Updated August 23, 2022
Those in construction are all too familiar with the industry’s ongoing challenges, including materials and labor shortages, the impact of prefabrication and modular construction, sustainable building expectations and margin pressures from rising costs.
What we’ve learned over the past few years is that we can’t afford to become complacent. These challenges can be overcome with the right strategic approach. Here we review four prevailing construction industry trends and offer actions you can take to improve the outcomes for your business.
Some of the most painful issues for construction companies right now are material shortages and rising costs, which can have serious consequences for cash flow and profitability. The global pandemic disrupted supply chains around the world, causing delivery delays and recurring shortages in building materials.
To date, many of those supply chains have not fully recovered. Consequently, material costs have skyrocketed, companies are seeing much longer lead times for supplies, and construction delays have become more frequent and longer.
Construction research firm Cumming reports that steel rose 25% to 50% in material cost over the past year. Lumber costs continue to increase every month. Increase in demand has not only led to cost increases, but much longer delivery times, with companies experiencing two- to three-weeks and longer lead times than pre-pandemic.
What you can do to alleviate the impact:
Talent shortages are an ongoing issue for many industries, and construction is no exception. The dearth of framers, roofers, electricians, plumbers and other traditional tradespeople has continued to worsen over the past several years and was further exacerbated by the pandemic.
While there are signs of a resurgence in interest in trade schools, it has not yet provided needed relief for the widespread labor shortages in construction. Research from Autodesk and the Associated General Contractors of America found that 81% of respondents said they are having trouble hiring project managers and supervisors, and 52% reported difficulties in hiring hourly craft workers. The top positions firms reported difficulty in filling include laborers (43%), carpenters (35%) and crane/heavy equipment operators (29%).
The combination of the talent shortage and a rebounding economy means that subcontractors are in high demand. There are fewer skilled subcontractors available for a growing number of projects and firms are pitted against each other to secure scarce subcontractor services. This dynamic gives subcontractors more control over which companies they choose to work with and enables them to negotiate faster payment terms for their services.
What you can do to improve the outcomes for your business:While adoption has been slower than in other sectors, don’t underestimate the growing impact of technology on the construction industry. Broadly speaking, technology helps construction firms operate more efficiently, complete projects faster and more cost effectively, reduce project and worksite risk, meet client and government expectations and requirements, and compete effectively.
From project management to time entry systems, cloud-based software enables employees to access the data and capabilities they need to be productive on the go, at a job site, from home or in the office. Whether accessing building plans, creating purchase orders, entering hours worked, updating job cost estimates or other time-critical tasks, employees can rely on a suite of technology that lets them quickly and efficiently get the job done using their phone or laptop.
By creating a connected ecosystem of technology, firms can reduce or maintain building costs in the face of higher prices for materials, reduce operating costs with automated processes and improve overall margins and profitability.
What you can do to modernize your operations using technology:
Modular construction and prefabrication are gaining momentum in the industry. Significant investment dollars are flowing into companies developing pre-built modules such as additional dwelling units (ADUs).
The prefabrication approach has a lot going for it, including shorter construction schedules, a greener building process, greater control over materials and less wastage. In short, modular construction lets companies build quicker, safer and cheaper than traditional, onsite construction.
According to the Modular Building Institute, modular building means that projects can be completed 30% to 50% faster than onsite construction. Plus, with the majority of construction completed inside a factory, there are no weather delays.
At the same time, the green building and sustainability movements are continuing to gain more traction in the industry. Some areas are approving green regulations and construction codes, while both home buyers and commercial clients are demanding eco-friendly, locally sourced materials. Green construction methods help reduce environmental impact during the different phases of demolition and building.
What you can do to prepare your business for new methods and models:
While this is by no means an exhaustive list of trends and challenges impacting the construction industry today, it summarizes some of the most urgent areas where your firm should focus its time, energy and investment in the near term to help you survive and thrive in years to come.
