Florida Quarterly Residential Construction Review – Q3-2019

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A review of the latest construction data pulled from permits in the HBW database for Florida during the months of January through September 2019

So far this year, new home construction in Florida is showing signs of growth in comparison to last year.  From January through September 2019, there have been more than 64,100 new residential construction permits added to the HBW database for Florida, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 2 percent.  Out of the six major regions reviewed (Central, West, Southeast, Southwest, Northeast, Northwest), half have experienced spikes in residential construction ranging from as low as 1 percent (Northwest Florida) to as high as 17 percent (West Florida).  The area with the highest concentration of housing starts is West Florida (15,265 permits) which has already experienced a 17 percent year-over-year increase in new residential construction permits.

Here is a closer look at new home construction by area through Q3-2019:

West Florida

Since 2015, residential construction has been climbing in West Florida with annual increases ranging from 6 percent (2015) to 23 percent (2017).  As previously mentioned, the region continues to show gains in new home construction as there have been 15,265 housing starts and a 17 percent year-over-year increase in new permits since the start of this year.  More than half of all new construction took place in two counties, Hillsborough and Polk.  In Hillsborough County there have been 4,564 housing starts through the third quarter, reflecting a 10 percent year-over-year increase, and in Pasco County there have been nearly 4,200 housing starts, reflecting a 23 percent year-over-year increase in new home construction.

Southwest Florida

In the southwestern region of Florida there have been 11,610 housing starts since the start of this year (through September 2019), reflecting a 2 percent year-over-year decrease in new home construction.  The counties with the highest concentration of new residential construction permits include Lee (3,370 permits) and Sarasota (2,315 permits), and the county exhibiting the most growth in new home construction so far this year is Charlotte County (1,372 permits) which has experienced  an 11 percent year-over-year gain in housing starts.

Northeast Florida

New home construction in the northeastern region of Florida appears to be just about on par with last year.  Through Q3-2019, there have been 10,789 housing starts which is in line with residential construction figures from 2018.  More than half of all new construction in the region took place in the combined areas of Duval County (~3,290 permits) and St. Johns County (3,162 permits), and the county currently exhibiting the greatest percentage of growth in new home construction is Alachua County with a 76 percent year-over-year increase in housing starts.

Central Florida

Residential construction in Central Florida has slowed in comparison to last year.  Through Q3-2019, there have been nearly 10,600 housing starts, reflecting a 7 percent year-over-year decrease in new home construction.  Every county with the exception of Lake County (1,212 permits, +104%) is behind construction figures from 2018.  The areas with the greatest concentration of new residential construction activity include Orange County (3,906 permits), Volusia County (1,940+ permits) and Brevard County (1,607 permits).

Northwest Florida

In the northwestern portion of Florida, there have been approximately 8,270 housing starts since the start of this year (Q3-2019), reflecting a slight 1 percent year-over-year increase in new home construction.  Counties with higher levels of new residential construction permits include Santa Rosa (1,105 permits), Escambia (1,095 permits) and Bay (~1,030 permits), and areas reflecting significant growth include Leon County (+18%) and Wakulla County (+19%).

Southeast Florida

Since the start of this year (through Q3-2019), there have been approximately 7,580 housing starts in the southeast, reflecting a 2 percent year-over-year increase in new home construction.  More than half of all residential construction activity originated from the counties of St. Lucie (~2,800 permits) and Palm Beach (1,530+ permits), and counties exhibiting the greatest year-over-year increases in new home construction include St. Lucie (+33%) and Indian River (+15%).

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.

Florida Swimming Pool Construction – September 2019

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A review of the latest permit data available for new swimming pool construction in Florida during the month of September 2019

When reviewing the latest construction data and permits available from the HBW database, we found more than 2,200 new swimming pool permits in the Sunshine State during the month of September 2019. Out of the five major regions reviewed (Southwest, Southeast, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville), the Southwest region held nearly 33 percent of all new swimming pool construction activity, and while Jacksonville had fewer starts than other areas reviewed, it held the highest average value of new construction (average value: ~$53k).

