Enquiries - 3rd Quarter 2002 FMB survey respondents' expectations of the trend in workload in the coming quarter are based in part on work in hand, and orders already confirmed, but also in part on the trend in enquiries regarding possible future work. Where enquiries are concerned, the findings of the third quarter 2002 survey are slightly stronger than those obtained last time, and - in terms of the percentage weighted balance of 'higher' and 'lower' replies - the same as a year ago. Table 5 shows that, over the UK as a whole, almost two-fifths report an increase, whilst fewer than one fifth say that enquiries are down on the second quarter level. Results are very little different for the builders and the specialists taking part in the third quarter 2001 survey.
Table 5 - Enquiries in the Last Quarter, by Region   2001 2002 Third Quarter 2002   wtd % balance wtd % balance Weighted percentage   Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Higher Same Lower Balance North East +9 +18 -13 +30 69 24 7 +62 Yorks & Humber +5 -13 +5 +27 29 47 24 +5 East Midlands +18 -65 +41 +7 25 40 35 -10 Eastern +40 -6 +39 +17 49 45 6 +43 London +12 +12 +8 +10 41 56 3 +38 South East +18 -5 +25 +7 26 39 35 -9 South West +24 +8 +33 +25 39 52 9 +30 West Midlands +10 -25 +12 -25 36 32 32 +4 North West +25 +20 +25 +32 63 31 6 +57 Wales +13 +44 +44 +35 55 31 14 +41 Scotland +86 -25 +23 +16 36 26 38 -2 N Ireland +26 -7 +17 All builders +21 +3 +21 +15 38 44 18 +20 All specialists +19 -17 +22 +11 43 38 19 +24 UK +21 -1 +22 +14 39 43 18 +21
The trend in enquiries appears strongest in the North East, North West, and Eastern regions of England, and in Wales, in all of which the proportion reporting an increase is half or more. In no region is the 'higher' proportion less than a quarter, but there are four - the East and West Midlands, the South East excluding London, and Scotland - in which the 'lower' is greater than that, around a third in each case. Results are mostly stronger than last time, the exceptions being amongst firms working principally in Yorkshire & The Humber, the adjoining East Midlands, and the South East, although in the last of these there is a marked contrast in the replies from the Kent/Surrey/Sussex segment and those from Berkshire/Buckinghamshire/ Hampshire/ Oxfordshire, with the latter displaying a relatively strong result.
Table 6 - Enquiries in the Last Quarter, by Type of Work   2001 2002 Third Quarter 2002   wtd % balance wtd % balance Weighted percentage   Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Higher Same Lower Balance Housing:                 Private new +9 -7 +12 0 26 57 17 +9 Private RM&I +22 -3 +21 +21 35 54 11 +21 Social new -13 -15 -3 -24 16 65 19 -3 Social RM&I +8 -1 +2 -5 20 61 19 +1 Non-residential:                 Public new build +2 -9 +8 +2 18 62 20 -2 Public R&M -8 -7 0 -10 17 65 18 -1 Industrial +5 -21 -3 +4 18 63 19 -1 Commercial +15 -8 +7 +9 27 60 13 +14 Private R&M +8 -18 +5 +7 21 66 13 +8
For the third survey in succession the weighted percentage balance of 'higher' and 'lower' replies for enquiries about possible RMI work for private sector customers is a relatively strong +21. As indicated in Table 6 above, a little over a third report a rise in enquiries about this type of work. There is also a double-digit positive result for new construction of and improvements to commercial buildings, and clear positive balances for private housing new build, and for R&M of non-residential buildings for private sector clients. Where the other four types of work are concerned, the 'higher' and 'lower' percentages of replies are very nearly in balance. For both new build and RMI of social housing, and R&M of non-residential buildings for public sector clients, the results are better than last time. For new build of and improvements to both public non-residential buildings and industrial facilities they are poorer, but only slightly so. First posted: 28 October 2002. Last modified: 29 October 2002.