Housing & Construction

FrameSAFE Garners Positive Comments from Framers & Beyond

November 24, 2015

Since FrameSAFE first rolled out in March of this year, 23 NFC Professional Framer members and 12 Skilled Subcontractors have subscribed to the program. As this bilingual, OSHA-compliant safety program is being implemented across the country, the feedback has been very positive.

Map: Tracking Single-Family Permit Growth by State

April 23, 2018

Over the first two months of 2018, the total number of single-family permits issued nationwide reached 123,871. On a year-over-year basis, this is an 11.2% increase over the February 2017 level of 111,356.

Simpson Develops New Foundation Anchor Adhesive

April 16, 2018

Formulated to yield superior performance in threaded rod anchor and rebar dowel installations in cracked and uncracked concrete at elevated temperatures, the new SET-3G high-strength anchoring adhesive is the latest innovation in epoxy anchoring adhesives from Simpson Strong-Tie.

Developer Chooses CFS Steel Over Wood, Cites Speed

April 16, 2018

By choosing cold-formed steel (CFS) for the project, Augustine tapped into both the versatility and durability that are unique qualities of the product, which enabled them to maximize its use for 34,000 linear feet of non-load bearing (nonstructural) CFS walls and 38,000 linear feet of prefabricated load-bearing (structural) CFS walls

Charts: Building Material Costs Continue to Rise

April 16, 2018

Building material costs continues to increase, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ recent Producer Price Index report, and many are looking at ongoing trade disputes as a big part of the problem. 

H-2B Worker Visa Program Significantly Underutilized

April 11, 2018

Last year, despite a Congressional induced cap increase, DHS issued only an additional 15,000 visas, thanks to an additional caveat that businesses had to prove “irreparable harm” without visa allotments, said Alexis Moch, federal legislative director for NAHB.

Almost One-Quarter of Construction Workers Self-Employed

April 11, 2018

According to the 2016 ACS, over 23% of construction workers are self-employed, while an economy-wide average does not reach 10% of the employed labor force.

OSHA Puts Major Focus on Electronic Injury Filing

April 11, 2018

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has ordered its inspectors to crack down on employers who failed to electronically file their 300A, 300 Log and 301 injury report forms.

‘Bubble Markets’ Doing Well, Good News for All CMs

April 9, 2018

As the article below illustrates, eight years of economic expansion is having positive impacts on the housing industry, even in the ‘bubble markets’ that fell the farthest during the last economic recession.

Simpson Expands Software Offering for Builders

April 9, 2018

Simpson Strong-Tie has acquired LotSpec, a suite of software applications designed to optimize efficiency and productivity for production homebuilders' needs around construction document and option management solutions.