Is construction still hanging in there in Austin? (Houston, Dallas: RV park, condo)

[blockhed66]

I'm a masonry contractor in Vegas and the market here has just died. We have a licence in Austin that is inactive, and are thinking of temporarily relocating, just to stay alive until things pick up back home.I've heard some parts of Texas are still growing, although wages are quite low. Is this the case in Austin? Is there much brick or block work going on? How about commercial building? I'd appreciate any input. Thanks!

[Trainwreck20]

Had lunch at Shady Grove today, and the noise from the electric saws and hammering was kind of annoying. I guess they are continuing to building that oft-discussed condo on the old RV Park. Big crane up there going like crazy, too...maybe they are trying to finish before financing dried up .

[centralaustinite]

Residential construction is lagging but not dead yet (except for smaller builders). Commercial building is doing better (but architectural billings are dropping so the slow down is coming, it just isn't here quite yet). We are in much much better shape than Vegas. I have seen more brick work in the past 2 years than I have in the five years before that. But past performance can't predict the future.

On the whole, Texas is holding up pretty well. I would imagine that you could find work here or certainly in Dallas or Houston. But you need to find some contacts that are more plugged into the trades than most of us here.

[HappyTexan]

I still see new homes going up in Pflugerville in the newer subdivisions..not as much as before but it looks steady from week to week. There's always 2-3 homes that are in some stage of construction as I drive home.

[d.h.badger]

South Houston will be the place to work for a while. Lots of damage on the south part of the city. I have some friends down there roofing and doing cleanup work.

[blockhed66]

Thanks everyone. Sounds like the trouble is just beginning there.