7-11-17

Construction Spending Summary for May Spending

Year-to-date % growth in construction spending for 1^st five months and expected estimate-to-complete (ETC) % growth for remaining seven months 2017. Total % growth vs 2016 and 2017 total $.

Total All Construction

YTD = +6.1%, ETC = +7.0%, 2017vs/2016 = 6.7%, 2017 total = $1.266 trillion

Particular strength is evident in the long term trend for Nonresidential Buildings for which spending growth is increasing and continues into 2018.  Recently, all of 2016 spending was revised, in total up by 2%. Current 2017 values are being compared to revised 2016 values. History shows revisions have been up 45 of last 48 months. In the future, 2017 spending will most likely be revised higher. Even without that, at 6.7% total growth expected, 2017 will come in stronger than 2016. All sectors show some improvement over 2016. For 2018, Nonresidential Buildings and Infrastructure both contribute to an 7.8% forecast spending increase.

Also See Construction Spending May 2017 – Behind The Headlines

Residential Buildings

YTD = +12.2%, ETC = +9.3%, 2017vs2016 = +10.5%, 2017 total = $523 billion

Residential spending YTD has been above 12% each of the 1st 5 months of 2017. It is expected to dip between May and October due to a low volume of work contributed from starts during the period Q4’15 to Q1’16. This results in a temporary dip in spending. We could see annual spending averaging only $515b to $525b from April through September. New starts in Q1’17 reached an 11 year high, so spending increases later in the year. Residential work will finish the year with 10% growth, the 5^th consecutive year over 10%. Average growth the last 5 years is 14%. Spending slows to 5% growth in 2018 .

Nonresidential Buildings

YTD = +5.2%, ETC = +7.5%,  2017vs2016 = +7.4%, 2017 total = $438 billion

Nonresidential Buildings spending is expected to increase slightly from May through September due to an above average volume of work contributed from starts during the period Q1’15 to Q2’15. The only major nonresidential building in decline this year is manufacturing. That’s not unexpected since manufacturing spending reached an all-time high in 2015 and stayed close to that level in 2016. Commercial/Retail, Lodging and Office construction all remain very strong with growth near 15%. Educational (+9%) and healthcare (+6%) both show sizable gains after years of little to no growth. Growth accelerates to 10+% in 2018, led by institutional spending.

See Also Nonres Bldgs Construction Spending Midyear 2017 Forecast

Non-building Infrastructure

YTD = -3.0%, ETC = +1.4%, 2017vs/2016 = 0.0%, 2017 total = $304 billion

Non-building Infrastructure spending, always the most volatile sector, is expected to increase slightly in the 2^nd half 2017. An above average volume of work in early 2015 contributed very long duration jobs that will still contribute spending in late 2017, adding to normal average duration spending. Environmental Public Works (Sewer, Water Supply and Dams & Rivers) is holding back infrastructure from gains in 2017. Declines in that group are offsetting gains in Power, Highway and Transportation. No future growth is included from infrastructure stimulus and yet 2018 is projected to increase by 7%.