Workload
In this quarter, there has been a fall in the percentage of firms reporting increased workloads from 26 to 20 per cent, corresponding to a marginal increase in those reporting falling workloads, (Table 1).
Table 1
Percentage of firms reporting increased and decreased workloads, 1988-1997 |
| |
Increase |
Same |
Decrease |
| 1988 |
25 |
57 |
18 |
| 1989 |
15 |
58 |
27 |
| 1990 |
10 |
40 |
50 |
| 1991 |
7.5 |
39 |
53.5 |
| 1992 |
10 |
41 |
49 |
| 1993 |
16 |
52 |
32 |
| 1994 |
|
|
|
| Q1 |
17 |
56 |
27 |
| Q2 |
22 |
55 |
23 |
| Q3 |
18 |
55 |
27 |
| Q4 |
18 |
55 |
27 |
| 1995 |
|
|
|
| Q1 |
15 |
60 |
25 |
| Q2 |
13 |
62 |
25 |
| Q3 |
16 |
56 |
28 |
| Q4 |
14 |
53 |
33 |
| 1996 |
|
|
|
| Q1 |
14 |
53 |
33 |
| Q2 |
16 |
58 |
26 |
| Q3 |
15 |
62 |
23 |
| Q4 |
- |
- |
- |
| 1997 |
|
|
|
| Q1 |
20 |
54 |
26 |
| Q2 |
22 |
56 |
22 |
| Q3 |
26 |
59 |
15 |
| Q4 |
20 |
64 |
16 |
A positive percentage balance between increased and decreased workload has continued to be recorded by member firms, signifying that overall the industry is still experiencing a growth period. However growth is at a slower pace than during the third quarter of 1997, when a positive balance of +11 per cent was reported compared to only +4 per cent now being reported, (Table 2).
Growth in workloads in the private sector continues to be recorded, but in line with the overall industry outlook growth is at a slower pace than in the third quarter. All categories of work within the private sector have shown falls in their growth rates, but positive output balances remain. The private housing repair and maintenance market continues to have the fastest growth rate, (Table 2).
Overall workload levels in the public sector have returned to a negative balance and now stands at -4 per cent, compared to the previous survey findings of +6 per cent. Public housing repair and maintenance work continues to grow but at a significantly slower rate than in the third quarter of 1997. All other areas of work within the public sector have negative output balances, showing a decline in workload levels, (Table 2).
|
Table 2
Percentage balance between increased and decreased workload by category of work, 1995-1997 |
| |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
| Q1 |
Q2 |
Q3 |
Q4 |
Q1 |
Q2 |
Q3 |
Q4 |
Q1 |
Q2 |
Q3 |
Q4 |
| New Housing |
|
|
|
| Private |
-16 |
-12 |
-14 |
-25 |
-26 |
-12 |
-5 |
- |
-4 |
-4 |
+11 |
+8 |
| Public |
-19 |
-19 |
-23 |
-37 |
-36 |
-29 |
-15 |
- |
-15 |
-10 |
-8 |
-16 |
| |
|
|
|
| Other New Work |
|
|
|
| Private industrial |
-8 |
-16 |
-22 |
-12 |
-19 |
-14 |
-16 |
- |
-4 |
-11 |
+6 |
+5 |
| Private commercial |
-11 |
-9 |
-14 |
-21 |
-17 |
-9 |
-4 |
- |
-1 |
+1 |
+9 |
+4 |
| Public |
-12 |
-14 |
-18 |
-20 |
-18 |
-14 |
-13 |
- |
-2 |
-2 |
+14 |
-2 |
| |
|
|
|
| Repair & Maintenance |
|
|
|
| Private housing |
-9 |
-5 |
-13 |
-12 |
-21 |
+4 |
+1 |
- |
-3 |
+16 |
+25 |
+16 |
| Public housing |
-6 |
-19 |
-9 |
-22 |
-18 |
-19 |
-14 |
- |
-2 |
-6 |
+17 |
+4 |
| Private non-housing |
-5 |
-12 |
-7 |
-19 |
-13 |
-6 |
-15 |
- |
-14 |
+10 |
+11 |
+2 |
| Public non-housing |
-12 |
-9 |
-3 |
-25 |
-14 |
-18 |
-11 |
- |
-4 |
-16 |
-4 |
-4 |
| |
|
|
|
| TOTAL PRIVATE |
-9 |
-9 |
-13 |
-17 |
-20 |
-6 |
-6 |
- |
-5 |
+6 |
+14 |
+8 |
| TOTAL PUBLIC |
-12 |
-15 |
-11 |
-24 |
-21 |
-19 |
-13 |
- |
-5 |
-8 |
+6 |
-4 |
| ALL WORK |
-10 |
-12 |
-12 |
-19 |
-19 |
-10 |
-8 |
- |
-6 |
0 |
+11 |
+4 |
Firms carrying out new housing work have recorded a small decline in their levels of workload. In the public sector the rate of decline has increased with an output balance of -16 per cent being recorded this quarter compared to -8 per cent recorded in the third quarter of 1997. Workload levels in the private new housing sector continue to increase but at a slower rate. Growth in other new work (excluding housing) continues this quarter, but at a reduced rate. Firms now report falling workload levels in public works, within this sector, (Table 3).
