June 2010 - Building Value delivers paper at 69th Euroconstruct Conference in Dublin
BVL’s Tony Williams delivered a paper entitled “Pitfalls, Recovery & Opportunities: case studies and lesson learned”. As Rafiki in ‘The Lion King’ says: “the past can hurt, but the way I see it, you can either run from it of learn from it”. And so it is, as we emerge from the worst economic and industry downturn for a generation, there are lessons to be learned and ways and means of benefiting from it. Similarly, there is life after death and the sunny uplit lands will return. See Papers.
June 2010 - European Construction growth to be positive in 2011, after three down years
Euroconstruct, the premier forecasting unit for European construction activity, published its latest numbers for 19 countries in Zurich this month. These show that 2010 is expected to be negative again at -4.0%, following last year’s bumper fall of -8.8%. Ireland, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands are the worst offenders this year. Germany begins a modest recovery in 2010 but only three other countries are positive (Finland, Sweden and Switzerland). In 2011, growth overall is forecast at +1.2% followed by +2.4% in 2012. Ireland, Spain and Portugal remain negative in 2011 (with Spain still in the red in 2012). The 'Big 5' all nudge ahead (and Italy is the best) in 2011-12, while the Nordics and Eastern Europe do very well (Sweden and Poland especially).
April 2010 - UK Housebuilding in Q1
This time, our regular look at the Sector was over-powered by politics; and, regardless of who's in power, our empirical conclusion is that after every boom comes a bust. Expect a year of "consolidation" for the industry (and we don't mean mergers and acquisitions).
March 2010 - "Frank Turner is God"
Another outing to see the soon-to-be-great man and quintessential 21st Century English troubador; and he has a conscience. BVL staff, friends and family smiled for days afterwards.
March 2010 – Construction Output in the UK to see some respite this year
Experian, where Building Value is an advisor, has confirmed that 2009 set a new, unappetising record with an 11.5% fall, in real terms, in UK Construction Output. In 2010, the forecast remains negative, but only just at -1.8% and the year will also comprise a dramatic push/pull: with public building (including the Olympics) and infrastructure (including Crossrail) all doing well; industrial, commercial and RMI all negative; and housing somewhere in the middle. In 2011 and 2012, construction output will grow again (+1.6% in each year) but even after than, output, in real terms, will only be equivalent to 2002's.
February 2010 - Outlook for European Real Estate (update 2)
This Sector is undergoing a dramatic transformation in fortunes, for the better; and while it will take time to impact new build - transaction volumes and % returns continue to rise smartly. See Papers.
January 2010 - Unique Index shows UK Building Sector soars 55% in value
The value of the quoted UK construction and building industry - as defined by our very own Index - rose by a very impressive 55% in calendar 2009 to £32 billion (2008: minus 48%); this includes contractors, consultants, housebuilders, merchants and service providers. It also means that the entire industry is valued at about the same as TESCO plc. See Papers
January 2010 – UK Housebuilding Sector in 2009
In this regular publication, we chart the Sector's doubling in value (to £7.1 billion) and its re-capitalisation during the calendar year. See Papers.
January 2010 - Outlook for European Real Estate (update 1)
....and the good news just keeps on rolling with the value of global transactions forecast (by DTZ) to more than double to £200 billion, with Europe (and the UK, in particular) leading the way.
November 2009 – European Real Estate (the beginning of recovery)
Towards the end of a very poor year for all involved in this great industry, the arrows all started to turn up, with the UK the sharpest of all (in October, according to IPD, UK property values showed their largest monthly gain in 15 years at +2.4%) . So dynamic it is, too, that we intend to keep close tabs on the news flow going forward.
October/November 2009 – Frank Turner and Biffy Clyro concerts
We have talked about these artists before; and both are destined to be - or are already - the next big thing(s). Frank is a modern folk singer with a twist (acerbic and lyrical), while Biffy are, quite simply, the most original band in the World right now. See them if you can in March and May (we will, again).
October 2009 - UK Housebuilding Sector Q3
In this regular publication, we chart Q3's robust 28% gain in value and a 59% bounce since March's nadir. See Papers.
July 2009 - UK Housebuilding Sector in Q2
Beginning to see daylight. See Papers.
May 2009 – Jackson Browne and The Jayhawks
Regular viewers will know that the Board of Building Value likes music almost as much as the industry it serves; and, thus, May was a banner month. Not only did a select invited group see JB at the Royal Albert Hall but a smaller team saw Gary Louris and Mark Olson (the creative half of The Jayhawks) at the Jazz Café in Camden. Over cup runneth our…...
February 2009 – Outlook for Global Real Estate & Construction (presentation)
The IMF had a serious sense of humour failure in Davos vis à vis the bleakness of prospects for the World economy. With this in mind, we examine in detail the prospects for global real estate and construction (see Papers).
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