5 Ways to Get Your Company “Out There”

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Beyond the standard self-generated social media posts, here are five ways to get your business noticed.

Content, content, content – today it is all about content.  From Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to generating buzzworthy videos and posts, your marketing success depends largely on the content you are generating, and distributing.  The truth is that you can create content for days; whether you provide an aerial video of your latest construction project or choose to highlight new products or services, if you have an active business you have plenty of content.  What you do with that content is really what counts.  We all know how easy it is to simply tweet or retweet, upload a video to YouTube or tag clients in the latest FaceBook news, but distributing content effectively is much more complex than any single post.

One post can only go so far.  Social networks are called “social” because they are social by nature.  Your content must be shared (and shared again) in order to spread across your audience.  Sure, you can tap into the latest viral news or video or produce your own buzzworthy content, but there are more strategic ways to make sure you maximize your reach.  Here are five ways to get noticed and share content beyond a singular post in your network:

  1. Other Networks – While your FaceBook page may have thousands of “Likes” and your Twitter account gains new followers every day, don’t overlook the power of other networks. Reach out to a publication that is distributed to your target audience.  From online publications and construction newsletters to industry magazines, the options are endless.  Consider writing an advice or how-to article to submit to your chosen publication.  While you won’t have the opportunity to plug your product, you most certainly will have the chance to highlight your expertise and get your company name out to an extended audience.
  2. Partner with Giants – Every industry, including construction, has their big fish and giants. Those giants are often influencers within the industry and can be great partners for sharing content.  Before approaching any big player (individual or corporation), make sure you have a clear understanding of your objective.  Perhaps you would like to quote them in your marketing materials or embed their latest video on your website. No matter how you choose to include them in your marketing plan, make sure it is mutually beneficial and designed for them to share the content within their networks as well.
  3. Nurture Relationships – While you should always be seeking and nurturing prospects, don’t overlook your current clients. One kitchen renovation or landscape design should not be the end of your relationship.  Your current clients are just as valuable as your future clients when it comes to sharing content.  For this reason, you must keep them engaged and continue to serve as a resource for them.  In turn, they will have the opportunity to share your latest newsletter or how-to video within their networks.
  4. Signature Content – Your email signature can be a powerful player in sharing content. Think about it… Every email that leaves your business has the ability to be forwarded and shared; with hundreds of emails each day, your team’s signature should have information beyond an address and website.  Consider having members of your sales team add something new to their signature each month.  From promotional discounts to eye-catching images that link to your portfolio, give your team the tools and content they need to get noticed in everything including email.
  5. Lead Follow-up – When following up with your leads (including your latest HBW leads), it is important to send more than a generic “Did you get my message?”. In addition to the featured link that will be in your signature (see #4), you should also provide them with something educational.  For example, if you are looking to offer new windows, consider providing a link to a company video that shows them the signs of windows needing to be replaced and how they can better prepare their home for changes in weather and energy savings.

By combining your current social media marketing efforts with other groups and outlets, you will be able to multiply your reach and increase the likelihood of getting noticed where it counts.

For more information on construction business and marketing tips, stay connected with the HBW Blog.  To get ahead of construction activity and gain access to the latest permitting data in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, contact HBW for more information on construction data reports and industry leads.

7 Things to Know About Swimming Pool Construction in Florida

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HBW Insider: Florida New Swimming Pool Construction Report through Q2-2017

New swimming pool construction is only getting better for Florida-based builders.  Through the second quarter of 2017, new pool construction is up 6% in comparison to the same time last year, resulting in more than 12,000 new permits in the HBW database.

