Enquiries - 2nd Quarter 2000 Looking slightly further ahead, there is also some reduction, in most regions and overall, in the proportion of respondents reporting an increase in enquiries about possible future work, and some increase in the proportion saying that they have received fewer enquiries, so that balances are weaker than last time; but there are some exceptions. The most notable of these are in the North West and Eastern Counties regions, which this time have the highest proportions of respondents reporting a rise in enquiries, and also the strongest balances, both higher than in the first quarter survey. Also notable this time is the slightly improved result for the specialist contractors.
Table 5 - Enquiries in the Last Quarter, by Region   1999 2000 Second Quarter 2000   Weighted % balances w%bal Weighted %   Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Higher Same Lower Balance Northern -12 -43 +90 +18 32 39 29 +3 North West -24 -18 -5 -8 49 44 7 +42 Yorkshire & Trent +44 +11 +34 +31 21 48 31 -10 Midlands +3 -9 -37 -8 19 29 52 -33 Eastern +6 +26 +35 +22 49 36 15 +34 London +7 +55 +32 +24 47 29 24 +23 Southern +18 +15 +6 +39 36 33 31 +5 South West -5 +5 +14 +40 44 28 28 +16 All builders +4 +14 +16 +27 39 34 27 +12 All specialists +8 -10 -10 0 36 33 31 +5 National +6 +8 +10 +22 38 34 28 +10
By comparison, the most pronounced falls are in the results from Yorkshire & Trent, the Midlands, and also - because of a rise in those reporting a fall in enquiries more than a fall in those indicating an increase - the South West. It may be noted that, whilst the overall balance for this question is not much different from that recorded by the second quarter 1999 FMB survey, the regional results are markedly different. A year ago the Northern Counties and North West both recorded clearly negative balances of replies, but both regions, especially the North West, are showing positive balances this time. By comparison, Yorkshire & Trent respondents had the highest positive balance of any region in the second quarter 1999 survey, and one of the highest in the first quarter 2000 survey, but have the weakest result this time. Moving further south, it is the Midlands that has the worst result for enquiries this time. That for Southern Counties is weaker than a year ago, and much weaker than last time. By comparison, Eastern Counties, London Region, and the South West all report a stronger trend in enquiries than they indicated a year ago.
Table 6 - Enquiries by Sector   1999 2000 Second Quarter 2000   Weighted % balance w%bal Weighted percentages   Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Higher Same Lower Balance Housing:                 Private new +1 +4 +6 +16 33 44 23 +10 Private RM&I +5 +15 +14 +25 31 48 21 +10 Social new -15 -32 -22 +8 17 48 35 -18 Social RM&I -16 -17 +17 +10 20 55 25 -5 Non-residential:                 Public new build -24 -7 -11 -4 26 39 35 -9 Public R&M -23 -8 -2 +5 18 57 25 -7 Private industrial -20 -7 +5 +5 25 49 26 -1 Private commercial -3 +3 +13 +4 23 49 28 -5 Private R&M -12 +7 +10 +22 21 61 18 +3 By type of work, the pattern of results is broadly similar to that obtained for the expected change in workload in the third quarter. Private housing new build and RM&I are still showing positive balances of percentages reporting more and fewer enquiries, and there is also still a small positive balance for repair and maintenance of non-residential buildings for private sector clients. For all categories of work for public sector clients, however, the balances are negative, but not by much except for social housing new build.
First posted: 18 September 2000. Last modified: 18 September 2000.