Here is a look at total permits, construction values and leading pool contractors in Florida last month:

Southwest

Last month, new pool construction activity was highest in the southwestern region of Florida in comparison to other areas reviewed.   With more than 715 pool starts and a total construction value of nearly $32 million, Southwest Florida ranked #1 for pool construction.  More than half of all new permits originated from the counties of Lee (222 permits) and Collier (201 permits), and the average value of new swimming pool construction landed on the lower end of the spectrum at $44,555.

Out of the more than 140 active pool builders in the area last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits on file with HBW:

Builder Total Permits
Aragon Pools & Spas 93
Pinnacle USA 60
Coast to Coast Pools 50

 

Southeast

The southeastern region of Florida ranked second for new pool construction having nearly 500 new permits with a total construction value of approximately $18.4 million added to the HBW database last month.  The areas with the highest concentration of new pool construction included Palm Beach County (150 permits) and Miami-Dade County (136 permits), and the average value of new pool construction was lower than most regions reviewed (average value: $37,035).

Out of the approximately 160 contactors with pool starts on file last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

Builder Total Permits
Swimming Pool Contractors 31
A&G Concrete Pools 27
Fountain Blue Pool Service 20

 

Tampa

In Tampa and surrounding areas, there were more than 440 swimming pool starts with a construction value in excess of $23 million last month.  The county with the highest concentration of new pool construction activity was Hillsborough (140 permits), and the average value of new construction across all counties landed on the higher end of the spectrum at $51,923.

Out of the nearly 135 active pool contractors with construction activity on record for the month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

Builder Total Permits
T&D Pool & Spa Construction 32
Olympus Pools 30
Gulfstream Pools & Spas 20

 

Orlando

Last month, there were 350 new swimming pool permits with a total construction value of nearly $17 million added to the HBW database for Orlando and surrounding areas.  The county with the highest concentration of new construction activity was the city-central County of Orange (134 permits), and the average value of new pool construction was $48,361.

Out of the more than 90 active pool builders with construction activity on record last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

Builder Total Permits
Dreamscapes Pools & Spas 46
Bobs Pool Service 24
Atlas Pools of Central Florida 15

 

Jacksonville

In Jacksonville, there were just over 200 pool starts with a total construction value in excess of $10.6 million last month.  The majority of new construction took place in the counties of St. Johns (72 permits) and Duval (56 permits), and the average value of new construction was highest in Jacksonville (average value: $52,967) in comparison to all other Florida regions reviewed.

Out of the approximately 80 pool builders with new permits on record last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

Builder Total Permits
Pools by John Clarkson 18
Blue Haven Pools 15
Waterside Pools 6

 

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.

Texas Swimming Pool Construction Quarterly Report

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A review of the latest permit data from the HBW database for new swimming pool construction in Texas through Q3-2019

Since the start of this year, new swimming pool construction has been on the rise in the Lone Star State.  From the combined metro areas of Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin there have been more than 6,770 swimming pool starts through the third quarter of this year, reflecting a 3 percent year-over-year increase in total permits.  While Texas has demonstrated a rise in new swimming pool construction overall, some metro areas are seeing gains, while other are slightly behind last year’s totals.

For example, while Dallas holds the highest concentration of new swimming pool permits so far this year (3,291 permits), the area is exhibiting a 3 percent dip in new pool construction in comparison to the same time last year.  On the other hand, metro areas like Austin which have less total pool construction permits on record for the nine-month period (841 permits) have been experiencing annual gains for the last few years, and this year Austin is already exhibiting a 17 percent spike in new pool construction.

Here is a closer look at each of the four major metro areas and the latest swimming pool construction data available from January through September of this year:

Dallas

As previously mentioned, Dallas ranks #1 for total swimming pool starts so far this year, having 3,291 new permits on record with HBW.   Approximately half of all new permits originated from the counties of Tarrant (804 permits) and Collin (759 permits), and although the Dallas area as a whole is reflecting a 3 percent year-over-year decrease in new pool construction, it continues to demonstrate strength and growth in a few counties (Denton, Rockwall, Ellis) with annual increases ranging from 8%-11%.

Houston

Houston and it surrounding counties have experienced a ten percent year-over-year increase in new pool construction so far this year, resulting in more than 2,100 new pool permits on file with HBW. More than half of all new permits originated from Harris County (1,293 permits), where there has been a 14 percent year-over-year increase in new pool construction.  When looking at annual growth in the market, Montgomery County (324 permits) has seen great gains so far this year, exhibiting a 60 percent year-over-year increase in total permits.

