Enquiries - 3rd Quarter 2001 For there to have been any real weakening of the underlying trend in demand for the services of small and medium-sized building firms, however, one would surely need to be able to see evidence at this stage of a turning down of the previously relatively strong upwards trend in enquiries regarding possible future work. It is clear from the figures in Table 5 that, as far as the overall trend in enquiries for all types of work is concerned, there is no such evidence in this survey. Remarkably, for all builders taking part in the survey the 'higher', 'same' and 'lower' percentages of replies, weighted by size of firm, are all the same this time as they were in the second quarter. In terms of the balance of 'higher' and 'lower' replies the result for the specialist contractors is a little weaker than last time, although the proportion reporting an increase in enquiries is up. For England and Wales the balance is the same as in the last survey, whereas for the UK as a whole it is lower by just one point at +21. What is more, on this occasion the balance of 'higher' and 'lower' replies for the trend in enquiries in the last quarter is positive for all 12 regions, and also for all three segments within the South East. Only in Yorkshire & Humberside and in Wales is the 'higher' proportion more than ten percentage points below the UK figure of 43%, whilst only in the East and West Midlands is the 'lower' proportion more than ten points ahead of the overall national figure of 22%.
Table 5 - Enquiries in the Last Quarter, by Region   2000 2001 Third Quarter 2001   wtd % balance wtd % balance Weighted percentage   Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Higher Same Lower Balance North +32 +15 +39 +4 40 29 31 +9 Yorks & Humber +35 +27 +3 +26 27 51 22 +5 East Midlands +14 -26 +26 -5 57 4 39 +18 East Anglia +11 -52 +22 +22 51 38 11 +40 London +7 +27 +22 +13 38 36 26 +12 South East +27 +35 +59 +20 47 26 27 +20 South West +20 +16 +38 +3 40 44 16 +24 West Midlands +3 +22 +28 +46 44 22 34 +10 North West +14 +8 +26 +37 37 51 12 +25 Wales -28 +53 +25 +40 30 53 17 +13 Scotland +18 +63 86 14 0 +86 N Ireland +77 +71 52 22 26 +26 All builders +15 +14 +31 +21 41 39 20 +21 All specialists +25 +22 +33 +22 49 21 30 +19 England/Wales +16 +16 +32 +20 42 36 22 +20 UK +32 +22 43 35 22 +21
On the other hand, as was the case last time, the balances are not positive for all types of work. For the sixth survey in succession there is a negative balance of replies regarding enquiries relating to new construction of social housing and, although the result for new build and refurbishment of non-residential buildings for public sector clients is up a little, that for R&M of such buildings has slipped below the line.
Table 6 - Enquiries in the Last Quarter, by Type of Work   2000 2001 Third Quarter 2001   wtd % balance wtd % balance Weighted percentage   Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Higher Same Lower Balance Housing:                 Private new +26 -13 +13 +13 33 43 24 +9 Private RM&I +23 +17 +27 +17 30 62 8 +22 Social new -2 -19 -8 -11 23 41 36 -13 Social RM&I +16 +5 +23 +13 21 66 13 +8 Non-residential:                 Public new build +8 +11 +8 -1 26 50 24 +2 Public R&M 0 +5 +11 +8 15 62 23 -8 Industrial +4 -17 0 +8 25 55 20 +5 Commercial +9 0 +10 +2 34 47 19 +15 Private R&M +8 +8 +10 +2 24 60 16 +8
At the same time the survey is indicating a stronger trend in enquiries in respect of commercial work but, as has been the case in every FMB survey since the first quarter of 1999, the strongest trend is displayed by the figures for RM&I of existing private housing, with three out of every ten firms reporting a rise in enquiries, and only 8%, half the figure last time, indicating a fall. First posted: 31 October 2001. Last modified: 1 November 2001.