Welcome back to our ongoing discussion about construction costs here on our Substack blog. Today, we’re diving into the extensive history of Engineering News Record (ENR), a publication with roots dating all the way back to 1874. It started off as two separate publications: Engineer & Surveyor and The Plumber and Sanitary Engineer, and eventually released its first combined issue on April 5, 1917. Fast forward to January 1, 1987, when it officially adopted the well-known acronym, ENR, as its title.
The data we’re about to share comes from ENR magazine, which hits the stands 26 times a year. For those interested in the historical angle, we sourced this information from microfiche copies archived at the New York Public Library. While the magazine is just one of the many valuable resources ENR provides, I highly recommend checking out their website, especially if you’re keen on engineering and construction. You can find it at ENR’s Official Website.
Now, let’s turn our attention to some riveting insights on construction materials. Concrete Ready-Mix prices have continued to climb, albeit at a reduced pace since April of last year. Despite this slower growth, January’s prices reached a new peak, showing a substantial 10.50% increase compared to the previous year.
Switching gears to base course crushed stone, which forms the foundation for various structures like roads and driveways, we saw a hefty rise after a mid-year dip in prices—shooting up 31.81% since last year.
Next up, MC800 Asphalt Paving. Prices have taken off since August and have surged by an impressive 34.91% since January of last year. Meanwhile, the 20-City average price of Portland Cement didn’t lag far behind, experiencing a nearly parabolic hike in the third quarter of last year. Although there’s been a recent pullback, prices are still 20.43% higher than they were year-over-year.
Perhaps the most striking increase is in the ENR 20-City Average Price of Masonry Sand, which has risen at an astounding rate—up 56.18% year-over-year. Looking back over the last five years, the hike is even more startling at 231.13% since January 2019.
And let’s not forget Concrete Sand. January saw yet another record high, with the 20-City Average Price jumping 46.94% year-over-year and an eye-popping 251.93% since January 2019.
All this data, courtesy of the esteemed Engineering News Record, provides a clear picture of the current landscape in construction costs. We’ve also harnessed the powerful charting capabilities of Optuma to visualize this information for you. If you’re interested in exploring these tools further, Optuma offers a 30-day trial of their charting software. Visit their website at Optuma’s Trial Page to learn more.
