HBWeekly

Quarterly Report: Florida Swimming Pool Construction Q1-2022

Posted on May 11, 2022 by Erika Carruth

An overview of permit data for new swimming pool construction in Florida during the first quarter of 2022

New swimming pool construction has been on the rise in Florida for the last several years, with consistent annual increases ranging from a low of 4 percent to a high of 27 percent, and since the start of this year the upward pattern has continued. From January through March, there were more than 10,660 new swimming pool construction permits added to the HBW database for the Sunshine State; this reflects more than a 6 percent uptick in new pool construction in comparison to the same period last year.

Out of the six major Florida regions reviewed (West, Southwest, Northeast, Northwest, West and Central), the greatest volume of new swimming pool permits could be found in the southwestern region of the state (3,477 permits) where there has been a 16.5 percent year-over-year increase in new pool construction. In the southwest, more than half of all new construction took place in the two counties of Lee (1,016 permits) and Manatee (731 permits), with both counties demonstrating year-over-year increases of approximately 9.5 percent and 27 percent respectively.

Other Florida regions that have carried a higher volume of new swimming pool construction activity since the start of the year include the southeastern and western portions of state. In the southeast, there has been a 6.3 percent year-over-year increase in pool permits (thru March 2022), resulting in 2,000 new permits on record with HBW for the three-month period.

In the western region of the state, new pool construction has been off to a slower start as there has been a 4.4 percent year-over-year decrease in new permitting activity, resulting in 1,707 new permits on record with HBW. The counties driving the higher construction figures in the western region include Hillsborough (559 permits), Pasco (330 permits), and Polk (329 permits), where more than 70 percent of all new construction took place.

Moving to the central region of the state, there have been approximately 1,520 new pool permits added to the HBW database since the start of the year (thru March 2022), reflecting nearly a 4 percent year-over-year increase in new pool construction. More than half of all new construction in Central Florida originated from the two counties of Orange (522 permits) and Brevard (304 permits).

While new pool construction in the northern region of Florida is lower than other areas of the state, construction activity has held somewhat steady in the first quarter of this year. Both the northeast and the northwest have demonstrated minor differences in construction activity in comparison to last year; during Q1-2022, the northeast has exhibited a 3.6 percent increase and the northwest has exhibited less than a 1 percent decrease in new pool construction, resulting in a combined total of 1,960 new swimming pool permits on record for the northern region.

To gain more information on the builders, homeowners and permits for the construction activity above, check out HBW for your copy of the latest 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: Texas Swimming Pool Construction Q1-2022

Posted on May 6, 2022 by Erika Carruth

A review of permit data for new swimming pool construction in Texas during the first quarter of 2022

Based on HBW’s latest Swimming Pool Construction Activity Trend Report for Texas, new swimming pool construction is off to a solid and steady start since January of this year. From the combined metropolitan areas of Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin, new swimming pool construction in Q1-2022 held steady with a slight 1 percent year-over-year increase, resulting in approximately 3,310 new permits on record with HBW. Every metro area exhibited year-over-year changes in new pool construction ranging from a low of -15 percent (Houston) to a high of +108 percent (San Antonio).

Here is a closer look at new swimming pool construction permit totals, and leading counties by Texas metro area from January through March of this year:

Dallas

New swimming pool construction in the Dallas area appears to be off to a slower start this year (thru March 2022), as there were 1,523 new permits, reflecting a 7 percent year-over-year decrease in new pool construction. Out of the six Dallas area counties reviewed, just about half of all new construction originated from two counties: Collin County (411 permits) and Tarrant County (346 permits).

Houston

Behind Dallas, the Houston area ranked #2 for new swimming pool construction as there were 950 new pool permits added to the HBW database in the first quarter of this year; this figure reflects a 15 decrease in comparison to the same time last year. Out of the five Houston area counties reviewed, Harris County carried more than half of all new pool construction activity, having 494 new permits on record for the three-month period.

Austin

In the Austin area, there were more than 500 new pool permits in the first quarter of this year, reflecting a 43 percent year-over-year increase in new swimming pool construction. Out of the four counties reviewed in the Austin metro area, nearly all new permits originated from Travis County (384 permits) where there has been a 79 percent increase in pool permits in comparison to the same time last year.

