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Job openings rise in July; Dodge sees more projects ahead; surveys vary on cost trendsEditor’s note: Construction Citizen is proud to partner with AGC Americato bring you AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's Data DIGest. Check back each week to get Ken's expert analysis of what's happening in our industry.There were 214,000 construction industryjob openings, seasonally adjusted, at the end of July, BLS reported on Wednesday in its monthly Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). Openings amounted to 3.1% of combined employment plus openings. Both figures were the highest for July since 2006. In contrast, the 334,000 hires in July, seasonally adjusted, and the hiring rate (5.0% of monthly employment) were in line with monthly levels over the past eight years. Together, the near-record openings and trendless hiring pattern are consistent with the results of a survey AGC released on August 31 in which 69% of the 1,459 responding contractors reported difficulty filling craft positions. The number and rate of layoffs and discharges in August, seasonally adjusted, are near the lowest levels in the 16-year history of the JOLTS data, suggesting contractors are trying to hold onto workers, a possible indication that they have a backlog of projects to complete.
Reshaping the Construction Industry
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Those who supply equipment for the construction industry are renewing their call for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in Washington to briefly put down their partisan swords and come together to address the skilled labor shortage in America.In a letter to Republicans and Democrats alike, Associated Equipment Distributors President and CEO Brian McGuire asked the “House and Senate to complete work on both Carl D. Perkins Act re-authorization legislation and the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) before the end of the year.”The Perkins act is aimed at increasing the quality of technical education in the United States. The Water Resources Development Act would authorize 25 Army Corps of Engineers projects across 17 states.
September 13, 2016
Hi there. The Chamberlin Man here.Hello there. I have a question for all you property managers and facilities managers out there. Do you think you could benefit from a little knowledge in the area of property asset management? If you’re a certified Real Property Administrator (RPA®), Facilities Management Administrator (FMA®) or Systems Maintenance Administrator (SMA®), perhaps you’re looking for continuing education credit to maintain your professional designation’s active status? Then have we got some exciting news!
September 12, 2016
Contractors again report difficulty filling jobs; employment, spending rise less steadilyEditor’s note: Construction Citizen is proud to partner with AGC America to bring you AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's Data DIGest. Check back each week to get Ken's expert analysis of what's happening in our industry.Filling craft positions and some salaried positions remains a challenge for contractors, according to participants in AGC's 2016 Workforce Survey, though slightly less so than in 2015. More than two-thirds (69%) of the 1,459 respondents stated they were having a hard time filling some hourly craft positions, AGC reported on August 31. In addition, 38% said they were having a hard time filling some salaried field positions; 33%, salaried office positions; and 15%, hourly office positions, while 8% reported no trouble filling any positions and 9% had no openings to fill.
September 09, 2016
The agreement allows federal officials to share their data and knowledge with North Carolina officials, much as they have with 32 other states working to combat misclassification.
September 08, 2016
The following article originally appeared in the September newsletter to clients of Kiley Advisors, LLC for the purpose of providing the latest leading indicators and industry issues to those clients. Reprinted with permission.The latest City of Houston permit data provided the local newspapers with headlines announcing that commercial construction was up 40% while residential construction floundered. However, upon closer inspection, the increase in the value of new permits is a direct result of medical, school and public work construction projects, while nearly all other sectors are relatively flat or slightly down compared to a year ago. Also trending is an increasing amount of renovation work versus the new construction, a trend likely to continue in the months ahead.The drop in residential permits isn’t as bad as suggested either. Builders are finding creative ways to offer homes in a lower price range. Metrostudy is projecting housing starts will end up down about 14% this year when compared to a year ago, but that drops Houston from the largest new home volume market nationally to the second largest, behind Dallas-Ft Worth.
September 07, 2016
Over the objections of many builders and others in the business community – and to the delight of the Workers Defense Project – the Austin City Council this past week overwhelmingly passed a resolution to move forward with certain standards for construction projects when an expedited building permit is issued. On a 9 to 1 vote, the council instructed city staff to come up with recommendations for how to specifically implement the proposal.Among the questions to be ironed out:
September 06, 2016
ABC Greater Houston Celebrates the Men and Women in the Construction IndustryThe skills, work ethic, and safety of our craft professionals represent the foundation of our nation and community’s built environment. These men and women also contribute to an industry that accounted for $1.1 billion in spending in 2015.Ensuring that this critical resource is perpetuated for the generations ahead is the mission of the Construction Career Collaborative (C3), an alliance of socially responsible Owners, Contractors, and Specialty Contractors, with a mission to positively affect the issues facing the craft worker for the commercial construction industry, and endorsed and led by executives/members of ABC/CMEF, AGC Houston, ASA, and several other trade associations. C3 is based on three principles to support the craft professional: Financial Security, Health, and Well-Being; Safety Training; and Craft Training. :
September 05, 2016
The Leaning Tower of Pisa was not designed to lean. Neither was the Millennium Tower in San Francisco, but according to several sources, it is not only leaning 2 inches, but has sunk 16” since its completion in 2009. Two inches doesn’t seem like much, but when you live in one of the top award winning residential towers in the world, two inches might as well be two feet. No, I take that back. Two inches of lean in one of the highest earthquake zones in the world is a disaster waiting to happen. In this case, the tower at 301 Mission Street, leaning 2 inches and sinking double the amount that it was projected to in the next 50 years is no small matter and if nothing else is a legal disaster in the making.The owners of the condominiums in this award winner have hired four legal firms to represent them in court. How can they afford to do that? Good question. It seems that folks like Joe Montana and Hunter Pence have bought units there and as you might imagine, there are some confidential owners who have bought units for investment purposes in this the 4th tallest tower in San Francisco.The combined filings to this point amount to $500 million for a building that 6 years ago was said to have cost $350 million.
September 02, 2016
Hi there. The Chamberlin Man here.You’ve probably noticed Chamberlin’s quarterly news features a fairly standard set of content. Front and center you’ll find a story covering one of our recent projects, offering examples of our solution mindset and teamwork. See our latest, Frost Bank in San Antonio, TX, in the photo on the right and in our story on our website.Second, we always have a guest columnist share their perspective on building envelope solutions that offers valuable insight for our client readers. Check out this issue’s piece by Phil Dregger on the importance of roof maintenance – and the disastrous effects not maintaining your roof properly can have.
September 01, 2016
