ENR's Q2 2007 cost report is a package of news, analysis and data. In this quarter, rising costs are a nationwide concern. The report contains stories about how higher prices and fewer bids are driving up the cost of road projects and how Los Angeles is trying to hold down the cost of its new schools. In materials, the report looks at how steel and rebar prices are leading a resurgence in inflation, and in equipment, a busy building sector is pushing up hoist rental rates. Another story looks at the advantages of diesel fuel. And on the subject of pay, contractors and construction managers must focus on their staffs, according to one story, and unions have a stronger negotiating hand, another story says.

Primary Contents

Articles:

Highways: Higher prices and fatter margins are driving up costs
Schools: Los Angeles battles rising costs
Economics: Inflation awakens after taking a brief nap
Equipment: Elevator prices shoot through the roof
Equipment: Efficiency is clean diesel's cost-saving card
Compensation: Salaries, bonuses, and turnovers all take off
Labor: Unions hold strong collective-bargaining position

Data Tables:
Asphalt, PG-58
Concrete, 3000-psi
Average State Highway Construction Cost 1972-2006
Builders' Construction Cost Indexes
Construction Material Price Movement in 2006-07
Lumber, 2x4 Common
Plywood, 5/8-in
Gypsum Wallboard, ½-in
Contractor and CM Pay

Graph:
Steel Prices Pick Back Up