San Antonio

In San Antonio, there were 329 new swimming pool construction permits added to the HBW database in the first quarter of this year, reflecting an impressive 108 percent year-over-year increase in permits. Out of the three counties reviewed in the San Antonio area, the bulk of all new pool construction took place in Bexar County where there were 225 new permits from January through March of this year.

Quarterly Review: Texas Residential Construction Q1-2022

Posted on May 4, 2022 by Erika Carruth

A review of permit data for new residential construction in Texas during the first quarter of 2022

In the first quarter of this year, the Lone Star State has exhibited a solid start in the residential construction market; based on HBW’s latest Building Activity Trend Report for new residential construction in Texas, there have been approximately 25,110 new residential construction permits added to the HBW database (Q1-2022), reflecting a 3 percent year-over-year increase.

The report includes the four major metropolitan areas of Texas (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio), and the greatest concentration of new permitting activity took place in Houston (10,567 permits), while the most significant increase in new permits could be found in San Antonio (+83% YOY).

Here is a closer look at the permit data for each of the four metro areas of Texas during Q1-2022:

Houston

As previously noted, the greatest concentration of new residential construction activity took place in Houston last month where there were 10,567 new permits added to the HBW database; this reflects a 2 percent increase in comparison to the same time last year. Out of the five counties that make up the area, nearly half of all new residential construction permits originated from Harris County (4,904 permits), while the greatest amount of growth could be found in Brazoria County (919 permits) where there was a 59 percent year-over-year increase in new home construction.

Dallas

Since the start of this year (thru March), there have been approximately 8,245 new residential construction permits added to the HBW database for the Dallas area, reflecting a 5 percent decrease in comparison to the same time last year. Out of the six counties that make up the Dallas area, more than half of all new home construction took place in the two counties of Tarrant (2,422 permits) and Collin (2,158 permits).

Austin

In the first quarter of this year, new home construction in Austin has been off to a slow start as there has been a 6 percent year-over-year decrease in construction activity, resulting in approximately 3,485 new permits. Out of the four counties that make up the area, nearly all new home construction activity took place in the two counties of Travis County (1,762 permits) and Williamson County (1,442 permits).

San Antonio

Unlike the other Texas regions reviewed, San Antonio has demonstrated significant growth in residential construction in comparison to last year. Through March, the area has exhibited an impressive 83 percent year-over-year increase in new home construction, resulting in more than 2,810 new permits on record with HBW. Out of the three counties that make up the area, more than half of all new permits originated from Bexar County where there have been more than 1,585 new permits in the first quarter, reflecting a 213 percent year-over-year increase in new residential construction.

Florida Swimming Pool Construction Report – March 2022

Posted on April 29, 2022 by Erika Carruth

A review of permit data for new swimming pool construction in Florida during the month of March 2022

New swimming pool construction in Florida is holding steady and exhibited a nominal decrease last month – Based on the latest HBW construction data reports, there were 2,565 new pool permits with a total construction value of approximately $161.5 million added to the HBW database for Florida; this reflects less than a one percent month-over-month decrease in new pool construction activity.

Out of the five major regions reviewed (Southwest, Southeast, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville), Southwest Florida held the highest concentration of new pool construction (755 permits), while Jacksonville held the highest average value of new construction (average value: $76,000).

Here is a closer look at new swimming pool construction activity by area for the month of March 2022:

Southwest

Last month, there were 755 new swimming pool construction permits with a total value of nearly $45 million added to the HBW database for the southwestern region of Florida. The average value of new pool construction was $59,191, and just about half of all new permits originated from the counties of Lee (193 permits) and Manatee (186 permits).

Out of more than 170 pool builders with new construction activity in the area last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits
1-Aragon Pools & Spas	52
2-Pinnacle USA	42
3-Coast to Coast Pools	40

Southeast

The southeastern region of Florida ranked #2 for new swimming pool construction, having more than 655 new permits with a total value of approximately $35.4 million on record for the month. The average value of new construction was lowest in the southeast (average value: $53,939) in comparison to other regions reviewed, and the bulk of new permits originated from the two counties of Palm Beach (251 permits) and Miami-Dade (164 permits).

