Use our industry guide to find key background information, market research, import and export guidelines, statistics, legislation, trade bodies and trade publications.
The Business & Industry Guides series is produced by the Library & Information Service for ICAEW members and ACA students.
We can compile tailored key players reports, mailing lists, market reports, benchmarking reports and industry news. Our enquiry team can also research other industry-specific information, such as taxation, for you. Call us on +44 (0)20 7920 8620 or email library@icaew.com.
Trends and forecasts
Useful links
Regional crane surveys 2025
Series of reports from Deloitte on construction activity in Belfast, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester. Includes external influences, market drivers and future outlook for construction for each city centre. Sectors covered: residential; office; student, education and research; hotel, retail and leisure.
Market research
Market research reports focusing on this business sector are available from a number of market research specialists. In most cases these reports are available to fee-paying subscribers or on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Some free information is available from the following market research specialists, ranging from industry news to executive summaries of the reports.
Euromonitor
A full listing of reference products and research reports for the construction industry from Euromonitor, with a range of global, country and company level reports. Each report provides a contents
listing and a useful executive summary reporting on the key trends in each country report.
IBISWorld
Business and industry research specialists offering reports on a wide range of sectors, including construction. Report snapshots, table of contents and a sample report are available. The company also
produces global industry research reports.
Glenigan
UK research company specialising in the construction industry. A monthly index analyses the market by region and sector.
Mintel
Report from Mintel covering the UK construction sector. The website includes a summary and the option to view a contents listing
GlobalData
Research reports on the construction industry, examining key trends and opportunities in a wide number of countries. A summary is available for each report.
Industry news
Statistics on the UK
Office for National Statistics
The Annual Business Survey (ABS) from the Office for National Statistics collects financial information covering UK production, construction, distribution and service industries. Statistics available include:
- number of enterprises;
- total turnover;
- approximate gross value added at basic prices;
- total purchases of goods, materials and services;
- total employment costs;
- total net capital expenditure;
- total net capital expenditure – acquisitions;
- total net capital expenditure – disposals;
- total stocks and work in progress – value at end of year;
- total stocks and work in progress – value at beginning of year;
- total stocks and work in progress – increase during year.
The dataset Non-financial business economy, UK: Sections A to S includes statistics for:
- Construction of buildings (41)
See Section F: Construction - Civil engineering (42)
See Section F: Construction - Specialised construction activities (43)
See Section F: Construction
The Office for National Statistics also compiles Construction Statistics, covering output price and cost indices, international comparisons, employment data and a wide range of other statistical trends.
Statistics on Europe
Eurostat
Eurostat, the EU statistics hub, collates detailed Structural Business Statistics giving the latest figures for industry, construction, trade and services by sector and country. The indicators available include:
- number of enterprises
- turnover or gross premiums written
- production value
- value added at factor cost
- gross operating surplus
- wages and salaries
- social security costs
- gross investment in tangible goods
- gross investment in land
- gross investment in existing buildings and structures
- gross investment in construction and alteration of buildings
- gross investment in machinery and equipment
- number of employees
- number of persons employed per enterprise.
Statistics within the database are available for:
- Construction of buildings (F41)
- Civil engineering (F42)
- Specialised construction activities (F43)
See database section ‘SBS – industry and construction’.
Statistics on the Americas
Associated General Contractors of America
The Associated General Contractors of America compile construction data, including statistics on:
- Construction by state
- Employment
- Construction spending
Global statistics
INDSTAT
The UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) collects and compiles industrial statistics known as INDSTAT, which give information on:
- number of employees
- number of establishments
- output
- value added
- total wages and salaries.
Statistics by country are available for:
- Builders' carpentry and joinery (2022)
- Cement, lime and plaster (2694)
- Structural metal products (2811)
- Machinery for mining and construction (2924)
UN Industrial Commodity Statistics Database
The UN provides statistics on the quantity of goods produced by country in the Industrial Commodity Statistics Database.
Figures are available for:
- Tools for working in the hand, pneumatic, hydraulic or with self-contained non-electric motor (44)
- Mechanical shovels, excavators and shovel loaders (44)
- Bulldozers, self-propelled (44)
Employment
UK
The annual Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES), published by the Office for National Statistics, includes total employee and employment estimates for different industries for Great Britain and the UK. Figures are broken down to show full-time/part-time and public/private splits. The dataset Industry – Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES): Table 2 includes statistics for:
- Construction of buildings (41)
- Civil engineering (42)
- Specialised construction activities (43)
The Office for National Statistics publication Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) includes average employment costs within this sector which can be found in Table 14. Average employment costs are provided for full-time employees, part-time employees and all employees.
The data includes average employment costs for:
- architects;
- building trades; and
- quantity surveyors.
Other regions
Please see individual country profile pages for links to sources of national statistics.
Legislation and regulation
UK
Gov.uk provides some information and guidance relevant to the construction industry, including:
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has a section on construction, which includes latest regulations affecting this industry.
Practical resources and guidance
Working safely during coronavirus: Construction and other outdoor work
Guidance from GOV.UK for those who work in or run outdoor working environments on how to open workplaces safely while minimising the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Coronavirus - Impact on construction
Information hub from Build UK collating advice and guidance for employers on COVID-19 and construction-specific issues.
UK business guides
Tactical and Information Packages
HMRC published a series of Tactical and Information Packages (TIPs), replacing Business Economic Notes in 2007, offering guidance to HMRC officers to support compliance activity in the department. The TIPs provide trade-based information with some explanation of key features and trading practices. However, they were subsequently removed from the HMRC website following a policy change.
The text of TIP 62 on the construction industry as published at this time is still available from the article Tactical Information Packages(TIPS) on the AccountingWeb website, however this should be treated with caution as this may no longer be the current version.
UK key players, ratios and trends
Valuation
UK benchmarking
We offer benchmarking reports that can be used to inform your own business strategy or help you identify value-added services to offer to your clients.
Contact the enquiry team directly on +44 (0)20 7920 8620 or at library@icaew.com for a report tailored to your own specific requirements.
Trade bodies
The websites of trade bodies in this sector are a useful source of industry overviews, contacts and statistics.
UK
- British Woodworking Federation (BWF)
- Builders Merchants Federation (BMF)
- Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA)
- Chartered Institute of Building
- Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE)
- Civil Engineering Contractors Association
- Constructing Excellence
- Construction Employers Federation (CEF)
- Construction Industry Council (CIC)
- Construction Products Association
- Home Builders Federation (HBF)
- Institute of Construction Management (ICM)
- Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
- Institution of Structural Engineers (ISE)
- National Federation of Builders (NFB)
- National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC)
- National Platform for the Built Environment
- Painting and Decorating Association (PDA)
- Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
- Scottish Building Federation
- Steel Construction Institute (SCI)
- Society of Construction Law
Europe
Americas
Oceania
Global
Trade journals and publications
Trade journals, B2B magazines and specialist consumer magazines are another useful source of news and statistics.
Further reading
Articles and books in the Library collection
To find out how you can borrow books from the Library please see our guide to book loans.
You can obtain copies of articles or extracts of books and reports by post or email through our document supply service.
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