What does 2010 look like?

No one will deny 2009 was a difficult year for the construction industry nationwide, there is some positive news coming from industry trade organizations.

The Associated Builders and Contractors released their outlook for 2010 and it really represents a mixed bag for the national state of our industry.

For instance, ABC is very excited about the prospects of stimulus money finally reaching the ground. Companies that focus on modernizing government buildings and general infrastructure work should do pretty good in 2010. Companies that don't may have another tough year.

Here's a comparison of the various sectors of our industry from ABC.

Year-to-Date Performance: 2008 – 2009* and 2010 Forecast

While there are a lot of negative numbers in that graph, the outlook is much better than from 2008-2009. For instance, the construction industry saw a 15% drop in employment from the end of 2008 to the end of 2009. It's only going to be 2.2% for 2010. Residential construction will actually grow in employment by 6.2%, although there will still be over 100,000 people unemployed in our industry compared to 2008's numbers.

One item to take notice of is the price index. Last year, we saw a lot of material prices drop significantly, such as a 32% drop in copper. This year, according to ABC, prices will remain flat with increases possible as the dollar weakens internationally.

Remember, these numbers are national and will differ in specific markets. D&G General Contracting is certainly counting on a great 2010!