1st Quarter 2001 - Enquiries Looking slightly further ahead, Table 5 shows that there is still a relatively strong upwards trend in enquiries received about possible future work. Indeed, when this is assessed by reference to the weighted percentage balance of 'higher' and 'lower' replies, the result this time is stronger than any recorded in 2000, for both builders and specialist contractors, of which the latter display very slightly the stronger balance this time.
Table 5 - Enquiries in the Last Quarter, by Region   2000 First Quarter 2001   Weighted % balance Weighted %   Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Higher Same Lower Balance North +32 +15 54 31 15 +39 Yorks & Humber +35 +27 28 47 25 +3 East Midlands +14 -26 46 34 20 +26 East Anglia +11 -52 38 46 16 +22 London +7 +27 43 36 21 +22 South East +27 +35 66 27 7 +59 South West +20 +16 49 40 11 +38 West Midlands +3 +22 47 34 19 +28 North West +14 +8 41 44 15 +26 Wales -28 +53 43 39 18 +25 Scotland 44 30 26 +18 N Ireland 77 23 0 +77 All builders +27 +12 +15 +14 47 37 16 +31 All specialists 0 +5 +25 +22 45 43 12 +33 England/Wales +22 +10 +16 +16 47 38 15 +32 UK 47 38 15 +32
There are positive balances of replies from all 12 regions, albeit one of only +3 from Yorkshire & Humberside, which has both the lowest figure for 'higher' replies, and the highest one for 'lower' replies. By comparison, Northern Ireland has nominally the best balance; but when the level of response is taken into account it is the South East that may be regarded as the region in which FMB members have been experiencing the strongest trend in enquiries. Otherwise only the North and the South West show what may be described as 'better than average' results.
Table 6 - Enquiries in the Last Quarter, by Type of Work   2000 First Quarter 2001   Weighted % balance Weighted percentages   Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Higher Same Lower Balance Housing:                 Private new +16 +10 +26 -13 28 57 15 +13 Private RM&I +25 +10 +23 +17 37 53 10 +27 Social new +8 -18 -2 -19 15 62 23 -8 Social RM&I +10 -5 +16 +5 37 49 14 +23 Non-Residential:                 Public new build -4 -9 +8 +11 23 62 15 +8 Public R&M +5 -7 0 +5 25 61 14 +11 Industrial +5 -1 +4 -17 17 66 17 0 Commercial +4 -5 +9 0 25 60 15 +10 Private R&M +22 +3 +8 +8 23 64 13 +10
By type of work, by comparison, there is relatively more marked variation of the balances of replies. RM&I of both private and social housing show up relatively most strongly, whereas social housing new build, and industrial building work, are the weak sectors in respect of enquiries about possible future work. The first of these has a small negative and the latter a zero balance. In both these latter cases, however, the latest indicated trend in enquiries is clearly stronger than that recorded three months ago, as also are those for all other types of work except new build and improvement of non-residential buildings for public sector clients. Further Information For further information, please contact: Federation of Master Builders Gordon Fisher House 14-15 Great James Street Holborn London WC1N 3DP Tel: 020 7242 7583 Fax: 020 7404 0296 First posted: 23 April 2001. Last modified: 24 April 2001.