261.700 | -5.2% | -6.2% | -23.9% | ||||
| NONRESIDENTIAL | 465.525 | 6.8% | 6.7% | -14.4% | ||||
| GRAND TOTAL | 727.224 | 2.2% | 1.6% | -18.2% | ||||
Table 1 conforms to the type-of-structure ordering adopted by many firms and organizations in the industry. Specifically, it breaks non-residential 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 Insight.
Source: ConstructConnect.
Table: ConstructConnect.
TABLE 3: VALUE OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION STARTS – NOVEMBER 2019 – 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-NOV | JAN-NOV | ||||||||
| SEP 19 | OCT 19 | NOV 19 | SEP 19 | OCT 19 | NOV 19 | SEP 19 | OCT 19 | NOV 19 | 2018 | 2019 | |
| Single Family | 17.702 | 18.143 | 14.026 | 17.883 | 17.851 | 16.623 | 16.183 | 16.258 | 16.293 | 190.061 | 183.155 |
| month-over-month % change | 0.0% | 2.5% | -22.7% | -0.8% | -0.2% | -6.9% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.2% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 5.2% | 5.2% | 3.2% | 1.2% | 2.8% | 4.6% | -5.6% | -5.0% | -3.7% | 1.6% | -3.6% |
| Apartment | 8.371 | 7.942 | 5.819 | 7.621 | 8.216 | 7.378 | 7.462 | 7.368 | 7.222 | 86.086 | 78.545 |
| month-over-month % change | 0.5% | -5.1% | -26.7% | 6.8% | 7.8% | -10.2% | 0.6% | -1.3% | -2.0% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 6.4% | -12.5% | -23.1% | -3.4% | -2.1% | -9.7% | -6.2% | -6.2% | -6.2% | -22.9% | -8.8% |
| TOTAL RESIDENTIAL | 26.074 | 26.085 | 19.845 | 25.504 | 26.066 | 24.001 | 23.645 | 23.625 | 23.516 | 276.147 | 261.700 |
| month-over-month % change | 0.1% | 0.0% | -23.9% | 1.4% | 2.2% | -7.9% | 0.5% | -0.1% | -0.5% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 5.6% | -0.9% | -6.2% | -0.2% | 1.2% | -0.3% | -5.8% | -5.4% | -4.5% | -7.5% | -5.2% |
| Hotel/Motel | 1.700 | 1.507 | 1.823 | 1.433 | 1.469 | 1.676 | 1.764 | 1.704 | 1.700 | 24.504 | 18.651 |
| month-over-month % change | 41.5% | -11.3% | 21.0% | -1.1% | 2.5% | 14.1% | -2.5% | -3.4% | -0.3% | ||
| year-over-year % change | -24.5% | -32.0% | -2.9% | -23.6% | -27.6% | -20.8% | -18.5% | -20.8% | -21.1% | -10.3% | -23.9% |
| Retail | 1.237 | 0.983 | 1.976 | 1.212 | 1.163 | 1.398 | 1.370 | 1.353 | 1.413 | 17.210 | 15.857 |
| month-over-month % change | -2.5% | -20.6% | 101.0% | -12.0% | -4.0% | 20.3% | -2.3% | -1.2% | 4.4% | ||
| year-over-year % change | -24.0% | -16.8% | 56.7% | -26.6% | -19.7% | 3.1% | -14.1% | -12.0% | -7.6% | -8.8% | -7.9% |
| Parking Garages | 0.143 | 0.187 | 0.260 | 0.237 | 0.166 | 0.197 | 0.286 | 0.285 | 0.272 | 2.531 | 2.925 |
| month-over-month % change | -14.7% | 31.4% | 38.5% | -19.2% | -30.0% | 18.6% | 1.0% | -0.1% | -4.7% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 30.4% | -1.8% | -38.4% | 39.8% | 5.7% | -18.3% | 8.5% | 21.2% | 5.8% | -14.5% | 15.6% |