Austin

Another Texas metro area that is demonstrating growth in swimming pool starts is Austin.  Through Q3-2019, there have been more than 840 pool starts, reflecting a 17 percent year-over-year increase.  Every county in the area is ahead of last year’s figures with gains ranging from 11 percent (Williamson County) to 75 percent (Hays County), and the bulk of all new construction has taken place in Travis County (646 permits) where construction is already ahead of last year by nearly 18 percent.

San Antonio

New pool construction in the San Antonio area has been holding somewhat steady with last year.  Through Q3-2019, there have been approximately 535 pool starts, reflecting a minute 1 percent year-over-year decrease in new pool construction.  Nearly all construction has taken place in Bexar County (421 permits) which is ahead of last year’s figures by four percent so far this year.

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.

Texas Quarterly Residential Construction Report: Q3-2019

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An overview of the latest building activity trend report for new residential construction in Texas from January through September of 2019

Based on HBW’s latest “Building Activity Trend Report” for new residential construction, the Lone Star State has experienced a bit of a dip in new home construction in comparison to the same time last year.  From the start of this year through September 2019, there have been just over 56,900 housing starts in the combined metro areas of Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin, reflecting a 5 percent year-over-year decrease in new residential construction.  All metro areas reviewed, with the exception of Austin, have demonstrated a decline in residential permits ranging from 1 percent (Houston) to 13 percent (Dallas).  The metro area with the highest concentration of new permits on file with HBW is Houston; having nearly 24,250 housing starts through Q3-2019, Houston holds more than 40 percent of all new residential construction permits on record for Texas, and the area is holding somewhat steady with last year’s figures.

Here is a closer look at each metro area and new home construction permit data through the third quarter of this year:

Houston

As previously mentioned, Houston ranked #1 for total new residential construction permits through Q3-2019.  Holding more than 40 percent of all new permits on record for the nine-month period, there were approximately 24,250 housing starts in Houston, reflecting a steady market with just a 1 percent year-over-year decrease in new home construction so far this year.  The County of Harris held more than half of all new construction activity (~12,850 permits) and has experienced a year-over-year increase in housing starts of 1.5 percent.  Additionally, new home construction appears to be picking up in Galveston County, where there has already been an 18 percent year-over-year increase in new permits.

Dallas

Another Texas metro area that carries a large share of new residential construction activity is Dallas.  While the Dallas area has experienced a 13 percent year-over-year decrease in new home construction so far this year, it ranks #2 for total housing starts (17,933 permits) on record for Texas.  While most Dallas-area counties have experienced a lull in new permits, Ellis County is ahead of last year’s figures by more than 6 percent, resulting in just over 1,400 new residential construction permits.  Two counties that hold more than half of all new construction activity for the area are Tarrant County (5,602 permits) and Collin County (4,184 permits).

Austin

Through the third quarter of this year, there have been approximately 9,460 housing starts in the Austin area, reflecting a 6 percent year-over-year increase in new home construction.  The majority of new permits originated from Travis County (6,175 permits), where there has been more than a 14 percent year-over-year increase in new residential construction permits so far this year.  The bulk of the remaining housing starts took place in Williamson County (2,616 permits) which has been holding somewhat steady with construction patterns from last year.

San Antonio

New home construction in San Antonio appears to be slowing which reflects a shift in the growth pattern HBW has documented over the last few years.  Since 2015, new home construction has been on the rise in San Antonio and surrounding areas, with annual increases ranging from 4 percent to 9 percent.  So far this year, there have been 5,266 housing starts in the area which is indicative of an 8 percent year-over-year decrease in new home construction.  The bulk of new permits originated from Bexar County (3,490 permits) where there has been an annual uptick of nearly 15 percent in new residential construction.  The overall decline in San Antonio’s residential construction permits is mainly due to the major year-over-year decreases experienced in the counties of Comal (1,225 permits, -32%) and Guadalupe (551 permits, -36%).

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.