FL Pool Permits by Area thru Q2-2017

Upon review of the latest Swimming Pool Construction Activity Trend Report from HBW, here are seven insider highlights that provide a summarized and closer look at where new swimming pool permits are available and growing:

  1. Every Florida area reviewed, with the exception of the southwestern region, experienced a year-over-year increase in new pool construction ranging from 4% to 12% through the second quarter. The southwest portion of the state remained steady and consistent with last year, neither increasing nor decreasing in activity.
  2. The greatest year-over-year increase in new pool construction could be found in the northern region at a 12% gain. The western region had the second greatest increase through Q2 at 11%.
  3. Out of the six regions reviewed (Central, West, SE, SW, NE, NW), Southwest Florida had the greatest total number of pool starts through the second quarter of this year with 3,050 permits on file with HBW.
  4. Lee County (SW) is the #1 county in the state for total new swimming pool permits. With just over 1,000 starts, there has already been an 11% year-over-year increase in new pool construction in Lee County.
  5. Other counties with high concentrations of new pool construction include:
    • Orange County, Central FL (806 permits, +7%)
    • Palm Beach County, SE (800 permits, +3%)
    • Collier County, SW (739 permits, +2%)

FL Top 5 Counties for Total Pool Permits Q2 2016 vs. 2017

  1. In comparison to 2016, the greatest % of growth in new swimming pool construction through Q2-2017 could be found in counties including:
    • Pasco County, West (+35%)
    • Clay County, NE (+25%)
    • St. Johns County, NE (+23%)
  2. While Florida is seeing increases in new pool construction overall, a couple of areas have undergone a dip in starts since last year and include the following counties:
    • Sumter County, West (-23%)
    • Manatee County, SW (-21%)
    • Broward County, SE (-14%)

HBW will continue to monitor new construction patterns closely and provide monthly and quarterly reports to keep you in the know. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Florida Residential Construction Q2 Review

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Through the second quarter of this year, Florida has experienced a 13% year-over-year increase in housing starts.

We are just halfway through the year, and Florida is already on target for having the best year for total housing starts in more than 5 years.  From January to June, there have been 36,280 housing starts recorded by HBW throughout the state, a 13% increase in comparison to 2016.  From the northern-most regions of the state to the higher value areas of South and Central Florida, new residential construction activity has spiked across the board.  With increases ranging as high as 30% (West FL) to smaller spikes of 6% (Southwest FL), permit data has been growing in the HBW database.

FL Resid. Permits by Area thru Q2-2017

The western region of Florida has experienced the greatest increase in comparison to the same time last year; through Q2 there were more than 8,000 housing starts in the west, reflecting a 30% year-over-year increase.  More than half of all new residential construction activity in the west took place in the counties of Hillsborough (2,611 permits) and Polk (2,022 permits), with both areas reflecting an annual increase of approximately 24%.

Another area teeming with new construction is Central Florida.  Through Q2, there were nearly 7,400 housing starts in Central Florida which positions it just about 8% ahead of last year.   The Orlando city-central county of Orange had the highest concentration of housing starts for any county in Florida with approximately 3,050 new permits (+7%) on file through Q2. The coastal county of Brevard has experienced the greatest growth since last year as it had a 24% increase in residential construction, resulting in 1,015 new permits for the six-month period.

Moving to the south, the southern region of the state has seen significant growth in new residential permits in comparison to the same time last year.  With just under 4,000 housing starts, the southeast experienced a 22% year-over-year increase in housing starts, and Miami-Dade County  (1,235 permits) held the highest concentration of new permits.  In the southwestern region, there has been a 6% year-over-year increase in housing starts through Q2, resulting in more than 6,600 new permits.  New construction is spread somewhat evenly across the counties of Lee (1,984 permits), Sarasota (1,512 permits) and Collier (1,410).  All southwest counties reviewed, with the exception of Manatee and Charlotte, are ahead of last year’s figures for new residential construction.

Finally, we reviewed the northwestern region inclusive of a couple of neighboring counties (Baldwin and Mobile) in Alabama.  New residential construction has been steady and increasing.  Through Q2, there were nearly 4,750 housing starts in the northwest, reflective of a 7% increase in new construction activity in comparison to 2016.  Baldwin County had the greatest total number of starts on file for Alabama (1,103 permits), and Santa Rosa County’s 11% increase and 737 starts resulted in it ranking #1 for northwestern counties in Florida.

FL Top 10 Counties for New Resid. Permits – Q2 2016 vs. 2017

When looking at higher-value (>$500k) residential construction starts, Central Florida has the highest total at 553 permits, and the southeast is not far behind with approximately 500 higher value permits on file for Q2.  While the southeast region is tracking just below last year’s figures, the central portion of the state is on a pace to set itself slightly ahead of last year for total starts above $500k.

