Product category:
Building Trade Associations and Institutes
News Release from: Federation of Master Builders (FMB) | Subject: State of Trade survey
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 19 January 2007
FMB builders report 'positive' Q4
results
FMB's fourth quarter 2006 State of Trade survey appears to indicate an end to the decline in workload noted over the past year.
The FMB's fourth quarter 2006 State of Trade survey appears to indicate an end to the decline in workload noted over the past year However, the results do not contain any sign of a strong upturn in the near future, with expectations for both workload and employment to remain flat in the first quarter of 2007
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 31 Oct 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
FMB State of Trade Survey
The Federation of Master Builders' (FMB) State of Trade survey for the third quarter of 2003 shows builders workloads continue to rise.
Domestic Building Work Falters
Federation of Master Builders (FMB) latest State of Trade Survey for small and medium sized construction companies may indicate a slowdown in the recent spectacular growth.
A third (33%) of respondents said their workload was higher in the fourth quarter than in the third quarter, while only 29% said that workload had decreased.
This gives a weighted percentage balance of +4, the same result as in Q3, 2006, but a far stronger result than in the fourth quarter 2005, which recorded a negative balance of -10.
The FMB's Q4 survey highlights differing trends for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Further reading
Construction Levels Bounce Back
Construction work for small and medium-sized builders (SMEs) bounced back in the first quarter of 2004 according to the Federation of Master Builders' (FMB) latest State of Trade survey.
No Slowdown For SME builders Says FMB Survey
The latest FMB State of Trade survey produced the strongest results for three years with almost half (42%) of builders reporting a rise in workloads and only 13% seeing a decline.
The results for Scotland (+13), Wales (+19) and Northern Ireland (+28) are clearly stronger than the majority of Government Office Regions in England.
There is also a marked difference between the results for builders and specialist contractors.
The latter group, which makes up a fifth of the total survey response, reported a positive balance of +17 between its 'higher' and 'lower' percentages of replies - its strongest result since the Q3, 2003.
However, general builders reported a zero balance of 'higher' and 'lower' replies.
Looking ahead to the expected change in workload in Q1 2007 the survey again records a zero balance of 'higher' and 'lower' replies.
While this may appear disappointing, after allowing for seasonal fluctuations in activity it is arguably the strongest result from this question for more than a year, and compares very favourably with the corresponding result from Q4 2005 which recorded a balance of -17.
The trend in enquiries regarding possible future work follows a similar trend, with a zero balance reported in the final quarter of 2006, against a negative balance of -30 during the same period in 2005.
Commenting on the results FMB director of external affairs, Tom Dibaja said: "While on the face of it these results do not seem to contain any sign of an upturn in the near future, they are possibly the strongest results we have seen for well over a year".
"Builders are looking forward to the next quarter - traditionally the weakest of the year - with a greater sense of optimism than they entered 2006".
Taking into account the results for the change in workload in the fourth quarter, the expected trend in the next three months and the trend in enquiries, the commercial sector is seen as the strongest, with work for housing associations and local authorities shown as the weakest.
The trend in Repair, Maintenance and Improvement (RMI) of existing private housing appears flat across the country, and is unlikely to improve as the latest increase in bank interest rates impacts on monthly mortgage payments.
• Federation of Master Builders (FMB): contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Buildingtalk email newsletter
• Buildingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
