40 Construction Estimating Statistics (2026)
By Contractor Estimate TemplatePublished · Updated
6.8%Average pretax margin · FY2025CFMA · 6.7% in FY2024
42%Worker-related delays · 2026 surveyAGC–NCCER · 2026 survey
$51.96Construction compensation · $/hourBLS · June 2026
Hydroblaster$2,500.00
Roofer$2,850.00
Plumber$3,660.24
HVAC Technician$3,886.92
Project Manager$5,622.02
Source: NCCER, 2026 salary survey. Assumes 2,080 straight-time hours per year; excludes overtime, incentives and employer payroll costs.
Key takeaways
- US private construction employers paid an average $51.96 per hour worked in total employee compensation in June 2026. (BLS, September 2026)
- In the 2026 US AGC–NCCER workforce survey, 42% of respondents said shortages of their own or subcontractors’ workers had delayed projects. (AGC and NCCER, September 2026)
- CFMA’s 2026 construction Benchmarker reported an average net income before tax margin of 6.8% for all respondents in FY2025. (CFMA, accessed October 2026)
- The typical new single-family home reported in NAHB’s 2024 US construction cost survey had average construction costs of $428,215. (NAHB, January 2025)
- US construction spending ran at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2,203.1 billion in August 2026. (US Census Bureau, October 2026)
- In the 2025 NAR–NARI US remodeling study, 57% of NARI members reported larger project scopes over the preceding two years. (NAR and NARI, April 2025)
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Construction craft and management salaries
Reported annual averages from NCCER’s voluntary US construction-employer sample, 2026. The 100-hour column is an equivalent at 2,080 straight-time hours per year, before employer costs; it is not a contractor charge-out rate.
Source: NCCER 2026 salary survey · 38 roles · excludes overtime, per diem and other incentives.
| Role | Annual average | 100-hour equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Boilermaker | $80,811 | $3,885.14 |
| Carpenter | $65,894 | $3,167.98 |
| Concrete Finisher | $66,329 | $3,188.89 |
| Construction Site Safety Technician | $74,843 | $3,598.22 |
| Drywall Installer | $53,387 | $2,566.68 |
| Commercial Electrician | $72,880 | $3,503.85 |
| Industrial Electrician | $77,672 | $3,734.23 |
| Electronic Systems Technician | $78,347 | $3,766.68 |
| Heavy Equipment Operator | $68,044 | $3,271.35 |
| HVAC Technician | $80,848 | $3,886.92 |
| Hydroblaster | $52,000 | $2,500.00 |
| Industrial Coatings Applicator | $59,093 | $2,841.01 |
| Industrial Maintenance Mechanic | $72,193 | $3,470.82 |
| Instrumentation Fitter | $71,600 | $3,442.31 |
| Instrumentation Technician | $84,745 | $4,074.28 |
| Insulation Mechanic | $72,314 | $3,476.63 |
| Ironworker | $68,358 | $3,286.44 |
| Mason | $63,787 | $3,066.68 |
| Millwright | $75,079 | $3,609.57 |
| Mobile Crane Operator | $84,847 | $4,079.18 |
| Painter | $54,637 | $2,626.78 |
| Pipefitter | $75,597 | $3,634.47 |
| Pipeline Technician | $71,760 | $3,450.00 |
| Plumber | $76,133 | $3,660.24 |
| Rigger | $71,158 | $3,421.06 |
| Roofer | $59,280 | $2,850.00 |
| Scaffold Builder | $66,978 | $3,220.10 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $63,616 | $3,058.46 |
| Signal Person | $53,189 | $2,557.16 |
| Surveyor | $75,258 | $3,618.17 |
| Tower Crane Operator | $86,320 | $4,150.00 |
| Combo Welder | $79,221 | $3,808.70 |
| Pipe Welder | $78,446 | $3,771.44 |
| Structural/Fabricator Welder | $69,333 | $3,333.32 |
| Craft Foreman | $85,680 | $4,119.23 |
| General Foreman | $92,530 | $4,448.56 |
| Project Manager | $116,938 | $5,622.02 |
| Project Superintendent | $115,618 | $5,558.56 |
Service and maintenance wage references
BLS national cross-industry means for wage and salary employees, May 2025. The 100-hour scenario uses the published hourly wage. These occupations and sampling methods differ from NCCER’s craft survey; the tables are not blended.
