Shanice Lodge
Have you ever noticed the domino effect of a construction crane being launched in a particular city? A development pops up here, then another down the street, and another, one town over.
Before you know it… a local economy has grown and been diversified. Planned construction pipelines can reveal a great deal about a city’s future: specifically, is the city growing or experiencing stagnation.
What is a planned construction pipeline?
A planned construction pipeline includes what’s planned and already under construction. The construction stages, values, locations, and scales reveal the city’s true economic health and trajectory. Understanding the pipeline is important to predicting market growth and targeting new opportunity.
How to read a planned construction pipeline?
To read a planned construction pipeline and analyze a specific market, you must attain data from a reputable source.
ConstructionWire Analytics is the leading construction insights platform in the industry.
- Step 1: Choose your trade area.
- Step 2: Select construction stages from proposed through cancellation.
- Step 3: Drill down by additional details such as project value, type, and last updated.
- Step 4: Analyze.
A high number of projects in the planning phase suggests strong growth potential for that city. This shows that developers are interested in the market and pursuing opportunities there.
Our Q2 2025 retail market vision report showed that Houston, TX, was up 3% since last quarter. Since retail follows multifamily and single-family developments, this could suggest positive growth for this construction pipeline.
Read the full market vision report here.
A pipeline with a low under-construction to planning ratio suggests that the city is experiencing a period of high growth! This is seen in cities like Raleigh, NC, Nashville, TN, and Dallas, TX, where there is a rapid population increase and a thriving job market. Be careful, though, this could also mean that the peak is nearing.
Why should I learn to read a construction pipeline?
If you can understand the nuances of a city’s construction pipeline, you can pull significant information to gain a competitive advantage. In the construction industry, data is key.
Build better with better data today
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