Information utilized for the graphs and above listed figures for Florida residential construction was directly derived from HBW construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Texas Residential Construction 2nd Quarter Review

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HBW Report: New Residential Construction Permits in Texas through Q2-2017

Through the first half of this year, Texas is ahead of 2016 in new residential construction.  With more than 36.2k housing starts on file with HBW this year, Texas has experienced a 9% year-over-year increase in new home construction.

TX Total Permits by Area – Q2-2016 vs. Q2-2017

Out of the four major metro areas reviewed (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio), Houston and Dallas continue to drive growth in the Texas housing market.  Just through the second quarter, there were more than 15.2k housing starts in Houston, reflecting an 11% increase in comparison to the same time last year.  More than half of all new residential permits in Houston originated from Harris County which has experienced a year-over-year spike of more than 13% in new home construction.

While Dallas ranked second highest for total housing starts (>11.7k permits), it remains a leading metro area for higher value (>$500k) homes in Texas.  Through the second quarter of this year, the Dallas area experienced a 12% year-over-year increase in new residential construction, and approximately 8% of those starts were for construction projects valued over $500k.  Out of the Dallas counties reviewed, Tarrant and Collin were standouts as more than half of all new home construction took place there through the second quarter.  The Dallas county that is experiencing the most year-over-year growth in housing starts by far is Rockwell County where there has been more than a 43% increase in new residential construction permits.

Moving on to the Austin area, there has been a small but noticeable year-over-year increase of 4%, with incremental growth each quarter.  Out of the nearly 5,900 housing starts in Austin through June of this year, the bulk of new construction took place in Travis County (3,492 permits), where there has been more than a 15% year-over-year increase in new residential construction.  While there were drops in new permits averaging around -15% in both Williamson and Bastrop counties, the increases in all other Austin areas reviewed are keeping home building rates steady.

San Antonio was the only metro area in Texas that did not experience an increase in housing starts through Q2.  That being stated, the minor dip of -1% in housing starts is not sounding any alarms, as the area is tracking similarly to residential construction patterns thru Q2 of last year.  Out of the close to 3,400 housing starts in San Antonio through June, just about half took place in Bexar County (1,573 permits), where there has been more than a 4% increase in residential construction activity in comparison to the same time last year.

TX Top 5 Counties for Total Permits thru Q2 – 2016 vs. 2017

Information utilized for the reports and graphs for Texas residential construction was directly derived from HBW construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Atlanta on Track for a Record Year

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New residential construction in the Metro Atlanta area is on track for being the best year for housing starts in over five years.

Through the second quarter of this year, Atlanta is already showing signs of a chart-topping year for housing starts.  Since the start of the year through June, there have been more than 12.3k housing starts in the Metro Atlanta area, reflecting an 8% year-over-year increase.  Over the last five years, Atlanta has exhibited growth in new residential construction, and if housing starts continue at the current rate, this year will be its best year yet.

 

ATL Permits 2012-2016

From a county-wide perspective, Gwinnett County continues to be a hot spot for new home construction.  With nearly 2k housing starts through Q2, the area has experienced a 3% increase in comparison to the same time last year.  Over the last several years, Gwinnett has exhibited an upward moving trend, and 2017 is no exception.  Not far behind, Fulton County is also a top locale for new homes; with more than 1,350 housing starts, Fulton has experienced a 10% increase in residential construction in comparison to Q2-2016.  Additionally, Fulton holds the highest concentration of higher value (>$500k) housing starts and is somewhat consistent with last year’s totals for higher value construction.

While Forsyth County has experienced a drop in new home construction (-22%) in comparison to the same time last year, it still ranks third-highest for total housing starts (1,218 permits).  On the other hand, the counties of Cherokee and Cobb both show signs of growth since last year and are currently positioned fourth and fifth with 1,073 and 902 permits through Q2 respectively.