| Occupation | Annual mean | 100 hours of wages |
|---|---|---|
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners | $38,760 | $1,864.00 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners | $37,080 | $1,783.00 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers | $42,290 | $2,033.00 |
| Tree trimmers and pruners | $55,970 | $2,691.00 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general | $53,780 | $2,586.00 |
| Construction laborers | $52,030 | $2,502.00 |
Every reported home-construction cost component
National 2024 averages from 41 NAHB builders describing their typical new single-family home. Includes all 36 detailed components and the unallocated “Other” category. These are whole-home survey amounts, not unit prices for remodeling or service work. Published components can differ slightly from totals because of rounding.
Source: NAHB, January 2025, Table 1. Percentages use construction cost as their denominator.
| Component & stage | Average cost | Share of cost |
|---|---|---|
| Building Permit FeesSite work | $7,640 | 1.8% |
| Impact FeeSite work | $6,367 | 1.5% |
| Water & Sewer Fees InspectionsSite work | $6,260 | 1.5% |
| Architecture, EngineeringSite work | $6,480 | 1.5% |
| OtherSite work | $5,972 | 1.4% |
| Excavation, Foundation, Concrete, Retaining walls, and BackfillFoundations | $43,002 | 10.0% |
| OtherFoundations | $1,747 | 0.4% |
| Framing (including roof)Framing | $49,763 | 11.6% |
| Trusses (if not included above)Framing | $12,903 | 3.0% |
| Sheathing (if not included above)Framing | $6,513 | 1.5% |
| General Metal, SteelFraming | $1,718 | 0.4% |
| OtherFraming | $85 | 0.0% |
| Exterior Wall FinishExterior finishes | $24,450 | 5.7% |
| RoofingExterior finishes | $16,732 | 3.9% |
| Windows and Doors (including garage door)Exterior finishes | $15,990 | 3.7% |
| OtherExterior finishes | $338 | 0.1% |
| Plumbing (except fixtures)Major systems rough-ins | $27,180 | 6.3% |
| Electrical (except fixtures)Major systems rough-ins | $27,383 | 6.4% |
| HVACMajor systems rough-ins | $26,938 | 6.3% |
| OtherMajor systems rough-ins | $817 | 0.2% |
| InsulationInterior finishes | $6,992 | 1.6% |
| DrywallInterior finishes | $13,962 | 3.3% |
| Interior Trims, Doors, and MirrorsInterior finishes | $12,920 | 3.0% |
| PaintingInterior finishes | $11,150 | 2.6% |
| LightingInterior finishes | $5,392 | 1.3% |
| Cabinets, CountertopsInterior finishes | $19,056 | 4.5% |
| AppliancesInterior finishes | $7,499 | 1.8% |
| FlooringInterior finishes | $15,388 | 3.6% |
| Plumbing FixturesInterior finishes | $7,922 | 1.9% |
| FireplaceInterior finishes | $2,378 | 0.6% |
| OtherInterior finishes | $732 | 0.2% |
| LandscapingFinal steps | $9,269 | 2.2% |
| Outdoor Structures (deck, patio, porches)Final steps | $4,722 | 1.1% |
| DrivewayFinal steps | $9,635 | 2.3% |
| Clean UpFinal steps | $3,183 | 0.7% |
| OtherFinal steps | $902 | 0.2% |
| Other construction costsOther | $8,835 | 2.1% |
Find a wage reference for your trade
Every trade template on this site appears here. A broader occupation is named where relevant; “No exact role” means the selected reports do not establish a trade-specific wage. Owner earnings, crew productivity and customer selling rates are separate.