Out of more than 220 active pool builders with new permits on record last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits
1-RHR Pools	23
2-AAA Custom Pools	23
3-Van Kirk Construction	19

Tampa

In Tampa, there were 420 new swimming pool construction permits with a total value in excess of $31.4 million on record last month. The county with the highest concentration of new construction activity was Hillsborough (169 permits), and the average value of construction in Tampa landed on the higher end of the spectrum (average value: $74,828) in comparison to other Florida regions reviewed.

Out of approximately 125 active pool builders with permits on file last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits
1-Challenger Pools	40
2-Tampa Bay Pools	22
3-American Pools & Spas	16

Orlando

In Orlando, there were 415 new swimming pool construction permits with a total value in excess of $25.7 million on record last month. The average value of new construction was $62,042, and more than half of all new construction activity took place in the two counties of Orange (138 permits) and Brevard (87 permits).

Out of nearly 110 active pool builders with new construction activity in the area last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits
1-American Pools & Spas	37
2-All Seasons	33
3-Dreamscapes Pools & Spas	31

Jacksonville

Last month, there were nearly 320 new pool permits with a total construction value in excess of $24.2 million in the Jacksonville area. The average value of new construction was highest in Jacksonville (average value: $76,000) in comparison to other areas reviewed, and the majority of new permits originated from the counties of St. Johns (168 permits) and Duval (77 permits).

Out of more than 80 active pool builders with permits on file for the one-month period, the following rank as the top three for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits
1-Blue Haven Pools	19
2-Pools by John Clarkson	18
3-Tier 1 Pools and Spas	17

HBW Report: Florida Residential Construction – March 2022

Posted on April 27, 2022 by Erika Carruth

An overview of permit data and leading contractors in Florida for new home construction during the month of March 2022

Based on the latest HBW construction data reports, there were approximately 8,180 new residential construction permits with a total value in excess of $2.4 billion added to the HBW database for Florida last month. Out of the five regions reviewed (Southwest, Tampa, Orlando, Southeast, Jacksonville), the greatest concentration of new home construction activity could be found in the southwestern region (2,189 permits), and the highest average value of new home construction could be found in the Southeast (average value: $361,807).

Total permits on record by region for the month of March are as follows:

Southwest: 2,189 permits

Tampa: 2,060 permits

Orlando: 1,618 permits

Jacksonville: 1,394 permits

Southeast: 918 permits

When reviewing the hundreds of contractors with new permits on record for the one-month period, three home builders were standouts, holding permits for approximately 35 percent of all new construction activity on record statewide. Those leading contractors were as follows:

Lennar Homes: 1,247 permits

D.R. Horton: 1,031 permits

Pulte Homes: 557 permits

From a county perspective, there were seven counties that carried just over 35 percent of all new home construction across the state; those counties are as follows:

Polk County (Tampa) – 745 permits
Hillsborough County (Tampa) – 585 permits
Manatee County (Southwest) – 573 permits
Duval County (Jacksonville) – 499 permits
Lee (Southwest) – 491 permits

Texas Swimming Pool Construction Review – March 2022

Posted on April 23, 2022 by Erika Carruth

A review of permit data for new swimming pool construction in Texas during the month of March 2022

Last month, there were more than 810 new swimming pool construction permits added to the HBW database for Texas, reflecting a 15 percent month-over-month decrease in new pool construction. Out of the four major metro areas reviewed (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio), Dallas held the highest concentration of new pool construction (358 permits), while Houston carried the highest average value of new swimming pool construction (average value: $70,006).

Here is a closer look at the total permits, construction values, leading counties and contractors in Texas for new swimming pool construction during the month of March 2022:

Dallas

Out of the four major metro areas reviewed, Dallas carried the highest volume of new swimming pool construction permits, having nearly 360 new permits with a total value greater than $18.4 million added to the HBW database last month. The average value of new pool construction landed mid-range in comparison to other metro areas reviewed (average value: $51,405), and more than half of all new construction took place in the counties of Tarrant (94 permits) and Collin (87 permits).

Out of the more than 160 pool builders with new construction activity on record last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

Builder

1-Riverbend Pools

2-Hauk Custom Pools

3-Puryear Custom Pools

Houston

The Houston area ranked #2 for new swimming pool construction last month, having approximately 240 pool starts with a total construction value in excess of $16.7 million. The average value of new pool construction was highest in the Houston area in comparison to other Texas areas reviewed (average value: $70,006), and the bulk of new permits originated from the two counties of Harris (105 permits) and Galveston (56 permits).

