2022 is expected to be a massive year for construction, with a predicted growth of 3% globally. This expected growth is a great chance for companies to set themselves apart: but you have to be able to keep up with the trends customers are looking for.
These are the top construction trends to watch for in 2022 and why customers are so interested in them.
Building Sustainable Value into Properties
Many cities, like Philadelphia, have taken to adding a new fixed fee to any new construction projects. This fee has been pushed forward in an attempt to lower property costs so that more affordable housing is available and is known as the Development Impact Tax. For builders in this area, they'll have to deal with the fixed fee on any new construction and also a fee of 1% of the cost of renovations and alterations as of the beginning of 2022.
This cut has shifted how many are building properties, with a focus on building value with more valuable sustainable materials that can allow properties to be built for nearly the same price while adding far more value. Although the initial cost of a green building is 2% to 3% higher to build: they also sell for over $30,000 more than their non-green counterparts and often sell faster.
Color and Form to Create Unique Homes
With the huge increase in how many properties are popping up in 2022, it's no surprise that many are working hard to set themselves apart. If you're in a one-note neighborhood rehabbing a home, and your HOA doesn't have anything against it, you can make your property stand out with the right fiber cement board and batten siding. Muted green and other earthy colors, including warm grays that almost cross the line into sepia, have become the top colors for this year. If you want your property to look modern and stand out in a neighborhood of white and faded siding: green is the way to go.
Prefabrication
There's been a large push so far in 2022 to move towards prefabricated materials that need to simply be put to use on-site. In some cases, this might mean preformed concrete and other pieces that allow workers to focus on the metal stud ceiling framing details on space instead. This allows fewer hours on the worksite to create a fantastic building.
2022 Is The Year of Rental Development
Since 2020, the world has seen a massive increase in the need for rental properties, and in 2022 it’s coming to fruition. Many major cities have seen building permits approved for tens of thousands of properties. Philadelphia saw nearly ten thousand approved units at the beginning of this year, which is more than triple the average of three thousand new apartments it usually sees every year. Although there's no guarantee all ten thousand of these will be built this year: it's clear that rental units are a hot commodity that's quickly getting built by as many companies as possible and bought just as quickly by rental companies.
Skilled Labor Shortage Expenses
Due to the pandemic and the stigma that's still on construction work, the rate of skilled workers interested in construction has plummeted in recent years. Job openings for construction in 2021 bounced from 200,000 in the US to over 450,000 and then back down to 300,000 by the end of the year.
Employees are expecting higher wages and are less available: which is making construction far more expensive to do. In 2022 there's a trend of companies offering hiring bonuses and working on trying and building stronger teams. 2022 is the year that many construction companies have to train on the job, which means more time and effort has to go into every project.
This has also seen a jump in digitalization, which is becoming a trend in larger companies. These companies create collaboration between technology and people and allow robots to take over repetitive tasks like bricklaying, or laying out pieces for steel buildings, so workers can focus on other tasks.
Taking Stucco Into 2022
Stucco has been around for over nine thousand years, used both inside and outside of ancient buildings. It has a unique texture and look that keeps the eye moving and keeps a property cool in the summers. Unfortunately, stucco can be a poor choice for anywhere that's wet or humid since it traps water. Instead, in 2022 many are moving towards synthetic stucco. Able to keep the look and fantastic beauty that has made stucco so popular for over nine thousand years without any of the issues with it: synthetic stucco is set to be one of the most popular home exterior construction trends this year.
Construction is Booming in 2022
Whether you're starting out in new builds or you're interested in rehabbing and flipping properties, it's vital that you get to know what trends are shaping the construction world right now. Keep these in mind as you start your next project.
Sam Willis is a contributor to Innovative Building Materials. He is a blogger and content writer for the real estate industry. Sam is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that increase property value, maximize energy savings, and turn houses into homes.
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