| Amusement | 0.530 | 0.730 | 0.466 | 0.704 | 0.567 | 0.575 | 0.674 | 0.634 | 0.602 | 7.923 | 6.593 |
| month-over-month % change | 20.3% | 37.7% | -36.3% | -7.0% | -19.5% | 1.4% | -1.9% | -5.9% | -5.1% | ||
| year-over-year % change | -22.7% | -39.3% | -45.3% | 32.8% | -27.0% | -37.0% | 3.9% | -8.4% | -17.9% | 13.4% | -16.8% |
| Office | 2.960 | 3.200 | 3.239 | 2.564 | 2.588 | 3.133 | 2.523 | 2.563 | 2.713 | 27.159 | 29.827 |
| month-over-month % change | 84.5% | 8.1% | 1.2% | -17.1% | 0.9% | 21.1% | 4.6% | 1.6% | 5.8% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 80.2% | 18.1% | 124.3% | -15.6% | 26.7% | 62.1% | 7.1% | 4.7% | 14.5% | -2.0% | 9.8% |
| Governmental Offices | 0.740 | 0.852 | 1.095 | 1.180 | 0.906 | 0.895 | 0.954 | 0.950 | 0.931 | 10.361 | 10.514 |
| month-over-month % change | -34.3% | 15.1% | 28.5% | -10.5% | -23.2% | -1.2% | -4.1% | -0.4% | -2.0% | ||
| year-over-year % change | -40.0% | -5.2% | -17.4% | 10.8% | -16.6% | -22.3% | 13.5% | 11.7% | 2.4% | 3.3% | 1.5% |
| Laboratories | 0.225 | 0.120 | 0.151 | 0.269 | 0.261 | 0.165 | 0.199 | 0.190 | 0.194 | 2.661 | 2.085 |
| month-over-month % change | -48.7% | -46.6% | 26.2% | 17.3% | -3.1% | -36.6% | -2.4% | -4.4% | 2.4% | ||
| year-over-year % change | -20.5% | -46.5% | 55.7% | -22.7% | 10.5% | -17.9% | -22.3% | -25.7% | -22.1% | -0.1% | -21.6% |
| Warehouse | 1.569 | 1.011 | 0.739 | 1.849 | 1.703 | 1.106 | 1.725 | 1.631 | 1.524 | 20.908 | 17.451 |
| month-over-month % change | -37.9% | -35.6% | -26.9% | -3.4% | -7.9% | -35.0% | -2.0% | -5.4% | -6.6% | ||
| year-over-year % change | -20.8% | -52.5% | -63.5% | -11.0% | -16.4% | -45.9% | -1.3% | -8.6% | -17.3% | 2.7% | -16.5% |
| Misc Commercial | 3.112 | 0.892 | 1.358 | 2.105 | 1.639 | 1.787 | 1.515 | 1.541 | 1.601 | 11.741 | 18.677 |
| month-over-month % change | 240.6% | -71.3% | 52.2% | 71.0% | -22.1% | 9.0% | 16.6% | 1.8% | 3.9% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 491.8% | 55.8% | 113.4% | 109.8% | 234.0% | 209.1% | 14.2% | 28.3% | 33.8% | -29.7% | 59.1% |
| TOTAL COMMERCIAL | 12.215 | 9.482 | 11.106 | 11.553 | 10.462 | 10.934 | 11.007 | 10.853 | 10.950 | 124.997 | 122.580 |
| month-over-month % change | 26.1% | -22.4% | 17.1% | -0.9% | -9.4% | 4.5% | 1.4% | -1.4% | 0.9% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 18.1% | -16.3% | 11.7% | -1.7% | 1.5% | 3.8% | -1.7% | -2.7% | -2.6% | -6.4% | -1.9% |
| TOTAL INDUSTRIAL (Manufacturing) | 0.569 | 1.896 | 1.473 | 6.625 | 4.877 | 1.313 | 4.457 | 4.359 | 4.387 | 32.246 | 49.094 |
| month-over-month % change | -95.3% | 233.2% | -22.3% | -1.3% | -26.4% | -73.1% | -3.0% | -2.2% | 0.7% | ||
| year-over-year % change | -74.4% | -38.3% | 30.5% | 143.3% | 46.6% | -38.7% | 43.8% | 59.0% | 60.5% | -10.9% | 52.3% |
| Religious | 0.128 | 0.096 | 0.140 | 0.117 | 0.118 | 0.121 | 0.158 | 0.155 | 0.151 | 1.958 | 1.574 |