New Swimming Pool Construction on the Rise in Atlanta

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A quarterly review of the latest permit data for new swimming pool construction in the Metro Atlanta area through Q3-2019

Metro Atlanta Pool Permits Q3-2018 vs. Q3-2019

Over the last five years, new swimming pool construction has been on the rise in Atlanta and surrounding areas year after year, and through the third quarter of this year, there appears to be no sign of this growth slowing any time soon. From January 2019 through September 2019, there have been 1,880 new swimming pool permits added to the HBW database for Atlanta, reflecting a five percent year-over-year increase in new pool construction.

Out of the 24 counties reviewed, Fulton County ranked #1 for total new swimming pool starts, having nearly 310 new permits on file with HBW through Q3-2019. While Fulton County is slightly behind last year’s figures, the area has experienced growth in swimming pool starts ranging from 5 percent to 14 percent since 2015, and with another quarter remaining this year, there is still time for construction activity to pick up.

Just behind Fulton County, Cobb County ranked second for total new swimming pool construction permits through the third quarter of this year.  With 240 swimming pool starts on record so far this year, Cobb County is nearly on target and consistent with last year’s figures – a sign of it coming out of the year-over-year decrease (-6%) in new pool construction experienced in 2018.

Next in line, we have the counties of Gwinnett and Cherokee – Both areas have had approximately 165 swimming pool starts since the start of this year, reflecting year-over-year increases of 3 percent and 1 percent in Gwinnett and Cherokee respectively.  Unlike Gwinnett County which has experienced annual increases in new pool construction since 2015, Cherokee County’s pattern has been a little less consistent, with some dips in 2018 (-4%) and spikes in 2017 (+13 percent); the outlook seems more favorable and that construction is leveling off so far in 2019 as Cherokee County is on target with last year’s figures (thru Q3-2019), having a slim 1 percent increase in new pool construction.

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.

Atlanta Residential Construction Quarterly Report (Q3-2019)

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An overview of the latest construction data for residential construction in Atlanta and surrounding areas from January through September 2019

In Atlanta and surrounding counties there have been approximately 18,270 housing starts added to the HBW database since the start of this year (thru Q3), reflecting a year-over-year decrease of 3 percent in new residential construction.  The counties with the highest concentration of housing starts for the nine-month period include:

  • Gwinnett County – While Gwinnett County has experienced a year-over-year decrease of 12 percent in new home construction through Q3-2019, the area still holds a higher total number of housing starts (2,415 permits) in comparison to other counties reviewed.
  • Fulton County – Fulton County ranks second for total new permits on record with HBW through Q3-2019 (1,829 permits), and the area ranks #1 for higher value housing starts, having 175 new permits with construction values in excess of $500k.
  • Cherokee County – In Cherokee County, there has been a one percent increase in housing starts in comparison to the same time last year, resulting in 1,691 new permits added to the HBW database through the third quarter of this year.
  • Forsyth County – Forsyth County has been experiencing a decrease in housing starts year after year since 2016, and so far in 2019 the pattern hasn’t changed. Through the third quarter of this year, Forsyth County has experienced a 24 percent year-over-year decrease in new home construction, resulting in 1,471 new residential construction permits.
  • Cobb County – Cobb County ranked #5 for total new permits through Q3-2019, having 1,340 housing starts on file for the nine-month period.

 

While residential construction in the Atlanta area is down overall, there are several counties where housing starts are soaring in comparison to last year, with year-over-year increases ranging from 39 percent (Dekalb County – 1,207 permits) to nearly 300 percent (Clayton County – 724 permits).  Additionally, there are nearly 420 new permits carrying residential construction values in excess of $500k on file through Q3-2019, and more than half of all new “higher value” housing starts originated from two counties: Fulton County (175 permits >$500k) and Dekalb (65 permits >$500k).

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 Report: Florida Residential Construction – September 2019

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A review of the latest residential construction permit data available from the HBW database for the month of September 2019

Last month, there were nearly 6,600 total new residential construction permits with a total value in excess of $1.8 billion for Florida added to the HBW database, reflecting a 20 percent month-over-month increase in new home construction activity.  Out of the five major regions reviewed (Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Southeast, Southwest), Tampa ranked #1 for total housing starts (1,839 permits), while Orlando took the top spot for highest average value of new home construction (average value: $305,632).