Overall workload in the repair and maintenance sector continues to grow but at a greatly reduced rate. Public sector non-housing repair and maintenance work continues to be in a negative output balance, but workload in all other sectors of the repair and maintenance market continues to grow although at a slower rate than in the third quarter of 1997, (Table 3).
Table 3
Percentage of firms reporting increased and decreased workload by sector, 3rd and 4th quarters, 1997 |
| |
3rd Quarter 1997 |
4th Quarter 1997 |
| |
Inc |
Same |
Dec |
% Balance |
Inc |
Same |
Dec |
% Balance |
| New Housing |
|
|
| Private |
28 |
55 |
17 |
+11 |
21 |
66 |
13 |
+8 |
| Public |
11 |
70 |
19 |
-8 |
4 |
76 |
20 |
-16 |
| TOTAL |
22 |
61 |
18 |
+4 |
15 |
70 |
15 |
-1 |
| |
| Other New Work |
|
|
| Private industrial |
23 |
60 |
17 |
+6 |
19 |
67 |
14 |
+5 |
| Private commercial |
24 |
61 |
15 |
+9 |
18 |
69 |
13 |
+4 |
| Public |
25 |
64 |
11 |
+14 |
17 |
64 |
19 |
-2 |
| TOTAL |
24 |
62 |
14 |
+10 |
18 |
67 |
15 |
+3 |
| |
| Repair & Maintenance |
|
|
| Private housing |
36 |
53 |
11 |
+25 |
30 |
56 |
14 |
+16 |
| Public housing |
29 |
58 |
12 |
+17 |
19 |
66 |
15 |
+4 |
| Private non-housing |
24 |
63 |
13 |
+11 |
21 |
60 |
19 |
+2 |
| Public non-housing |
16 |
64 |
20 |
-4 |
15 |
66 |
19 |
-4 |
| TOTAL |
28 |
58 |
14 |
+14 |
23 |
61 |
16 |
+6 |
Reports from Regions
The North West region, which recorded the best performance in the third quarter of 1997, indicated a swing back to a declining situation this quarter, where output balance now stands at -23 per cent. Northern Counties also show a return to negative output balance, results from all other regions indicate continuing growth. The fastest growing levels of work in this period are in the Eastern region, (Table 4).
Table 4
Percentage of firms reporting increased and decreased workload by region |
| |
3rd Quarter 1997 |
4th Quarter 1997 |
| Inc |
Same |
Dec |
% |
Inc |
Same |
Dec |
% |
| Northern |
17 |
74 |
9 |
+9 |
13 |
67 |
19 |
-6 |
| North West |
33 |
49 |
17 |
+16 |
14 |
50 |
36 |
-22 |
| Yorkshire & Trent |
25 |
53 |
22 |
+3 |
16 |
71 |
13 |
+3 |
| Midlands |
18 |
62 |
20 |
-2 |
21 |
59 |
19 |
+2 |
| Eastern |
26 |
62 |
12 |
+14 |
25 |
66 |
9 |
+16 |
| London |
22 |
64 |
14 |
+8 |
27 |
55 |
18 |
+9 |
| Southern |
30 |
58 |
12 |
+18 |
21 |
67 |
12 |
+9 |
| South West |
31 |
61 |
8 |
+22 |
21 |
68 |
11 |
+10 |
First posted: 11 January 1999. Last modified: 27 July 1999.