| month-over-month % change | -1.3% | -24.9% | 45.7% | -15.5% | 0.5% | 2.9% | -1.9% | -2.3% | -2.6% | ||
| year-over-year % change | -22.8% | -31.5% | -25.6% | -26.2% | -26.3% | -26.3% | -9.5% | -8.3% | -13.9% | -7.0% | -19.6% |
| Hosptials/Clinics | 1.174 | 2.286 | 2.231 | 1.897 | 1.809 | 1.897 | 1.478 | 1.564 | 1.698 | 14.185 | 17.678 |
| month-over-month % change | -40.3% | 94.7% | -2.4% | -12.4% | -4.6% | 4.9% | 1.5% | 5.9% | 8.6% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 28.7% | 83.9% | 257.9% | 70.3% | 47.3% | 104.8% | 18.3% | 23.0% | 36.8% | -10.9% | 24.6% |
| Nursing/Assisted Living | 0.893 | 0.859 | 0.710 | 0.650 | 0.690 | 0.820 | 0.829 | 0.810 | 0.805 | 9.628 | 8.676 |
| month-over-month % change | 180.8% | -3.8% | -17.3% | 21.2% | 6.1% | 18.9% | 1.4% | -2.2% | -0.7% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 18.4% | -20.5% | -8.3% | -6.9% | -12.7% | -5.6% | -8.5% | -10.9% | -8.2% | -12.6% | -9.9% |
| Libraries/Museums | 0.356 | 0.486 | 0.322 | 0.299 | 0.304 | 0.388 | 0.294 | 0.301 | 0.312 | 2.583 | 3.580 |
| month-over-month % change | 397.1% | 36.5% | -33.8% | 0.0% | 1.9% | 27.4% | 2.5% | 2.6% | 3.5% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 31.1% | 23.8% | 65.0% | 41.9% | 8.2% | 35.4% | 39.9% | 34.1% | 36.5% | -24.5% | 38.6% |
| Police/Courthouse/Prison | 0.989 | 0.692 | 0.654 | 0.702 | 0.781 | 0.778 | 0.637 | 0.609 | 0.602 | 7.407 | 6.522 |
| month-over-month % change | 49.1% | -30.1% | -5.5% | 22.5% | 11.3% | -0.4% | 8.4% | -4.3% | -1.2% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 151.1% | -32.4% | -11.7% | -2.4% | 2.0% | 8.2% | 4.3% | -4.1% | -8.6% | -6.8% | -11.9% |
| Military | 0.713 | 1.054 | 0.818 | 0.463 | 0.701 | 0.862 | 0.425 | 0.443 | 0.456 | 4.808 | 5.054 |
| month-over-month % change | 111.5% | 47.7% | -22.3% | 34.3% | 51.5% | 22.9% | 4.5% | 4.3% | 2.9% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 44.7% | 26.6% | 23.5% | 3.6% | 17.1% | 30.1% | 6.1% | 8.5% | 7.7% | 6.8% | 5.1% |
| Schools/Colleges | 4.470 | 3.914 | 4.606 | 5.547 | 4.677 | 4.330 | 6.123 | 6.073 | 6.106 | 66.558 | 68.333 |
| month-over-month % change | -20.9% | -12.4% | 17.7% | -27.4% | -15.7% | -7.4% | -0.7% | -0.8% | 0.5% | ||
| year-over-year % change | -10.1% | -13.2% | 9.3% | -9.2% | -11.3% | -5.1% | 5.5% | 5.1% | 5.0% | 0.5% | 2.7% |
| Misc Government | 0.601 | 0.856 | 0.350 | 0.631 | 0.736 | 0.602 | 0.745 | 0.747 | 0.707 | 10.544 | 7.779 |
| month-over-month % change | -20.2% | 42.5% | -59.1% | -18.5% | 16.8% | -18.2% | -7.1% | 0.2% | -5.3% | ||
| year-over-year % change | -53.1% | 2.3% | -57.6% | -35.6% | -22.5% | -38.6% | -18.2% | -18.3% | -23.4% | 1.7% | -26.2% |
| TOTAL INSTITUTIONAL | 9.323 | 10.241 | 9.830 | 10.305 | 9.817 | 9.798 | 10.688 | 10.704 | 10.838 | 117.672 | 119.198 |