Here is a closer look at the construction permit data on file for Florida, by area, during the month of September 2019:

Tampa

As previously mentioned, Tampa ranked #1 out of the five regions reviewed for total new residential construction permits on record with HBW.  Last month, there were nearly 1,840 housing starts with a total construction value of more than $539.5 million in the Tampa area.  The average value of construction landed on the higher end of the spectrum (average value: $293,404), and more than half of all new permits originated from the counties of Hillsborough (693 permits) and Polk (461 permits).

Southwest

The southwest region of Florida ranked second for new home construction, having 1,430 housing starts with a total construction value of $365.7 million last month.  The average value of new home construction landed in the mid-range at $255,750, and the county with the highest concentration of new permits for the one-month period was Lee County (472 permits).

Orlando

In Orlando, there were approximately 1,265 housing starts with a total construction value of $385 million during the month of September.  The average value of new home construction was highest in Orlando (average value: $304,632) in comparison to other Florida regions reviewed, and the Orlando-area county with the greatest amount of new construction activity on file with HBW was Orange County with nearly 525 new permits for the one-month period.

Jacksonville

Last month, there were 1,144 new residential construction permits with a total value of nearly $259 million added to the HBW database for the Jacksonville area.  The average value of new home construction was lowest in Jacksonville (average value: $226,361) in comparison to other Florida regions reviewed, and the bulk of all new home construction took place in Duval County (421 permits) and St. Johns County (327 permits).

Southeast

In the southeastern region of Florida, there were nearly 915 housing starts with a total construction value in excess of $261 million last month.  The average value of new home construction landed on the higher end of the spectrum (average value: $285,739), and more than half of all new construction took place in the two counties of St. Lucie (360 permits) and Palm Beach (215 permits).

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.

Texas Top Pool Builders – September 2019

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An HBW report on the top pool builders in the four major metro regions of Texas during the month of September 2019

Last week, we reviewed the construction permit data for new swimming pool construction in the four major metro areas of Texas (Dallas, Austin, Houston, San Antonio) in a post entitled: Texas Swimming Pool Construction Permit Report – September 2019.  In the report, we noted that there were approximately 770 new permits with a total construction value in excess of $35.5 million in Texas last month, with nearly half of all new construction activity taking place in Dallas.

In this post, we will be taking a deeper dive into the permits on file to identify the top pool contractors in each of the four metro areas reviewed.  For the purpose of this report, the term “top pool builder” refers to contractors with the greatest amount of new swimming pool construction permits on file with HBW for a given period (September 2019).  With the leading contractors being region-specific, we chose to explore the latest new construction activity by area, pulling the top five contractors in each metro area based on the total number of permits on file with HBW.  The results are as follows:

Dallas

Out of the 155 active pool contractors with new construction activity on file last month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder Total Permits  Average Construction Value
1-Riverbend Pools 14  $           51,321.00
2-Gold Medal Pools 14  $           31,429.00
3-Puryear Custom Pools 13  $           23,983.00
4-Aquamarine Pools 12  $           39,393.00
5-Premier Pools 11  $           56,455.00

 

Houston

Out of the 120 pool contractors that had permits on file with HBW in Houston, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits for the month of September:

Builder Total Permits  Average Construction Value
1-Platinum Pools 12  $       64,345.00
2-Anthony & Sylvan Pools 11  $       55,858.00
3-Supreme Pools & Spas 9  $       58,196.00
4-Watts Pool 7  $       90,857.00
5-Cypress Custom Pools 6  $       66,941.00

 

Austin

Out of the more than 35 active pool builders in the Austin area last month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits on file with HBW:

Builder Total Permits  Average Construction Value
1-Anthony & Sylvan Pools 11  $       66,091.00
2-Cody Pools 8  $       39,000.00
3-Texas Pools & Patios 7  $       41,414.00
4-Innovative Pools & Spas 4  $       57,000.00
5-Jaida Custom Pools 3  $       98,333.00

 

San Antonio

Out of the more than 25 active swimming pool contractors with permitting activity on file for the month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder Total Permits  Average Construction Value
1-Keith Zars Pools 15  $  26,733.00
2-Cody Pools 12  $  41,940.00
3-Texas Pools & Patios 7  $  28,000.00
4-Gary Pools 5  $  39,280.00
5-Blue Haven Pools 5  $  29,280.00

 

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.

