Brickonomics

Forecasts suggest some rays of hope, but huge uncertainty remains

For those with an optimistic nature there was some good news to be seen in the latest set of industry forecasts with both the Construction Products Association and Hewes trimming how much they feel output in the industry will fall....

Posted by Brian on October 16, 2009 12:35 PM

Another one for the file marked "Gloom": What do you mean you haven't got one yet?

Many thanks to Mel Budd of Leading Edge who sent me the consultancy's latest forecast. For simplicity's sake I have put the base figures for output in a graph with the other industry forecasts. What is striking is the growing...

Posted by Brian on July 30, 2009 11:21 AM

It's worse in construction than we thought say forecasters

The latest forecasts to emerge in the current round all see the future prospects for construction as far gloomier than was expected when the number crunchers examined the figures three months or so ago. Experian now expects a 12% decline...

Posted by Brian on July 13, 2009 4:53 PM

Look east to find some shelter from the storm

My good friend Martin Hewes has just past me some details of the latest Hewes & Associates forecast for new work construction output. It will not make for comfortable reading if you happen to be trading heavily in Yorkshire &...

Posted by Brian on May 12, 2009 10:23 AM

Experian revises down its forecast for construction output

Industry forecasters at Experian followed their rivals and cut expectations of construction activity over the coming three years. The predicted decline in output in 2009 is now put at 7.8% followed by a slight drop of 1.7% in 2010 and...

Posted by Brian on April 9, 2009 3:02 PM

We're in the worst recession on record, says Construction Products Association

The spring round of forecasting has brought more gloom with the Construction Products Association taking an even dimmer view of industry prospects than in the winter. On the basis of the current data available the materials producers' body predicts a...

Posted by Brian on April 3, 2009 9:09 PM

Annual construction output forecast to fall £23.5 billion over next two years

The first of the spring forecasts for construction has winged its way into my inbox. It is the Hewes & Associates' forecast. Hewes expects on the basis of current data that levels of construction output will fall back to those...

Posted by Brian on April 3, 2009 5:16 PM

Construction output to fall to 1996 levels by 2011, says forecast

Remember the pleasure and pain of Euro '96, the rise and rise of the Spice Girls, This Life and Chris Evan's TFI Friday on TV, John Major as Prime Minister and Swampy digging in against the road builders? Well some...

Posted by Brian on January 22, 2009 1:32 PM

Bright spots in the gloom says Experian's latest construction forecast

I've just received an email from James Hastings, head of construction futures at Experian Business Strategies with the latest forecast update attached. And, not a surprise, it was gloomier than the summer forecast, which then saw the industry overall stumbling...

Posted by Brian on October 16, 2008 12:40 PM

Construction faces a worse recession than in the 1990s, says forecast

My good friend Martin Hewes passed me a copy of the latest forecast from Hewes & Associates. It's not good news, I'm afraid. His last forecast was pretty bleak, this is bleaker still. The headline figure of note is the...

Posted by Brian on October 9, 2008 3:11 PM

Three years of construction recession forecast - is that possible?

My good friend Martin Hewes provided me with a sneak preview of his latest three-year forecast for construction output. It's not a bedtime read for the faint hearted, that's for sure. The Hewes & Associates numbers show a recession in...

Posted by Brian on July 11, 2008 8:38 AM