Dodge Momentum Index Increases in June
The Dodge Momentum Index moved 4.0 percent higher in June to 146.1 (2000=100) from the revised May reading of 140.5. The Momentum Index, issued by Dodge Data & Analytics, is a monthly measure of the first (or initial) report for nonresidential building projects in planning, which have been shown to lead construction spending for […]
Construction Input Prices Plummet in June
Construction input prices decreased 1.3 percent on both a monthly and yearly basis in June, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released July 12. This is the first time in nearly three years that input prices have fallen on a year-over-year basis. […]
Traits of a Winner
Hello all, I am excited to provide you with a monthly update. As I start my term as the AWCI president, the association is in the interview process for a new CEO/executive director. These interviews take place in late July and early August in Falls Church, Va., where the AWCI is headquartered. […]
Construction Jobs Increase by 21,000 in June and 224,000 During the Past Year
Construction employment increased by 21,000 jobs in June and by 224,000, or 3.2 percent, over the past 12 months, while the number of unemployed jobseekers with construction experience fell, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that firms continue to increase pay as […]
Beat the Competition
With the construction economy and business booming (for now), wall and ceiling contractors are once again enjoying full backlogs and seeing more jobs on the horizon. But competition—for both jobs and staff—can be fierce. So what do you do to set your company apart from the rest of the pack? We asked this of […]
Diary of a Drywaller: Chapter 19
“A house, not made with hands” 2 Corinthians 5:1 There are things in life that happen and turn out to be unforgettably memorable. This is one such episode. To tell it and tell it well, demonstrating the full context, will take more than a single chapter. Be prepared to read on if you […]
Come Tomorrow, Part 3
It ain’t necessarily so…—George and Ira Gershwin I spent the last two months’ installments of “Estimator’s Edge” making a case for my notion that the forthcoming emergence of artificial intelligence will almost certainly render the function of human estimators obsolete within the next five to 10 years. Having now heard protests from several […]
Interesting Times, New Challenges
Being the first woman to hold the title of president of the board of the Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry is truly an honor. I expect this year will be the start of many changes at the association. As some of you know, our esteemed executive vice president and CEO, Steve Etkin, […]
Come Tomorrow, Part 3
It ain’t necessarily so…—George and Ira Gershwin I spent the last two months’ installments of “Estimator’s Edge” making a case for my notion that the forthcoming emergence of artificial intelligence will almost certainly render the function of human estimators obsolete within the next five to 10 years. Having now heard protests from several […]