With the prime homebuying season in the rearview mirror, the Wall Street Journal reports that U.S. new home sales through August are basically even from a year ago at this time, with the National Association of Home Builders predicting an annual sales increase of just 2-3 percent.
The sluggish pace of residential construction hasn’t been matched in the commercial/industrial market, fortunately. According to Reed Construction Data (now called CMD), growth in non-residential building starts have nearly doubled the pace of new home starts through August (compared to January-August 2013). Healthy growth in architectural billings and new design contracts over the last four months bodes well for the future of commercial construction as well – and the American Institute of Architects’ latest Consensus Construction Forecast predicts double-digit growth in office and retail building in 2015.
For roofing contractors, the shifting markets reinforce the old saying about putting all your eggs in one basket – to ride out downturns and capitalize on growth opportunities, be prepared to diversify. To further assist you, GenFlex offers a series of step-by-step installation videos, and contractors can even request training through a GenFlex distributor or as part of becoming a licensed GenFlex contractor.
Small business owners and entrepreneurs are the heroes of our economy, and building contractors in particular have faced a lot of challenges over the last few years. At GenFlex, we’re ready to help roofing contractors grow into new markets, expand their line of services and stand behind top-quality roofing systems – after all, your success becomes our success.
For more information on GenFlex products and programs, visit www.GenFlex.com – to request training on product-specific installation and maintenance practices, click here.