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Construction Industry

Construction Industry

construction industry

Resources, links, associations, and publications to support small businesses in the construction industry. Additionally, you can also receive free professional business advice and free or low-cost business training from your local Small Business Development Center!

Industry Overview, Pandemic Impact and Recovery

Supply chain shortages and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have been major issues for almost all industries. The construction industry supply chain has been impacted due to sourcing of materials and equipment, which has proven to be a key challenge throughout the last several years. Technology adoption has been an industry opportunity making it easier for companies to adapt by keeping track of inventory, deliveries, and various construction projects.

Further, the American Rescue Plan distributed $350 billion in recovery funds to state and city governments for workforce development and public projects. This expected to boost public construction projects.

A workforce shortage has been an ongoing issue affecting the construction industry, even pre-pandemic. The shortage is largely attributed to a lack of skilled laborers, particularly in specialized trades such as carpenters, painters, plumbers, and electricians.

Market Segments

The construction industry is made up of two market segments: residential and commercial.

The residential construction market is made up of single-family and multi-family homes. Homeownership has grown in recent years, yet housing shortages remain an issue for many regions. To track housing activity regionally, the National Association of Home Builders created a portal which tracks new home production, housing affordability, remodeling activity, and other benchmarks.

The commercial construction market is made up of retail, office buildings, hospitality, industrial warehousing and storage, and recreational buildings. Retail, industrial, and health care facilities are leading in nonresidential building construction while hospitality is expected to decline. The National Association of Realtors publishes a monthly report of Commercial Market Insights.

Construction Industry Resources

Industry Data

Federal Agencies

Industry Standards

Construction Industry Associations

Building Construction

Specialty Trades

Construction Industry Publications

Building Construction

  • Construction Executive Magazine – news, market developments, and business issues impacting the construction industry for commercial, industrial and institutional contractors, and construction-related business owners.
  • The Contractor’s Compass – from Foundation of the American Subcontractors Association, Inc., informs professionals on critical issues shaping subcontractors and specialty trade contractors in the construction industry.
  • General Contractor Magazine – features the best general contractors in residential and commercial construction and reports industry information for contractors, architects, designers, and builders.
  • Contractor Magazine – provides news, insights, and how-to content to professionals responsible for plumbing, heating, specialty piping and fire protection systems.
  • Contracting Business – provides news, insights and how-to content for HVACR professionals who support commercial, residential and industrial facilities.
  • BUILDER Magazine – provides home builders with home building news, home plans, home design ideas, and building product information.
  • Commercial Construction and Renovation – construction magazine with construction operations information for major commercial construction.
  • Dodge Data and Analytics – construction statistics, forecasts, news, regional publications, and job project information.

Specialty Trades

  • Electrical Contractor Magazine – monthly magazine published by the National Electrical Contractors Association and serves electrical contractor business owners, engineers, purchasing agents, supervisors, journeymen, and apprentice electricians.
  • Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration (ACHR) News – the weekly news magazine of the HVACR contractor covering residential and commercial contracting.
  • HVACR Business Magazine – provides business owners and managers with information on business management skills and delivers the resources necessary to build stronger, better, more profitable companies.
  • Roofing Contractor Magazine – magazine for roofing contractors covering relevant information on the latest trends, safety, business, and legal concerns in the roofing industry.
  • Walls & Ceilings Magazine – serves the interior and exterior wall and ceiling industry with the latest news and information on building methods, drywall, plaster technology, ceilings, steel framing, fireproofing, insulation, and more.
  • Custom Builder – provides breaking news, industry trends, product innovations, and best practices for the custom home building market.
  • Pro Builder – the official publication of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), provides key industry issues and trends, best business practices, design, construction how-to, innovation and technology, sales and marketing and the latest building products.

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Additional Small Business Resources

Already in business or thinking about starting your own small business? Check out our various small business resources:

Remember, you can also receive free professional business advice and free or low-cost business training from your local Small Business Development Center!

Photo by Danny Lau on Unsplash.

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