Texas Swimming Pool Construction Permit Report – September 2019

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An overview of the latest Texas pool construction permit data on record with HBW for the month of September 2019

When reviewing new pool construction in the major metro areas of Texas (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio) last month, we found approximately 770 new permits with a total construction value in excess of $35.5 million.  Out of the four metro areas reviewed, new pool construction in Austin held the highest average value (average value: $61,868), while the Dallas area held a significant lead for total new permits (~380 permits).

Here is a breakdown of total permits and values for new swimming pool construction in Texas last month:

Dallas

Nearly half of all new pool construction on file for Texas took place in Dallas last month, as there were approximately 380 swimming pool starts with a total construction value of $15 million added to the HBW database for the area.  The average value of new construction landed on the lower end of the spectrum in comparison to other metro areas reviewed, coming in at $39,387, and the counties with the greatest total amount of pool starts for the month were Tarrant County (102 permits) and Collin County (95 permits).

Houston

The Houston area ranked second for total new swimming pool permits on record last month, having more than 235 pool starts with a total construction value of nearly $13.7 million.  The average value of construction landed on the upper range (average value: $57,906), and just over 70 percent of all construction activity took place in Harris County (167 permits).

San Antonio

In San Antonio, there were just over 80 new swimming pool permits with a total construction value of $2.6 million added to the HBW database last month.  The average value of new pool construction was lowest in San Antonio (average value: $32,262) in comparison to the other areas reviewed, and the majority of permits originated from the County of Bexar (64 permits).

Austin

Finally, there were 70 swimming pool starts with a total construction value in excess of $4.3 million in Austin last month.  The average value of new pool construction was highest in Austin (average value: $61,868) in comparison to the other areas reviewed, and nearly all new permits originated from Travis County (56 permits).

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.

Five Ways to Clean Up Your Act (on Social Media)

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Easy tips for tightening your social media game

From the title of this post, many of you may be thinking that we are going to be addressing social media etiquette (or lack thereof), but for today we will not be referring to that kind of “cleaning up”.  This is not to take away from the importance of keeping language and images clean on your company profiles because, really, that should be a given.  Rather, today we will review a few basic housekeeping items that should be part of a somewhat regular content audit on your social media profiles.  And if you have never conducted an audit of your content, not to worry; there is no time like the present to take a few moments to ensure that your profiles are updated, secure and accurately reflect your brand.

Here are a few social media “housekeeping” tasks to consider adding to your checklist:

  1. Out with the Old, In with the New – It’s easy to make social media profiles a depository for images, events and content. After all, every post drifts through the news feed for what seems to be a split second, only to fall down the abyss that has become social media.  The truth is that there is a high probability that new and curious visitors to your social profiles will scroll down, scan through your posts and check out your history.  For this reason, you should replace any old branding with your current logo, banners, etc., as well as remove or provide updates to posts that reflect products, pricing or services that are no longer offered.
  2. Reconnect – A common issue with managing social media profiles is responding to feedback, comments and messages. Not to worry – You are not alone.  Most business owners overlook a message now and again, but don’t allow it to be a reason to ignore it.  Where and when appropriate, follow up and reconnect with inquiries, requests and responses (positive and negative) that may have been missed along the way.  Better late than never.
  3. Secure Your Accounts – Whether you have one or several social media account managers, you should have a system in place for regularly securing accounts. What this essentially means is that passwords for profiles should be strong and changed on a quarterly basis.  Additionally, users/members of the page should be reviewed to verify that each user has the appropriate level of access (admin or limited user) and is still employed by your company.
  4. Get Real – The bots in the world of social media are simply unavoidable. From spamming a blog’s comments section with the latest phishing scam to relentlessly following and messaging you on Twitter, they are out there.  For this reason, it is important to eliminate fake followers, bots and connections that don’t abide by network guidelines and/or post questionable content.
  5. Say “Good-bye” or Start Over – You may find that you have been more successful in engaging your audience on one social platform more than another. And while building a following and presence in each platform takes time, don’t hold onto something that isn’t working.  Some networks are just a better fit than others for different companies, and it is completely acceptable to try again or simply eliminate your profile on a network where engagement and activity are nil.

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.