This Infographic summarizes the construction industry’s 2014 growth forecast, hot sectors, and new job opportunities. It includes predictions by top construction industry analysts.

1. What’s hot and what’s not
According to the Sage 2014 Construction IT Survey, getting new customers is the
number-one issue currently facing contractors. That’s not surprising in an industry
that’s seen more than its fair share of downs since 2008. The good news: there are
plenty of hot sectors with new job opportunities for 2014.
“Many contractors will find more projects to bid on in 2014 than they have in the
past five years.”
Ken Simonson, chief economist, AGC of America
“Even slow growth ultimately
unlocks construction
opportunities.”
Anirban Basu, chief economist,
Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.
“We see 2014 as another year
of measured expansion for the
construction industry.”
Robert Murray, vice president of
economic affairs, McGraw Hill Construction
Public construction (cold)
Analysts expect limited growth in public
construction due to uncertainty surrounding
federal government spending.
of contractors predict that
government contracts will still
demand the most construction
work for their company.*
Expanding territory (warm)
More companies are moving outside of their
geographic region to get work.*
currently work elsewhere
compared to 32% in 2013.
plan to seekwork outside their
geographic region for the first
time in 2014.
Work in the “shale gale” (hot)
AGC’s Ken Simonson predicts construction growth
in areas surrounding major shale drilling—both at
well sites and in communities and industries
supporting the sites.
Regions include:
CO, KS, LA, MT, ND, NE, NM, NY, OH, PA, TX, WV, WY
What’s hot
Hotels
Commercial buildings
Manufacturing
What’s not
Schools
Communication facilities
Churches
Amusement/recreation buildings
?Where’s the
work
25%
40%
5%
Analysts predict:
Housing starts:
55% of contractors believe the
commercial sectorwill demand the
most construction work in 2014.*
Housing outlook
NAHB predicts that the housing
sectorwill strengthen in 2014.
Sector forecast
(nonresidential)
Overall industry growth forecast
Slow but steady
Construction starts
(Robert Murray, McGraw Hill) (Ken Simonson, AGC) (J. Randall Giggard, FMI)
Spending Construction put in place
9%
10%
7%
Sources:
*Sage Construction IT Survey 2014
“For Now, 2014 Looks Fortunate to Many,” AGC News, Jan. 7, 2014
Construction Materials Outlook, Ken Simonson, chief economist, AGC of America.
Download the pdf
McGraw Hill Construction, Robert Murray, vice president of economic affairs.
Learn more
NAHB, David Crowe, chief economist.
Learn more
Read the article
FMI, J. Randall Giggard, manager of market information group, FMI report.
Download the report
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single family
multifamily
30%
55%
10%