| month-over-month % change | -5.7% | 9.8% | -4.0% | -17.4% | -4.7% | -0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1.3% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 0.9% | 1.9% | 19.6% | -1.3% | -2.3% | 6.8% | 4.1% | 3.8% | 4.8% | -3.1% | 1.3% |
| Misc Non Residential | 0.502 | 1.017 | 0.715 | 0.537 | 0.689 | 0.744 | 0.546 | 0.573 | 0.588 | 6.814 | 6.660 |
| month-over-month % change | -8.5% | 102.6% | -29.7% | -4.4% | 28.2% | 8.0% | -1.1% | 4.9% | 2.6% | ||
| year-over-year % change | -12.5% | 46.3% | 33.3% | -14.5% | 16.0% | 23.8% | -8.5% | -5.3% | -2.6% | -5.8% | -2.3% |
| TOTAL NONRES BUILDING | 22.609 | 22.635 | 23.123 | 29.021 | 25.846 | 22.789 | 26.698 | 26.488 | 26.763 | 281.730 | 297.532 |
| month-over-month % change | -30.0% | 0.1% | 2.2% | -7.6% | -10.9% | -11.8% | 0.1% | -0.8% | 1.0% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 1.0% | -10.0% | 16.6% | 13.6% | 6.5% | 1.5% | 6.1% | 6.7% | 7.4% | -5.6% | 5.6% |
| Airports | 0.556 | 0.831 | 0.290 | 0.751 | 0.683 | 0.559 | 0.614 | 0.595 | 0.587 | 6.914 | 6.688 |
| month-over-month % change | -15.9% | 49.4% | -65.1% | -1.6% | -9.1% | -18.1% | 0.0% | -3.2% | -1.3% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 0.1% | -22.0% | -24.5% | 25.8% | -8.4% | -16.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% | -1.2% | -43.9% | -3.3% |
| Roads/Highways | 4.971 | 4.640 | 3.853 | 6.133 | 5.057 | 4.488 | 5.296 | 5.330 | 5.306 | 59.812 | 60.230 |
| month-over-month % change | -10.6% | -6.7% | -17.0% | -8.5% | -17.5% | -11.3% | 0.8% | 0.6% | -0.4% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 11.9% | 9.7% | -6.9% | 1.0% | -0.1% | 5.1% | 6.3% | 5.3% | 2.3% | 18.0% | 0.7% |
| Bridges | 2.674 | 2.025 | 1.655 | 2.250 | 2.254 | 2.118 | 2.193 | 2.199 | 2.195 | 22.256 | 24.566 |
| month-over-month % change | 29.6% | -24.3% | -18.3% | -0.9% | 0.2% | -6.0% | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.2% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 1.7% | 3.8% | -2.8% | 15.5% | 13.4% | 1.1% | 17.4% | 12.6% | 10.3% | 17.3% | 10.4% |
| Dams/Marine | 0.536 | 1.042 | 1.052 | 0.514 | 0.678 | 0.876 | 0.687 | 0.684 | 0.723 | 6.156 | 8.189 |
| month-over-month % change | 17.5% | 94.5% | 1.0% | -28.1% | 31.8% | 29.3% | -2.6% | -0.4% | 5.7% | ||
| year-over-year % change | -29.1% | -3.0% | 79.6% | -19.1% | -17.3% | 8.9% | 33.5% | 23.0% | 31.0% | 33.1% | 33.0% |
| Water/Sewage | 2.565 | 2.538 | 2.830 | 2.597 | 2.421 | 2.645 | 2.511 | 2.519 | 2.576 | 27.567 | 28.832 |
| month-over-month % change | 18.8% | -1.1% | 11.5% | 0.2% | -6.8% | 9.2% | 2.3% | 0.3% | 2.3% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 35.3% | 3.5% | 32.0% | 17.7% | 12.4% | 22.2% | 4.8% | 4.5% | 5.5% | -9.1% | 4.6% |
| Misc Civil | 4.084 | 6.426 | 1.544 | 5.124 | 6.704 | 4.018 | 3.206 | 3.519 | 3.363 | 31.266 | 39.487 |