Out of 130 pool contractors with new construction activity on record last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

Builder

1-Platinum Pools

2-Anthony & Sylvan Pools

3-Avree Pools

Austin

Last month, there were nearly 110 new swimming pool construction permits with a total value in excess of $5.3 million on record for the Austin area. The average value of new pool construction was $49,306, and nearly all construction activity took place in the County of Travis (86 permits).

Out of approximately 65 pool contractors with new construction activity on record in the Austin area last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits on record with HBW:

Builder

1-Denali Pools

2-Cody Pools

3-Premier Pools & Spas of Austin

San Antonio

In San Antonio, there were more than 105 new swimming pool permits with a total construction value greater than $3.7 million added to the HBW database last month. The average value of new pool construction was lowest in San Antonio in comparison to other metro areas reviewed (average value: $35,039), and the majority of new construction activity took place in Bexar County (84 permits).

Out of more than 40 pool builders with new construction activity on record last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

Builder

1-Gary Pools

2-Cody Pools

3-Keith Zars Pools

Texas Residential Construction Review – March 2022

Posted on April 21, 2022 by Erika Carruth

A review of permit data for new residential construction in Texas during the month of March 2022

During the month of March, there were more than 7,375 new residential construction permits with a total construction value in excess of $1.9 billion added to the HBW database for Texas. Out of the four major metro areas reviewed (Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio), Houston ranked #1 for greatest volume of new permits (3,185 permits), while Austin carried the highest average value of new home construction (average value: $307,571).

To gain better insight on these figures and new home construction activity in each metro area, here is a breakdown of the total permits, construction value and leading counties in Texas last month:

Houston

As previously mentioned, Houston ranked #1 for total housing starts in comparison to other Texas metro areas reviewed. Last month, there were approximately 3,185 new residential construction permits with a total value of more than $780.7 million on record for the area. The average value of new home construction landed on the lower of end of the spectrum in comparison to other areas reviewed (average value: $245,123), and nearly half of all new permits originated from Harris County (1,511 permits).

Dallas

In Dallas, there were more than 2,460 new residential construction permits with a total value of approximately $688 million on record with HBW last month. The average value of construction was $279,529, and the majority of all new permits originated from the counties of Tarrant (947 permits) and Collin (517 permits).

Austin

Last month, there were approximately 890 new residential construction permits with a total value in excess of $273 million on record for Austin. The average value of new home construction was highest in Austin (average value: $307,571) in comparison to other Texas metro areas reviewed, and nearly all of the new permits on record with HBW for the one-month period originated from the counties of Travis (383 permits) and Williamson (430 permits).

San Antonio

In San Antonio, there were 842 new residential construction permits with a total value of approximately $190 million last month. The average value of new home construction was lowest in San Antonio (average value: $225,757) in comparison to other Texas metro areas reviewed, and more than half of all new construction activity took place in Bexar County (475 permits).

Atlanta Residential Construction Review: Q1-2022

Posted on April 15, 2022 by Erika Carruth

A review of permit data for new residential construction in the Metro Atlanta area during the first quarter of 2022

Earlier this week, we reviewed the latest construction data on record with HBW for new swimming pool construction in Atlanta; in the report, we recognized that the Metro Atlanta area has been off to a slower start when it comes to new pool construction, and when it comes to residential construction, it appears that the slow pattern continues.

Since the start of this year (through March), there has been a 24 percent year-over-year decline in new home construction, resulting in approximately 6,075 new permits being added to the HBW database. And while the Metro Atlanta area has experienced a decline in residential construction overall, there are some counties that have proven to hold steady or exhibit growth in the first quarter of this year (vs. Q1-2021); those counties include but are not limited to the following:

Dawson County (141 permits; +66 percent)
Dekalb County (237 permits; +9 percent)
Coweta County (265 permits; +5 percent)
Carroll County (150 permits; +95 percent)
Fayette County (187 permits; +17 percent)

When reviewing the latest HBW Building Activity Trend Report to identify areas with the highest levels of new residential construction activity, we found that there are five counties (out of 24 that make up the Metro Atlanta area) that carry approximately 47 percent of all new permitting activity; those counties are as follows:

Gwinnett County (814 permits)
Cherokee County (671 permits)
Cobb County (528 permits)
Fulton County (447 permits)
Henry County (383 permits)

Other Metro Atlanta counties that held a higher volume of new residential construction in the first quarter of this year include: Hall County (354 permits); Forsyth County (328 permits); and Paulding County (286 permits).

