Building Materials/Construction
Specialty Building Products Named Trex’s Sole National Distributor
July 15, 2026
Research
Residential Building Permits Up 13.5% in August
And housing starts are up compared to year-ago period and the previous month, according to the latest residential construction report from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Construction spending in November 2021 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,625.9 billion, 0.4% above the revised October estimate of $1,618.8 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Privately owned housing units authorized by building permits in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,728,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 13.5% above the August 2020 rate of 1,522,000 and 6% above the revised July rate of 1,630,000.
Single‐family authorizations in August were at a rate of 1,054,000; this is 0.6% above the revised July figure of 1,048,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 632,000 in August.
Privately owned housing starts in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,615,000. This is 17.4% above the August 2020 rate of 1,376,000 and 3.9% above the revised July estimate of 1,554,000. Single‐family housing starts in August were at a rate of 1,076,000; this is 2.8% below the revised July figure of 1,107,000. The August rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 530,000.
Privately owned housing completions in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,330,000. This is 9.4% above the August 2020 rate of 1,216,000 but 4.5% below the revised July estimate of 1,392,000. Single‐family housing completions in August were at a rate of 971,000; this is 2.8% above the revised July rate of 945,000. The August rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 356,000.