ATL Top Counties for Total Permits Q2 2016 vs. 2017

When taking a look at some of the smaller counties in Georgia, there have been significant increases in housing starts since last year.  For example, the smallest county in Georgia (Clarke County) has nearly 40% more housing starts through Q2 of this year, and housing starts in the less populated county of Newton have nearly doubled in comparison to last year.

Being only halfway through 2017, there is room for fluctuations and changes in construction patterns.  That being said, on the current course Atlanta is experiencing a healthy dose of residential construction, and this year is trending and tracking as one for the books.

Information utilized for the graphs and above listed figures for metro Atlanta residential construction was directly derived from HBW construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Houston Leads Texas Residential Construction in July

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HBW Report: Texas Residential Construction July 2017

TX New Resid. Permits by Area – July 2017

Overall, new residential construction was up in Texas last month.  With a total of approximately 7,260 housing starts and $1.7B in total construction value, the Lone Star State experienced an 11% month-over-month increase in new home permitting.  While San Antonio experienced the greatest spike in new construction since June (50%), it was Houston that remained on top of the four major metro areas reviewed (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio) for total housing starts.  Here is a breakdown of the latest permitting activity by area:

Dallas

Out of the nearly 300 active builders on file in Dallas during the month of July, D.R. Horton remained the leader in new home construction for the one-month period.  Across the metro Dallas area there were nearly 2,400 housing starts with a value in excess of $719M in July, reflecting a 7% month-over-month increase.  Highest concentrations of new residential construction permitting activity could be found in the counties of Tarrant (721 permits) and Collin (610 permits).  Dallas has consistently held a higher value in real estate, and the value of new construction follows the same trend, as it tops the other major metro areas with an average value of more than $300k.

Houston

Houston is a powerhouse when it comes to new residential construction.  While the area is on the lowest end for average value ($199,557) of new home construction, it continues to kick out the greatest amount of housing starts each month.  Last month, there were 323 active builders in Houston, and Lennar Homes led with 208 permits on file for the period.  Having experienced a 19% increase in housing starts in comparison to June, the Houston area had nearly 3,200 new residential construction permits and more than $638M in total value on file with HBW.  The majority of new construction could be found in Harris County, where there were 1,850 housing starts with a total value greater than $361M for the month.

Austin

Austin was the only area that experienced a dip in residential construction activity in July.  With a 10% month-over-month decrease in housing starts, Austin had 969 new permits and nearly $227M on file last month.  Out of the 120 active builders pulling permits in the area, D.R. Horton was the leader with 135 housing starts; most of the mega-builder’s activity took place in Travis County.  Building activity in Travis County accounted for 65% of Austin’s new construction as there were 636 permits and nearly $142M in total value there for the one-month period.  The average value of new construction in the area was a moderate $234,158.

San Antonio

While the area of San Antonio carried the lowest amount of housing starts as per usual, it experienced the greatest month-over-month increase in construction.  Having a boost of nearly 50% since June, there were 699 new residential construction permits and more than $164M in total value on file with HBW for the month.  Out of the more than 145 active builders in the area, Continental Homes experienced the greatest amount of new home building activity with 76 new permits on file.  Close to half of all new construction in San Antonio was concentrated in Bexar County (335) and across the metro area the average value of new homes ranked second highest in the state at $235,399.

Information utilized for the reports and graphs for Texas residential construction was directly derived from HBW construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Building Top Crews and Management

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Quick tips for bringing your team to the next level

Let’s face it – the employment struggle is real.  I have yet to find one contractor that isn’t dealing with the pains of the labor shortage and lack of training.  It’s true… the industry can truly use a boost, and vocational training programs should be more widely available and developed.  Rather than reviewing the obvious, it’s time to talk about working with the team and crews that you already have in place.  We could all use a skilled recruiter in our back pockets, but the truth is that attracting and retaining new talent will depend quite a bit on how attractive your company culture and current working conditions are to start.  Will there be opportunities for growth within the company?  Will you offer training and career development?  These are questions that your current team and future hires will be asking you and themselves before they join or continue with your company.  Here are a few areas to consider when building your current team and attracting new talent to your business:

  1. Moving on Up – While it is important to hire from within, you also want to make sure that any “move up” is the right move, rather than a matter of timing, convenience or need. Especially in small construction firms, it is easy to offer a promotion to a high-performing individual, without assessing if the new role is right for him/her.  One’s performance level in one position may be very different in another if he/she does not have the skill set, expertise and/or experience in the new scope of responsibilities.  While having opportunities for career growth is important for attracting and retaining top employees, carefully assess whether or not that person’s abilities and interests are an appropriate match for the position.  Although they may appreciate the new challenges and opportunities, they most certainly will not appreciate being set up for failure.
  2. Raise the Bar – In my days as a young athlete, I had a coach who had a helpful catch phrase; although he would scream it rather than say it, I have always applied the sentiment to sports, business and life. He would exclaim, “Don’t get comfortable!” As soon as you get comfortable, so will your team potentially get comfortable with mediocrity.  Don’t get too comfortable – Challenge your team to achieve more and motivate them to expand their knowledge base and experience beyond their required “duties”.  Provide regular trainings, safety updates, management seminars (on and off site), and incentives and compensation for higher learning.  Education will not only increase the strength and professionalism of your company, but it will also build employee morale and confidence as they gain a greater understanding of their work and the industry.
  3. Facilitate Teamwork – Not everyone is going to work best as part of a team, and that’s OK.  Some employees may be better suited for isolated projects or singular focus areas.  That being said, you must have an environment that lends itself to a team mentality.  Communication and delegation are key components to a successful management team, and if the team is not cohesive, goals and objectives will not be streamlined and shared.  Some ways that you can build and nurture a team environment for your management and crews is to have regular team meetings that provide an open forum for feedback; employees should be recognized for their contributions and input, and open and constructive conversations should be encouraged.  Some businesses find team building workshops on an annual or semi-annual basis help reinforce team unity.  Grouping a few employees together on a new project or proposal can also force groups to work together and learn from each other.  New employees or departmental shifts should include “shadowing” for a period of time so that training on process and procedure is consistent and team members are empowered to teach and learn from one another.

There are many management and team building resources available through books, magazines and online; it would take a lifetime to learn and incorporate every tip and trick out there.  The best course of action is to find the methods and resources that best fit your business, company culture and budget.  A little time invested in your team building on the back end will result in hefty returns in your home building on the front end.

For more information on construction business and marketing tips, stay connected with the HBW Blog.  To get ahead of construction activity and gain access to the latest permitting data in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, contact HBW for more information on construction data reports and industry leads.

 

Warming Up to Cold Calling

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The “Who”, “What” and “When” for cold calling success

With social media taking over our phones, and our lives, it can be easy to rely on social networks alone for reaching our audience.  Traditional and more costly methods for marketing can fall back in priority, and leads and potential revenue can easily be left on the table.  With texting and smartphones, it may appear that the only way to reach someone is through a viral post or personal text, but that couldn’t be more distant from the truth.  Cold calling is not a dinosaur yet, and it is still a viable option for reaching prospects.  The key to a solid marketing strategy is having a variety of effective touch points, delivered with intention and direction.  Even the greatest of social posts won’t have a view without being directed to an interested viewer.  The same goes for cold calls.  The “who”, “what” and “when” of the call will directly impact your conversion rate.

“Who” – Who you call is just as important as the content of your call.  Having qualified leads that are interested in your product or service will hold the greatest impact on your conversion rate.  There are many options for buying leads, but the quality and accuracy of the information is often not realized until you have embarked on a cold calling campaign.  For this reason, acquire your leads from trusted and reliable sources; moreover, they should be leads that are recent, fresh and are determined to be within your target market.  For example, home builders should have leads that are individuals and businesses looking for new construction, additions or renovations.  Leads through HBW cover all of your bases by having the latest permit data, so you know where your prospect is in the construction process, as well as accurate contact information and details that will ensure your dialing isn’t wasted.

