Concrete & Masonry Contractors
Industry Profile Report
Dive Deep into the industry with a 25+ page industry report (pdf format) including the following chapters
Industry Overview Current Conditions, Industry Structure, How Firms Operate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.
Call Preparation Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.
Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.
Industry Profile Excerpts
Industry Overview
The 41,000 concrete and masonry contractors in the US generate revenue by charging fees for pouring, forming, and finishing concrete foundations and structures and laying brick and stonework. Common concrete projects include the construction of foundations, walls, sidewalks, beams, columns, and panels. Common masonry projects include the installation of walls, siding, fireplaces, patios, fences, and walkways using brick, stone, concrete block, or veneers. Concrete and masonry contractors are specialty contractors, and may work with general contractors as part of a larger project.
Dependence on General Contractors
In many cases, concrete and masonry contractors act as subcontractors to a general contractor, who bids on and manages a construction job and disburses payment.
Dependence on Construction Industry and the Economy
Demand for concrete and masonry work is highly dependent on the state of the construction industry, which is cyclical and vulnerable to economic factors.
Industry size & Structure
The average concrete or masonry contractor operates out of a single location, employs 9-10 workers, and generates $1-3 million annually.
- The concrete and masonry contracting industry consists of about 41,000 firms that employ 405,000 workers and generate about $76 billion annually.
- Most companies operate on a regional or local basis.
- Large concrete contracting companies include Baker Concrete Construction, Structural Group, and CECO Construction Group.
- Large masonry contracting companies include Western Specialty Contractors, McGee Brothers, and Sun Valley Masonry.
Industry Forecast
Concrete & Masonry Contractors Industry Growth
Recent Developments
Jul 10, 2024 - Smaller Single-Family Lot Sizes
- A trend in smaller lot sizes for single-family detached homes has accelerated in recent years, according to the latest Survey of Construction by the US Census Bureau. Even as more families decamped to suburban areas seeking more space during the pandemic, lot sizes have continued to shrink. In 2023, lot sizes of less than 0.16 acres (less than 7,000 square feet) accounted for 40% of new single-family home sales compared to 30% in 2011. The share of lots under 0.16 acres has risen two percentage points since the pandemic began. Shrinking lot sizes suggest that firms that build homes speculatively have reduced lot and home sizes to cope with lot shortages and to offer more affordable homes as housing costs have risen.
- Low- to medium-density multifamily building construction has grown to account for a larger share of the overall multifamily market in recent years, according to National Association of Home Builders Analysis of US Census Bureau data. In 2024, there were 450,000 multifamily housing unit completions, marking the highest level in 37 years. Of those, 216,000 were buildings with fewer than 50 units, which was the largest share for low- to medium-density buildings since 2006.
- Demand for building design services slipped in May from the prior month, as architectural billings remain soft, according to a June report by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The AIA’s Architecture Billing Index (ABI) fell to 42.4 in May from April’s reading of 48.3. Any reading of 50 or more indicates growth in architectural billings. The score for new project inquiries fell to 52.1 in May compared to 54.8 in April, and the index for the value of new design contracts decreased from 49.2 to 45.6. The AIA’s Chief Economist, Kermit Baker said, "The decline in the May ABI score continues a year and a half of weakness in design billings at US architecture firms. However, firms only reported modest declines over the first half of this period. Over the past nine months, volatility has increased, and scores have softened more significantly, with the May score the weakest reported since the end of the pandemic recession."
- The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) increased 10.4% in June 2024 to 198.6 (2000=100), up from the revised May reading of 179.9. The Momentum Index is a monthly measure of the first (or initial) report for nonresidential building projects in planning, which has been shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year. On a monthly basis, the commercial planning component improved by 14.5%, but institutional was flat at 0.2%. Dodge’s associate director of forecasting, Sarah Martin, said, “Data centers continued to dominate planning projects in June – fueling another strong month for commercial planning. More momentum in planning, while not as strong as data centers, was seen across most segments and indicates confidence in 2025 market conditions. The DMI is up 43% from June 2019 levels, signaling strong construction spending in 2025.”
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