Covid-19 Impact Report – December Edition

The Covid-19 Impact report provides a regularly refreshed view of how all sectors of the construction market are fairing under the current circumstances created by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Produced using up-to-the-minute Barbour-ABI data, each monthly instalment of the Covid-19 Impact Report enables you to monitor the unfolding situation and understand the key concerns and adjustments being made across construction.

Editions of this Covid-19 Impact Report monitor these over time to provide an up to date view of the construction market. In earlier reports we focused on:
• Work ongoing, delayed or stopped as a result of Covid-19
• Evidence of how construction work is being managed, key concerns and approaches being adopted

As things have progressed, we are now focusing these reports on:
• The pipeline of future work and factors impacting on construction activity
• The differing impact on each of the main construction sectors

Key sections covered:

• Contract awards – the changing levels of awards month by month through 2020 with comparisons to previous year.
• Influencing factors – the situations and factors that necessitate and enable work to continue on site.
• Key concerns – the main issues impacting businesses across the construction sectors.
• Regional impact – sub sectors examined on a regional basis, highlighting the most significant contract awards

Key areas of insight include:

• Construction sector response to Covid-19: In this fifth edition, based on January to August 2020 contract awards data, see the impact of Covid-19 on the construction sector pipeline of work.
• Sector analysis: Gain insight on the construction sectors that are prospering or contracting as a result of Covid-19
• Project prioritisation: See where priorities are being placed and the projects that are going ahead and being planned.
• Impact on critical resources: Understand the key difficulties that are being faced on site with regard to materials and labour.

Some of the contractors included:

Anvil Construction, Amey Limited, Balfour Beatty, BAM, Barratt & David Wilson Homes, Bellway Homes, Bouygues, Breedon, Cemex, Costain, Countryside Properties, Crest Nicholson Plc, Galliford Try, Ibstock, ISGLM JV, Fusion JV, Keepmoat Homes, Kier, Laing O’Rourke, Lendlease, Lovell, Mace, McLaren, Miller Homes, Morgan Sindall, Mount, Multiplex, Persimmon, Polypipe, Redrow Homes, Renaker Build Ltd Russels Construction, Siemens PLC, Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd, Taylor Wimpey, Travis Perkins, Vistry Group, Volker Fitzpatrick, Wates, Wilmott Dixon, Winvic,

Analysis in the report draws on the contract award data gathered by the Barbour-ABI research team. Hundreds of daily calls enable us to provide a regularly updated picture of what’s happening at construction sites across the UK.

Tables and Charts

There are 21 tables and charts included in this report.

Covid-19 had an immediate impact on Construction through the closure of sites and application of social distancing rules.The ongoing impact concerns both the practical implications affecting materials, labour and timing and the pipeline implications of demand for construction work.

Editions of this Covid-19 Impact Report monitor these over time to provide an up-to-date view of the construction market. In this report we consider:

• Work ongoing, delayed or stopped as a result of Covid-19
• Evidence of how construction work is being managed, key concerns and approaches being adopted
• The differing impact on each of the main construction sectors

While the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine has raised hopes of a return to more normal conditions in late spring or summer, a difficult winter and spring must first be confronted.

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION 2
2. ECONOMY 3-7
3. CONSTRUCTION 8-10
4. RESIDENTIAL 11-15
5. NON-RESIDENTIAL
i. COMMERCIAL 17-19
ii. HEALTH 20-21
iii. EDUCATION 22-23
iv. INFRASTRUCTURE 24-26
v. INDUSTRY 27-28