“What” – In an ideal world, the person on the other end of the line has nothing but time to talk with you; realistically, you have less than 30 seconds (or less) to engage your listener, and what you communicate must be engaging and speak to their current interests and needs.  Build a script outline, but don’t read from it like an automated system; instead, use it as a guide for keeping you focused on your purpose and objective.  Your script should include a few sentences introducing you and your product/service.  Additionally, anticipate questions and potential rejection; be prepared with answers, and keep a positive attitude.  Not all openings will work for every prospect, so be flexible and adjust as you identify which methods and approaches have the most favorable outcomes.

“When” – Timing is everything – really!  Think about it… You don’t know the mood of the person on the other end of the line or what events may be taking place in his/her day.  They could have just had a bad day at the office or be in the process of driving, talking to a client or eating dinner – so don’t take responses or rejection personally.  Instead, try to schedule calls at a time that increases the likelihood of their availability.  For example, midweek (Wednesday or Thursday) is a better time to reach leads in comparison to when they are gearing up for the weekend (Friday) or just starting their week (Monday).  Avoid calls during dinner and lunch hours, and start out with the standard morning or late afternoon timeframe.  Ultimately, your results will begin defining the best timing for your business, so be sure to have an effective tracking tool, system or software in place that will enable you to run analytics on calls.  The same principles will apply to your follow up on returned calls – When leads return a call from a previous conversation or message, respond quickly and within the same day while their interest is at its peak.

While cold calling isn’t the only way to reach your prospects, it is still very much alive and well and can be an effective tool to add to your marketing tool box.   By having targeted leads and directed information at the ready, your cold prospects will become warm clients down the road.

For more information on construction business and marketing tips, stay connected with the HBW Blog.  To get ahead of construction activity and gain access to the latest permitting data in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, contact HBW for more information on construction data reports and industry leads.

HBW Report: New Swimming Pool Construction in Florida – June 2017

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To have solid leads, you need to keep them fresh, and if you’re looking for the latest on swimming pool construction in Florida, then look no further than HBW’s construction data reports.  Using the swimming pool permit reports, we found more than 1,500 new permits and an excess of $68M in value for the month of June.  Out of the five major regions reviewed (Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa, SE and SW), Southwest Florida remains the leader for the most new swimming pool construction activity across the state.

Since May, Orlando bumped up one spot to be the second hottest place for new swimming pool construction, while the southeast region slipped down one spot, ranking third for total swimming pool starts last month.

Here is a quick look at the latest permitting activity for swimming pools in Florida…

FL Pool Permits by Area – June 2017

The southwest region of Florida continues to be a popular spot for swimming pools.  In June, there were nearly 430 new pool starts with a construction value in excess of $19.5M.  The counties of Lee (178 permits) and Collier (105 permits) held more than half of all new construction activity for the month.  And while Aragon Pools and Spas dominated the area for total permits, Pinnacle USA and Aquadoc were also leading a healthy heap of new projects.

Moving to the central portion of the state, Orlando was up one spot since May and ranked second for new pool construction last month.  Out of the 335 pool starts and nearly $16M in construction value, close to 40% of all new swimming pool construction took place in the city-center county of Orange.  All Seasons Pools continues to be a builder of choice at it took top spot for the most new permits of any local builder in June.

Having slipped down one spot since May, the southeast region was close to Orlando for total permits with 328 pool starts and nearly $14M in construction value last month.  More than half of all new pools were started in South Florida’s highly populated county of Miami-Dade (90 permits) and expansive region of Palm Beach (106 permits).  Pool builders leading the latest starts included A&G Concrete Pools, Pools by Greg and RHR Pools.

Tampa is a place that has been gaining quite a bit of attention for its growth and increased popularity.  Last month, there were more than 300 new swimming pool starts with a total value of nearly $13M.  The larger county of Hillsborough carried more than 38% of new pool construction activity with 117 new permits on file for the month.  Local pool builders leading new construction in the area for the month include Olympus Pools, Tampa Bay Pools and Natural Springs Pools.

Finally, we took a look at the northern-most region of Jacksonville.  New pool construction and value in Jacksonville was lower than any other major area reviewed last month.  Out of the more than 150 pool starts and approximately $6M in construction value, the bulk of new permits originated from the two counties of St. Johns (63 permits) and Duval (45 permits).  Pool builders that had the greatest concentration of starts for the month include Surfside Pools and Spas, Blue Haven Pools and Stanley Pools.