| Site trade | Reference & annual amount | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Carpet cleaning | Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners$38,760 · BLS May 2025 | Broader cleaning occupation; carpet-specific rate unavailable. |
| Cleaning | Maids and housekeeping cleaners$37,080 · BLS May 2025 | Housekeeping occupation; match the actual work scope. |
| Commercial cleaning | Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners$38,760 · BLS May 2025 | Broader occupation; not a commercial cleaning bill rate. |
| Concrete | Concrete Finisher$66,329 · NCCER 2026 | Craft salary; separate crew hours and burden. |
| Deck | Carpenter$65,894 · NCCER 2026 | Broader carpentry craft; decking-specific rate unavailable. |
| Drywall | Drywall Installer$53,387 · NCCER 2026 | Craft salary; finishing and helpers may differ. |
| Flooring | No exact roleUnavailable | No exact flooring role in the selected salary study. |
| Handyman | Maintenance and repair workers, general$53,780 · BLS May 2025 | Broader maintenance occupation; owner earnings excluded. |
| Home repair | Maintenance and repair workers, general$53,780 · BLS May 2025 | Broader maintenance occupation; each trade may differ. |
| HVAC | HVAC Technician$80,848 · NCCER 2026 | Craft salary; service calls and new installation may differ. |
| Junk removal | No exact roleUnavailable | No exact junk-removal role in the selected salary study. |
| Landscaping | Landscaping and groundskeeping workers$42,290 · BLS May 2025 | Broader landscaping occupation; construction work may differ. |
| Lawn care | Landscaping and groundskeeping workers$42,290 · BLS May 2025 | Broader occupation; not a lawn-service selling rate. |
| Painting | Painter$54,637 · NCCER 2026 | Craft salary; specialist coatings have their own row. |
| Plumbing | Plumber$76,133 · NCCER 2026 | Craft salary; pipefitting has a separate row. |
| Pool | No exact roleUnavailable | No exact pool-service or pool-construction role in the selected study. |
| Pressure washing | No exact roleUnavailable | No exact pressure-washing role; industrial hydroblasting is a different job. |
| Remodeling | Carpenter$65,894 · NCCER 2026 | One relevant craft; a remodel normally needs several trades. |
| Roofing | Roofer$59,280 · NCCER 2026 | Craft salary; helper and supervisory costs differ. |
| Snow removal | No exact roleUnavailable | No exact snow-removal role in the selected salary study. |
| Tree removal | Tree trimmers and pruners$55,970 · BLS May 2025 | Broader tree-work occupation; match equipment and scope. |
| Window cleaning | Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners$38,760 · BLS May 2025 | Broader cleaning occupation; high-access work may differ. |
All 40 construction estimating findings
Each row represents a different original publication. Amounts, shares, survey results and forecasts retain their own periods and populations.
| Measure | Value & period | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Private-construction total employer compensation | $51.96 per hour workedJune 2026 | BLSSeptember 2026 |
| Construction/extraction median hourly wage | $28.63May 2025 | BLSMay 2026 |
| Construction craft and management salary range | $52,000 to $116,938 a year2026 survey | NCCERaccessed October 2026 |
| Construction payroll share at establishments with fewer than 20 employees | 28.3%2023 payroll | CPWRApril 2026 |
| Contractors reporting worker-related project delays | 42%July–August 2026 survey | AGC and NCCERSeptember 2026 |
| Builders reporting serious labor cost/availability problems | 61%2025 builder experience | NAHBFebruary 2026 |
| Construction job openings | 251 thousandAugust 2026 preliminary, seasonally adjusted | BLSSeptember 2026 |
| Projected net new construction workers required | 349,0002026 forecast | ABC / Construction ExecutiveJanuary 2026 |
| Contractor average pretax income margin | 6.8%Fiscal year 2025 | CFMAaccessed October 2026 |
| Single-family builder net profit margin | 8.7%2023 financial results | NAHBApril 2025 |
| Residential remodeler net profit margin | 6.3%2024 financial results | NAHBApril 2026 |
| Typical new single-family home construction cost | $428,2152024 survey | NAHBJanuary 2025 |
| Architecture Billings Index | 44.7September 2026 and October survey | AIAOctober 2026 |
| Total construction spending, annual rate | $2,203.1 billionAugust 2026 | US Census BureauOctober 2026 |
| Privately owned housing starts, annual rate | 1,221,000 unitsSeptember 2026 | US Census Bureau and HUDOctober 2026 |
| Projected 2026 nonresidential building-spending decline | 0.3%2026 forecast | AIAJuly 2026 |
| Construction Backlog Indicator | 8.7 monthsSeptember 2026 survey | ABC / Construction ExecutiveOctober 2026 |
| Remodelers reporting larger project scopes | 57%2025 survey | NAR and NARIApril 2025 |
| ADU projects costing at least $150,000 | 62%Q3 2026 survey | NAHBOctober 2026 |
| Projected annual owner-occupied improvement/repair spending | $525 billionQ3 2027 forecast | Harvard Joint Center for Housing StudiesOctober 2026 |
| Apparent cement consumption | 110 million metric tons2025 estimate | USGSFebruary 2026 |
| Wallboard product sales | 26 billion square feet2025 estimate | USGSFebruary 2026 |
| Construction share of steel shipments | 31%2025 estimate | USGSFebruary 2026 |
| US on-highway diesel price, including tax | $6.352 per gallonWeek of October 26, 2026 | EIAOctober 2026 |
| Final-demand construction producer-price annual increase | 5.4%September 2025–September 2026 preliminary | BLSOctober 2026 |
| Crushed-stone average producer unit value | $18.50/metric ton2025 estimate | USGSFebruary 2026 |
| Construction sand/gravel average producer unit value | $14.50/metric ton2025 estimate | USGSFebruary 2026 |
| Copper net import reliance | 57%2025 estimate | USGSFebruary 2026 |
| Building share of aluminum consumption | 13%2025 estimate | USGSFebruary 2026 |
| Regulatory cost per new single-family home | $131,7342026 study | NAHBJune 2026 |
| Single-family builders reporting lot shortages | 64%May 2025 survey | NAHBSeptember 2025 |
| Effective speculative single-family construction-loan rate | 11.82%Q2 2026 | NAHBAugust 2026 |
| Single-family construction productivity decline | 4.5%2025 annual change | BLSSeptember 2026 |
| Added building time attributed to skilled-labor shortage | 1.98 months2025 study | HBI, NAHB and University of DenverJune 2025 |
| Single-family start-to-completion time | 7.4 months2025 completions in permit-issuing places | US Census BureauApril 2026 |
| Contractors raising bids in response to tariffs | 40%November–December 2025 survey for 2026 outlook | AGC and SageJanuary 2026 |
| Home builders reporting AI use in any business function | 64%August–September 2026 survey of 300 home builders | Home Innovation Research LabsOctober 2026 |
| Fatal injuries in construction and extraction occupations | 1,0322024 | BLSFebruary 2026 |
| Construction recordable nonfatal injury/illness rate | 2.2 per 100 FTE2024 | BLSJanuary 2026 |
| Construction/demolition debris generated | 600 million US short tons2018 estimate | EPANovember 2020 |
On this page
- What does construction labor cost before a contractor adds margin?
- How often do labor gaps disrupt construction bids and schedules?
- What do contractor margins and cash-flow benchmarks show?
- Where does a new home’s construction budget go?
- What does the project pipeline imply for future estimating work?
- What do remodeling customers and contractors report?
- Which material and fuel benchmarks belong beside a cost estimate?
- How do financing, regulation and land affect an estimate?
- What changes labor productivity and the hours in a bid?
- How are contractors changing bids and estimating technology?
- What safety and disposal context belongs in the job plan?
- Methods
- Sources
What does construction labor cost before a contractor adds margin?
Wages, total employee compensation and a contractor’s selling rate measure different things.
| Measure | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Median construction/extraction wage | $28.63/hour | May 2025 |
| Construction employer compensation | $51.96/hour worked | June 2026 |
| Benefits share of compensation | 30.5% | June 2026 |
- US private construction employers paid an average $51.96 per hour worked in total employee compensation in June 2026. (BLS, September 2026)
- The US median hourly wage across construction and extraction occupations was $28.63 in May 2025. (BLS, May 2026)
- NCCER’s 2026 US construction salary survey reported role averages ranging from $52,000 to $116,938 a year, including craft and management positions. (NCCER, accessed October 2026)
- US construction establishments with fewer than 20 employees accounted for 28.3% of the sector’s annual payroll in 2023, according to CPWR’s analysis. (CPWR, April 2026)
How often do labor gaps disrupt construction bids and schedules?
AGC and NCCER surveyed contractors in July and August 2026; these are respondent shares, not probabilities for a particular job.
| Respondents reporting… | Share |
|---|---|
| Worker shortages delayed projects | 42% |
| Any significant project delay | 74% |
| Open hourly craft positions | 87% |
- In the 2026 US AGC–NCCER workforce survey, 42% of respondents said shortages of their own or subcontractors’ workers had delayed projects. (AGC and NCCER, September 2026)
- In NAHB’s US home-builder survey released in February 2026, 61% of respondents said labor cost or availability had been a serious problem in 2025. (NAHB, February 2026)
- US construction had an estimated 251 thousand job openings on the last business day of August 2026, seasonally adjusted, in BLS’s preliminary release. (BLS, September 2026)
- ABC’s January 2026 US model projected that construction would need to attract 349,000 net new workers during 2026 to balance labor supply and expected demand. (ABC / Construction Executive, January 2026)
What do contractor margins and cash-flow benchmarks show?
CFMA’s 2026 edition covers FY2025 results from 1,359 screened companies; national peer benchmarks are distinct from a job’s markup.
| Measure | Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Gross profit / revenue | 17.6% |
| SG&A / revenue | 11.2% |
| Net income before tax / revenue | 6.8% |
| Days of cash | 29.4 |
| Days in accounts receivable | 52.0 |
- CFMA’s 2026 construction Benchmarker reported an average net income before tax margin of 6.8% for all respondents in FY2025. (CFMA, accessed October 2026)
- US single-family builders in NAHB’s 2025 Cost of Doing Business Study reported an average net profit margin of 8.7% for 2023. (NAHB, April 2025)
- US residential remodelers in NAHB’s 2026 business-cost study reported an average net profit margin of 6.3% for 2024. (NAHB, April 2026)
Where does a new home’s construction budget go?
NAHB’s 2024 survey describes typical homes reported by 41 builders, rather than a representative price for a local project.
| Stage | Average cost | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Site work | $32,719 | 7.6% |
| Foundations | $44,748 | 10.5% |
| Framing | $70,982 | 16.6% |
| Exterior finishes | $57,510 | 13.4% |
| Major systems rough-ins | $82,319 | 19.2% |
| Interior finishes | $103,391 | 24.1% |
| Final steps | $27,710 | 6.5% |
| Other | $8,835 | 2.1% |
- The typical new single-family home reported in NAHB’s 2024 US construction cost survey had average construction costs of $428,215. (NAHB, January 2025)
What does the project pipeline imply for future estimating work?
Architecture billings describe design activity; Census spending and starts describe construction activity.
| Measure | Latest reading | Reference period |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture Billings Index | 44.7; 50 = no change | September 2026 |
| Architecture-firm backlog | 6.2 months | Q3 2026 |
| Construction spending annual rate | $2,203.1 billion | August 2026 |
| Housing starts annual rate | 1,221,000 units | September 2026 |
- The US AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index was 44.7 in September 2026, below the no-change level of 50. (AIA, October 2026)
- US construction spending ran at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2,203.1 billion in August 2026. (US Census Bureau, October 2026)
- US privately owned housing starts ran at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,221,000 units in September 2026. (US Census Bureau and HUD, October 2026)
- AIA’s July 2026 consensus forecast projected a 0.3% decline in US nonresidential building construction spending in 2026. (AIA, July 2026)
- ABC’s US member survey reported an average construction backlog of 8.7 months in September 2026. (ABC / Construction Executive, October 2026)
What do remodeling customers and contractors report?
The NAR–NARI 2025 study measures remodeling demand, homeowner decisions and modeled resale recovery separately.
| Measure | Share | Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Larger project scopes | 57% | NARI members |
| Increased project demand | 42% | NARI members |
| Would remodel more if cost allowed | 92% | Consumers |
- In the 2025 NAR–NARI US remodeling study, 57% of NARI members reported larger project scopes over the preceding two years. (NAR and NARI, April 2025)
- In NAHB’s Q3 2026 US remodeling survey, 62% of reported accessory-dwelling-unit projects cost at least $150,000. (NAHB, October 2026)
- Harvard’s October 2026 LIRA projected US owner-occupied home improvement and repair spending at about $525 billion annually through Q3 2027, in nominal dollars. (Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, October 2026)
Which material and fuel benchmarks belong beside a cost estimate?
These national production, consumption and pump-price measures provide market context; they are separate from supplier quotations.
| Measure | Value | Reference period |
|---|---|---|
| Apparent cement consumption | 110 million metric tons | 2025 estimate |
| Wallboard product sales | 26 billion square feet | 2025 estimate |
| Construction share of steel shipments | 31% | 2025 estimate |
| US on-highway diesel, tax included | $6.352/gallon | October 26, 2026 |
- US apparent cement consumption in 2025 was estimated at 110 million metric tons by USGS. (USGS, February 2026)
- US wallboard product sales in 2025 were estimated at 26 billion square feet by USGS. (USGS, February 2026)
- Construction accounted for an estimated 31% of US steel mill product net shipments by market classification in 2025. (USGS, February 2026)
- US on-highway diesel averaged $6.352 per gallon, including taxes, for the week of October 26, 2026. (EIA, October 2026)
- US producer prices for final-demand construction rose 5.4% from September 2025 to September 2026 in BLS’s preliminary, unadjusted index. (BLS, October 2026)
- USGS estimated the US average unit value of crushed stone at $18.50 per metric ton in 2025, a producer-level benchmark rather than a delivered jobsite price. (USGS, February 2026)
- USGS estimated the US average unit value of construction sand and gravel at $14.50 per metric ton in 2025, before project-specific delivery and handling. (USGS, February 2026)
- US net import reliance for copper reached an estimated 57% of apparent consumption in 2025, according to USGS. (USGS, February 2026)
- Building applications accounted for an estimated 13% of US aluminum consumption in 2025, according to USGS. (USGS, February 2026)
How do financing, regulation and land affect an estimate?
Financing and regulatory costs belong to different budgets and populations; these studies report their own scope.
| Measure | Reported value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory costs in a typical new-home price | $131,734 | NAHB 2026 study |
| Effective speculative construction-loan rate | 11.82% | NAHB Q2 2026 |
| Builders reporting a lot shortage | 64% | NAHB May 2025 survey |
- Regulatory requirements added $131,734 to the average US new single-family home price in NAHB’s 2026 study. (NAHB, June 2026)
- In NAHB’s May 2025 US survey, 64% of single-family builders reported a low or very low supply of developed lots. (NAHB, September 2025)
- NAHB’s Q2 2026 US builder and developer survey reported an average effective interest rate of 11.82% on speculative single-family construction loans. (NAHB, August 2026)
What changes labor productivity and the hours in a bid?
National output per hour is a productivity measure, while survey responses describe builders’ experience.
| Measure | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Single-family construction productivity change | −4.5% | BLS 2025 |
| Start-to-completion time: single-family buildings | 7.4 months | Census 2025 |
| Added construction time attributed to labor shortages | 1.98 months | HBI 2025 study |
- US single-family residential construction labor productivity fell 4.5% in 2025, according to BLS’s September 2026 update. (BLS, September 2026)
- The HBI-commissioned 2025 US home-building study estimated an unweighted average 1.98 extra construction months attributable to skilled-labor shortages. (HBI, NAHB and University of Denver, June 2025)
- US privately owned single-family buildings completed in permit-issuing places in 2025 took an average 7.4 months from construction start to completion, according to Census. (US Census Bureau, April 2026)
How are contractors changing bids and estimating technology?
These original surveys cover different samples, so their respondent shares are shown separately.
| Survey measure | Share | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Raised bid prices in response to actual/proposed tariffs | 40% | AGC–Sage 2026 outlook |
| Home builders using AI in any business function | 64% | Home Innovation 2026 survey |
- In the AGC–Sage 2026 US outlook survey, 40% of construction firms said actual or proposed tariffs had led them to raise bid prices. (AGC and Sage, January 2026)
- In Home Innovation Research Labs’ August–September 2026 survey of 300 US home builders, 64% reported using AI in at least one business function. (Home Innovation Research Labs, October 2026)
What safety and disposal context belongs in the job plan?
Injury prevention and disposal require job-specific allowances; national incidence and waste volumes are context, not price factors.
| Measure | Value | Population / period |
|---|---|---|
| Nonfatal injury and illness incidence | 2.2 per 100 FTE workers | Private construction, 2024 |
| Fatal occupational injuries | 1,032 | Construction/extraction occupations, 2024 |
| Construction and demolition debris | 600 million US short tons | Buildings, roads and bridges, 2018 |
- US construction and extraction occupations recorded 1,032 fatal work injuries in 2024, according to BLS’s occupational fatality census. (BLS, February 2026)
- US private construction employers recorded 2.2 nonfatal injury and illness cases per 100 full-time-equivalent workers in 2024, according to BLS. (BLS, January 2026)
- US construction and demolition generated an estimated 600 million US short tons of debris in 2018 across buildings, roads, bridges and other structures, according to EPA. (EPA, November 2020)
Methods and next review
We checked 76 candidate figures and kept 40 findings, with one finding per original publication. Repeated takeaways and supporting table rows are excluded from that count. Figures retain their original geography, period and population; observed results, survey responses and forecasts are identified separately.
