Quarterly Reports
State of the U.S. Construction Market
Each quarter, Quantivey publishes an institutional-grade report on U.S. construction costs, market conditions, escalation trends, and the forward outlook — built entirely from authoritative public data and peer-reviewed before release.
Surging Inputs, Softening Demand
- Quantivey Cost Index +5.7% YoY — escalation re-accelerating
- Tariff-driven metals surge while demand cools: the hardest pricing call since 2022
- 5–6% recommended escalation allowance, with Best/Expected/Downside scenarios
- Sector reads, risk matrix, supply-chain & lead-time guidance
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Executive summary — free to read
The U.S. construction market enters the second half of 2026 caught between two opposing forces. On the cost side, material prices are accelerating — driven by 50% Section 232 tariffs on metals and an oil-price spike — pushing construction input inflation back into high single digits. On the demand side, forward indicators are softening: architecture billings are contracting and housing starts have fallen to a five-year low.
For owners and developers, this is the most difficult pricing environment since 2022. Costs are climbing while activity cools — meaning escalation cannot be assumed to fade just because the broader pipeline is slowing. Quantivey recommends carrying firm escalation allowances of 5–6% and locking metal-intensive scopes early.
The full 9-page report adds the macro backdrop, sector-by-sector conditions, the Quantivey Cost Index and materials detail, a Best/Expected/Downside escalation forecast, and a supply-chain and lead-time risk matrix — with full methodology and sources.
All issues
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Q2 2026 — Surging Inputs, Softening DemandMid-year outlook · published June 2026
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In preparationQ3 2026 — Coming September 2026Next quarterly issue
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