Poll: 50% of Contractors Report Project Backlog of 3 Months or Less
When asked what factors are impacting their backlog, several contractors pointed to a struggling economy and rising interest rates...
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A recent Equipment World poll found half of all contractor respondents had a backlog of three months or less.
“No backlog” was the most select option, by 25.2% of contractors. Over the month of October, 143 contractors took our online poll.
Fewer contractors said they have a backlog of seven to nine months (9.1%) or a 10- to 12-month backlog (8.4%). The percentage rose slightly for those with backlogs over a year, to 14.7%.
When asked what factors are impacting their backlog, several contractors pointed to a struggling economy and rising interest rates. Some pointed to fear in the market from the (at the time) upcoming election as a negative factor in their project backlog, and others mentioned a lack of government funding on projects. