Volume 35, Number 2, February 2000

Industry Outlook

 

Comparative Shopper: Large Picture Window Prices

Wondering what other cities charge for a particular glass product? If the answer is yes, you’ll want to use our newly expanded Industry Outlook section as a valuable resource. Each month USGlass randomly calls five glass shops in different cities throughout the country. We will gain prices for a different glass product each month (tabletops, mirrors, patio door glass, etc). The glass featured in this issue is a piece of 80 by 50 clear 1-inch thick glass for a large picture window (first floor) with a wood frame (insulting unit).

Some interesting observations concluded from the survey include the fact that some glass shops were surprised by the large size of the glass to be replaced. While one New York City shop gave a price (shop #1), when asked for the installation cost, he replied, “I won’t install a piece of glass that big.” A few wouldn’t even give a price without coming out to survey the job. And of the shops who did offer prices, more than half pre-qualified the quote by saying, “I’d ballpark it at …” Ballpark indeed. You’ll see from the prices listed that some vary significantly among individual glass shops. Additionally, it seems that the price of glass is just another factor that makes living in the Big Apple so expensive. -TT

 

Privately Owned Housing Units Started

Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate, Thousands of Units

MONTH          ’97 TOTAL          ’98 TOTAL          ’99 TOTAL

January             —                          1,545                      1,820

February             —                        1,644                      1,752

March                  —                        1,583                      1,751

April                  1,480                      1,542                      1,574

May                  1,404                      1,541                      1,665

June                  1,502                      1,626                      1,571

July                  1,461                       1,719                      1,661

August             1,383                      1,615                      1,676

September         1,501                     1,576                      1,618

October             1,529                      1,698                      1,628

November         1,523                      1,654                      1,600

December         1,540                      1,750                      1,712

Average relative standard error three percent • (p=preliminary)

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce

 

 

Monthly Construction Contract Value

Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate, In Millions

DEC ’99 NOV ’99 % CHANGE

Nonresidential Bldg. $154,580 $141,359 +9

Residential Bldg. $186,353 $197,413 -6

Nonbuilding Const. $077,471 $080,028 -3

TOTAL CONST. $418,404 $418,795 —

 

 

YEAR-To-DATE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT VALUE

Unadjusted Totals, In Millions

                                               12 MOS ’99                  12 MOS ’98                  % CHANGE

Nonresidential Bldg.                  $154,756                          $146,597                              +6

Residential Bldg.                      $190,279                              $177,993                            +7

Nonbuilding Const.                  $078,975                              $070,521                              +12

TOTAL CONST.                  $424,010                              $395,111                              +7

USG

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