Information utilized for the 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.

HBW Quarterly: Atlanta Swimming Pool Construction Q1-2022

Posted on April 13, 2022 by Erika Carruth

A review of permit data for new swimming pool construction in the Metro Atlanta area through the first quarter of 2022

Based on HBW’s latest Swimming Pool Construction Activity Trend Report for the Metro Atlanta area, new swimming pool construction had a slow start in the first quarter of this year. From January through March 2022, there have been 1,043 new swimming pool permits added to the HBW database, reflecting a 9 percent decrease in new pool construction in comparison to the same period last year.

Out of the 24 counties that make up the Metro Atlanta area, there were several that carried the bulk of new pool construction activity; to be more specific, approximately 55 percent of all new swimming pool construction permits on record with HBW through Q1-2022 originated from the following five counties:

1-Fulton County (200 permits, 19% year-over-year decrease)

2-Cobb County (112 permits, 33% year-over-year decrease)

3-Cherokee County (102 permits, 13% year-over-year decrease)

4-Gwinnett County (81 permits, 30% year-over-year decrease)

5-Coweta County (76 permits, 21% year-over-year increase)

While there is a fairly significant difference when comparing quarterly (Q1) figures from 2021 and 2022, the truth is that it’s still too early to identify any real patterns or set any solid predictions for swimming pool construction for the remainder of the year solely based on permit totals. After all, over the last two to three years, the leading counties of Fulton, Cobb and Cherokee have exhibited year-over-year growth in new swimming pool construction ranging from a low of 5 percent to a high of 75 percent. That being stated, it has been reported that supply chain issues are expected to continue through the year, as well as labor shortages and increased labor costs; while these factors will impact the pace of growth, new construction of all types will continue to be challenged. With so many factors in play, HBW’s monthly construction data reports and activity trend reports will be useful in informing subscribers of the most updated and current status of new construction and permitting activity in their area.

As always, HBW will monitor, collect and report new permit data, as well as add the latest permits to its database, enabling us to report on growth and construction trends as we move forward through the year.

Information utilized for the above listed figures for Metro Atlanta swimming pool 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.

3 More Ways to Engaging Social Media Posts

Posted on April 8, 2022 by Erika Carruth

Tips for developing engaging social media posts continued…

Earlier this week, we reviewed three easy ways to create variety in your social media content. Today, we are going to continue on the same path by reviewing three more ways that you can ensure your social media presence never gets dull.

Here are a few more tips for keeping your target audience engaged and content interesting:

Be Relatable – While it is always important to maintain a sense of professionalism in your company’s social media posts, it is equally important to offer some relatable information about you, your company, your employees – your business. From personal stories and employee introductions to customer experience videos and statements, there are many ways to provide a personal touch when presenting your professional services.
Repost and Post UGC – What is UGC? It’s user-generated content. UGC is content that has been posted by your customers, ambassadors, corporate partners, employees, etc. about your company and brand. For example, a client may tag your company when posting about their new kitchen remodel, or a corporate partner may tag you in an industry event or project highlight. It is important that you take the time to “like” and recognize posts that recognize you, as well as reshare/repost so that prospects and clients can learn more about you through a third-party’s perspective. And although it goes without saying, you will only want to repost content that is favorable. In order to track and locate UGC, be sure to keep an eye out for social media mentions and include your branded hashtag on promotional materials so that you can easily search and find related content.
Answer Questions – You most likely have an FAQ section on your website, but not everyone who follows you on social media will view it. For this reason, it is important to provide answers to “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQs) on social media. This is a good time to get ahead of questions that you know are coming down the pipe. For example, when COVID-19 hit, many people were asking businesses about their safety procedures – To be proactive and stay ahead of the guessing, many businesses published safety measures at the top of their social media profiles and websites. Only you will know what is asked from customers most often, so let them know that you are listening by answering a question or two. This type of post provides value to your audience and can help buyers make a decision, as well as create opportunity for you to highlight interesting features of your products or services.

There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for creating the perfect post, but by keeping social media content relevant, dynamic, and interactive, you will increase the likelihood of engaging current customers, as well as attracting new ones.

For more information on construction business 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.