| month-over-month % change | -57.5% | 57.4% | -76.0% | -13.4% | 30.8% | -40.1% | 4.0% | 9.8% | -4.4% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 56.1% | 141.2% | -54.8% | 272.7% | 230.0% | 38.7% | 16.9% | 25.1% | 26.3% | 21.8% | 26.3% |
| TOTAL ENGINEERING | 15.386 | 17.502 | 11.224 | 17.369 | 17.796 | 14.704 | 14.507 | 14.846 | 14.750 | 153.971 | 167.992 |
| month-over-month % change | -24.9% | 13.8% | -35.9% | -8.4% | 2.5% | -17.4% | 1.5% | 2.3% | -0.6% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 19.3% | 30.3% | -9.2% | 35.3% | 39.0% | 14.0% | 10.6% | 10.9% | 9.9% | 8.0% | 9.1% |
| GRAND TOTAL | 64.068 | 66.222 | 54.192 | 71.894 | 69.708 | 61.494 | 64.850 | 64.959 | 65.029 | 711.848 | 727.224 |
| month-over-month % change | -18.7% | 3.4% | -18.2% | -4.8% | -3.0% | -11.8% | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.1% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 6.8% | 2.0% | 1.6% | 12.4% | 11.0% | 3.5% | 2.3% | 2.8% | 3.3% | -3.8% | 2.2% |
| NONRES BLDG + ENGINEERING | 37.995 | 40.137 | 34.347 | 46.390 | 43.642 | 37.493 | 41.204 | 41.334 | 41.513 | 435.701 | 465.525 |
| month-over-month % change | -28.0% | 5.6% | -14.4% | -7.9% | -5.9% | -14.1% | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.4% | ||
| year-over-year % change | 7.7% | 4.0% | 6.7% | 20.9% | 17.7% | 6.1% | 7.7% | 8.2% | 8.3% | -1.2% | 6.8% |
Data Source and Table: ConstructConnect.
TABLE 4: U.S. YEAR-TO-DATE REGIONAL STARTS
NONRESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION* — CONSTRUCTCONNECT
| JAN-NOV 2018 | JAN-NOV 2019 | % Change | |||
| Connecticut | $3,491,313,953 | $4,636,820,967 | 32.8% | ||
| Maine | $1,970,227,183 | $1,665,415,282 | -15.5% | ||
| Massachusetts | $8,888,688,061 | $11,103,397,362 | 24.9% | ||
| New Hampshire | $1,405,694,366 | $1,383,451,575 | -1.6% | ||
| Rhode Island | $2,724,311,736 | $876,521,713 | -67.8% | ||
| Vermont | $439,090,157 | $374,840,073 | -14.6% | ||
| Total New England | $18,919,325,456 | $20,040,446,972 | 5.9% | ||
| New Jersey | $7,297,850,105 | $8,170,635,069 | 12.0% | ||
| New York | $27,046,450,310 | $24,915,558,583 | -7.9% | ||
| Pennsylvania | $13,074,233,745 | $13,883,127,487 | 6.2% | ||
| Total Middle Atlantic | $47,418,534,160 | $46,969,321,139 | -0.9% | ||
| TOTAL NORTHEAST | $66,337,859,616 | $67,009,768,111 | 1.0% | ||
| Illinois | $12,170,056,807 | $15,711,502,096 | 29.1% | ||
| Indiana | $7,799,542,576 | $7,083,799,040 | -9.2% | ||
| Michigan | $9,674,743,355 | $11,902,912,039 | 23.0% | ||
| Ohio | $15,385,417,127 | $12,999,395,908 | -15.5% | ||
| Wisconsin | $19,813,853,521 | $9,714,754,437 | -51.0% | ||
| Total East North Central | $64,843,613,386 | $57,412,363,520 | -11.5% | ||
| Iowa | $4,706,327,850 | $5,469,731,269 | 16.2% | ||
| Kansas | $5,062,383,750 | $4,223,263,479 | -16.6% | ||
| Minnesota | $8,224,398,444 | $10,424,448,455 | 26.8% | ||