As far as the average value of pool construction in Florida is concerned, the range has remained somewhat consistent over the last couple of months, having a maximum value of just about $46k.  In June, Orlando held the highest average value and was on target with figures from May at $46,856, while Jacksonville was at the other end of the spectrum with an average value of $38,905.

FL Average Value of Pool Construction – June 2017

Information utilized for the graphs and above listed figures for swimming pool construction in Florida was directly derived from HBW construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

 

HBW Report: Florida New Residential Construction – June 2017

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FL Residential Construction Permits – June 2017

Out of the nearly 5,000 housing starts in Florida last month, Orlando jumped one spot since May to lead the state for total new permits on file with HBW.  Out of the hundreds of active builders last month, D.R. Horton and Lennar Homes were leading builders in the five major regions reviewed (Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, SW, SE).  From top builders to top counties, here is the latest review of new construction in the Sunshine State during the month of June:

Orlando

Out of the 160 active builders in the Orlando area last month, there were more than 1,300 housing starts with a total construction value of nearly $380M.  Close to half of all new residential construction activity took place in Orange County (633 permits), where the average value of new construction was 17% higher ($339.5M) than the average for the Central Florida area.  The breakdown for new home construction for the month is as follows:

Total Housing Starts: 1,311

Average Value of Construction: $289,195

Top County for Total Permits: Orange County (633 permits)

Top Builders for Total Permits: D.R. Horton (137 permits); Lennar Homes (108 permits); KB Homes (68 permits)

Tampa

There were more than 180 active builders on file with HBW in the Tampa area last month.  Out of the more than 1,150 housing starts and ~$304M in value, new construction was highest in the larger County of Hillsborough (438 permits) where the average value of construction was approximately 17% higher than new construction across Tampa for the one-month period.  Here is a breakdown of housing starts in June:

Total Housing Starts: 1,158

Average Value of Construction: $262,529

Top County for Total Permits: Hillsborough County (438 permits)

Top Builders for Total Permits: D.R. Horton (135 permits); Lennar Homes (119 permits); MI Homes (62 permits)

Southwest Florida

The southwest region ranked third for total new residential construction permits for the month of June.  Approximately 200 home builders were active in the area last month having close to 1,100 housing starts and $278M in total construction value on file with HBW.  Higher concentrations of new construction could be found in Lee County where there were more than 380 housing starts that carried an average value 15% lower than the average across the region.  While Lennar Homes had the most new residential permits on file for the month, D.R. Horton was a close second for total starts having 125 new permits pulled for the one-month period.

Total Housing Starts: 1,088

Average Value of Construction: $255,576

Top County for Total Permits: Lee County (381 permits)

Top Builders for Total Permits: Lennar Homes (136 permits); D.R. Horton (125 permits); Taylor Morrison (70 permits)

Jacksonville

From the more than 125 active builders in the Jacksonville area last month, there were 840 new residential permits with total value in excess of $203M on file with HBW.  Just about 75% of all new construction took place in the counties of St. Johns and Duval, two areas that have consistently been leading for new residential construction this year.  Here is a closer look at housing starts in the area last month:

Total Housing Starts: 840

Average Value of Construction: $241,727

Top County for Total Permits: St. Johns County (318 permits)

Top Builders for Total Permits: D.R. Horton (135 permits); Dream Finders Construction (72 permits); Lennar Homes (62 permits)

Southeast Florida

While the total for new residential construction permits was lowest in the southeast region, the average value of construction was just above Orlando at more than $290k.  Out of the 150 active home builders for the month, Lennar Homes pushed out on top for total housing starts.  From a county perspective, new residential construction activity was highest in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties.  Here’s a closer look at new home building activity in June:

Total Housing Starts: 585

Average Value of Construction: $290,572

Top County for Total Permits: Miami-Dade County (156 permits)

Top Builders for Total Permits: Lennar Homes (89 permits); D.R. Horton (81 permits); Kolter Signature Homes (61 permits)

Information utilized for the graphs and above listed figures for Florida residential construction was directly derived from HBW construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.