Business Risk

The 2020s have been a bumpy ride for the construction industry, and it’s unlikely the path will smooth anytime soon. Economic, political and environmental uncertainties continue to cloud the outlook. The only sure thing for construction firm leaders is the need to recognize and t...

What We Learned in April: Construction Industry Outlook Darkens Construction-specific economic data released in April paint a somewhat upbeat picture of the industry’s recent performance. Nonresidential spending reached the highest level on record, contractors added jobs for the...

Construction businesses have faced a rising tide of challenges since the pandemic. The labor shortage, worker safety threats and more have created a difficult environment for business owners to find opportunities for growth while keeping their operations running smoothly and safe...

On Jan. 20, 2025, President Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president and quickly issued a sweeping set of executive orders aimed at reversing Biden administration policies related to diversity, immigration, national security and climate. The orders require enactment throug...

Tax challenges in the commercial construction industry can feel like an uphill battle, with fluctuating project revenues, payroll complexities and penalties piling up quickly. Construction contractors in particular face a perfect storm of tax-related risks when cash reserves run ...

WASHINGTON, March 11—The construction industry had 236,000 job openings on the last day of January, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. JOLTS defines a job op...

WHAT WE LEARNED IN JANUARY: CONTRACTORS OPTIMISTIC DESPITE COOLING MOMENTUM The construction industry’s momentum faded somewhat over the past few months. Nonresidential spending growth has stalled, employment growth has slowed to a crawl and materials prices jumped higher in Ja...

Anyone connected to the construction industry understands the importance of critical-path method scheduling. CPM schedules help identify the activities required to complete a project, as well as help determine critical activities that absolutely can’t be delayed. As a contractor...

It’s difficult to recover from a low estimate in construction. Owners don’t want to pay more than they have to, and scope creep is a credibility killer. That’s why successful companies understand the value of an experienced estimator and solid estimating systems. They also train...

The Fed’s change in stance and the expectation of lower rates over the next year certainly set the stage for that. The Dodge Momentum Index, which tracks nonresidential building projects from the initial planning stages, has been steady over the last six months, indicating that d...