| Missouri | $7,298,754,848 | $7,120,419,334 | -2.4% | ||
| Nebraska | $2,465,632,565 | $3,394,971,846 | 37.7% | ||
| North Dakota | $3,128,235,673 | $2,485,009,994 | -20.6% | ||
| South Dakota | $1,534,788,060 | $2,733,528,267 | 78.1% | ||
| Total West North Central | $32,420,521,190 | $35,851,372,644 | 10.6% | ||
| TOTAL MIDWEST | $97,264,134,576 | $93,263,736,164 | -4.1% | ||
| Delaware | $1,125,474,955 | $1,006,253,436 | -10.6% | ||
| District of Columbia | $3,148,488,248 | $1,838,869,508 | -41.6% | ||
| Florida | $26,801,172,086 | $30,163,843,643 | 12.5% | ||
| Georgia | $11,296,137,327 | $17,034,446,402 | 50.8% | ||
| Maryland | $7,326,413,616 | $6,445,535,558 | -12.0% | ||
| North Carolina | $14,127,829,538 | $13,970,591,450 | -1.1% | ||
| South Carolina | $6,128,259,177 | $6,875,051,911 | 12.2% | ||
| Virginia | $13,427,792,069 | $10,211,252,429 | -24.0% | ||
| West Virginia | $7,276,418,639 | $1,779,398,029 | -75.5% | ||
| Total South Atlantic | $90,657,985,655 | $89,325,242,366 | -1.5% | ||
| Alabama | $5,471,016,702 | $6,958,829,883 | 27.2% | ||
| Kentucky | $6,091,720,250 | $5,660,396,701 | -7.1% | ||
| Mississippi | $2,102,173,170 | $2,564,406,126 | 22.0% | ||
| Tennessee | $8,085,811,656 | $7,637,898,484 | -5.5% | ||
| Total East South Central | $21,750,721,778 | $22,821,531,194 | 4.9% | ||
| Arkansas | $3,164,938,766 | $2,848,154,367 | -10.0% | ||
| Louisiana | $4,621,844,561 | $8,237,880,663 | 78.2% | ||
| Oklahoma | $5,374,873,860 | $5,076,322,161 | -5.6% | ||
| Texas | $50,481,079,668 | $75,495,104,922 | 49.6% | ||
| Total West South Central | $63,642,736,855 | $91,657,462,113 | 44.0% | ||
| TOTAL SOUTH | $176,051,444,288 | $203,804,235,673 | 15.8% | ||
| Arizona | $8,880,859,452 | $7,862,832,148 | -11.5% | ||
| Colorado | $7,888,652,910 | $8,745,020,915 | 10.9% | ||
| Idaho | $1,917,716,755 | $1,987,469,132 | 3.6% | ||
| Montana | $1,407,314,299 | $1,325,849,215 | -5.8% | ||
| Nevada | $5,192,295,384 | $5,910,995,028 | 13.8% | ||
| New Mexico | $2,000,451,855 | $2,322,642,272 | 16.1% | ||
| Utah | $6,047,457,578 | $5,270,040,192 | -12.9% | ||
| Wyoming | $1,035,791,527 | $4,120,001,796 | 297.8% | ||
| Total Mountain | $34,370,539,760 | $37,544,850,698 | 9.2% | ||
| Alaska | $1,511,224,012 | $1,007,554,508 | -33.3% | ||
| California | $40,266,273,474 | $36,959,060,804 | -8.2% | ||
| Hawaii | $2,299,091,857 | $1,976,594,599 | -14.0% | ||
| Oregon | $5,616,404,945 | $5,721,350,198 | 1.9% | ||
| Washington | $11,983,747,561 | $18,237,594,774 | 52.2% | ||
| Total Pacific | $61,676,741,849 | $63,902,154,883 | 3.6% | ||
| TOTAL WEST | $96,047,281,609 | $101,447,005,581 | 5.6% | ||
| TOTAL U.S. | $435,700,720,089 | $465,524,745,529 | 6.8% |
*Figures above are comprised of nonres building and engineering (i.e., residential is omitted).
Data Source and Table: ConstructConnect.