The labor reference combines two clearly separated source tables: NCCER’s complete 38-role salary study and six BLS occupations relevant to the site’s service trades. Annual-salary equivalents assume 2,080 straight-time hours. The 100-hour scenarios contain wages only. NCCER’s voluntary employer sample and BLS’s national cross-industry estimates are not interchangeable; neither supplies a customer billing rate.
NAHB’s table is a small builder sample describing typical new homes. CFMA’s company-level financial ratios and NAR–NARI’s remodeling responses describe their respective respondents. Census annual rates are seasonally adjusted estimates, not spending or starts during a single month. USGS marks the material figures as estimates.
Next review: November 3, 2026 for weekly fuel prices, November 28, 2026 for monthly indicators, and April 28, 2027 for annual reports. To report a correction, send the figure and source through our contact form.
Sources
- BLS: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2025 · May 2026.
- BLS: Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026 · September 2026.
- NCCER: 2026 Construction Craft Salary Survey · accessed October 2026.
- AGC and NCCER: 2026 Workforce Survey release · September 2026.
- CFMA: 2026 Financial Benchmarker Executive Summary · accessed October 2026.
- NAHB: Cost of Constructing a Home—2024 · January 2025.
- AIA: September 2026 Architecture Billings Index · October 2026.
- NAR and NARI: 2025 Remodeling Impact Report · April 2025.
- USGS: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Cement · February 2026.
- USGS: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Gypsum · February 2026.
- USGS: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Iron and Steel · February 2026.
- EIA: Weekly US on-highway diesel price history: October 26, 2026 · October 2026.
- US Census Bureau: Census archived Construction Spending bulletin, October 1, 2026 · October 2026.
- US Census Bureau and HUD: New Residential Construction, September 2026 · October 2026.
- NAHB: Government Regulation in the Price of a New Home · June 2026.
- NAHB: Cost of Doing Business Study, 2025 edition · April 2025.
- NAHB: Remodelers’ Cost of Doing Business Study, 2026 edition · April 2026.
- NAHB: Biggest Challenges Expected by Home Builders in 2026 · February 2026.
- NAHB: Home Building Lot Shortage Continues · September 2025.
- NAHB: A Quarter of Remodelers Started ADUs Over Past Twelve Months · October 2026.
- NAHB: Acquisition, Development and Construction Financing Survey · August 2026.
- BLS: Construction Labor Productivity, updated September 28, 2026 · September 2026.
- BLS: Job Openings and Labor Turnover, August 2026, Table 1 · September 2026.
- BLS: Producer Price Index, September 2026, Table 1 · October 2026.
- BLS: Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2024, occupation table · February 2026.
- BLS: Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2024, Table 1 · January 2026.
- USGS: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Crushed Stone · February 2026.
- USGS: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Construction Sand and Gravel · February 2026.
- USGS: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Copper · February 2026.
- USGS: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Aluminum · February 2026.
- AGC and Sage: 2026 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook · January 2026.
- HBI, NAHB and University of Denver: Economic Impact of Housing Industry Labor Shortage · June 2025.
- Home Innovation Research Labs: Builders Turn to AI to Cut Costs and Cycle Times · October 2026.
- EPA: Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2018 Fact Sheet · November 2020.
- US Census Bureau: Average Length of Time from Start to Completion, United States · April 2026.
- Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies: October 2026 Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity · October 2026.
- CPWR: Small Establishments in Construction: Employment, Injuries, and Training · April 2026.
- AIA: July 2026 Consensus Construction Forecast · July 2026.
- ABC / Construction Executive: Construction Backlog Indicator, September 2026 · October 2026.
- ABC / Construction Executive: Construction Industry Workforce Shortage Model, 2026 · January 2026.
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Cite this page: Contractor Estimate Template. “40 Construction Estimating Statistics (2026).” Updated October 28, 2026. https://contractorestimatetemplate.com/estimating/construction-estimating-statistics/
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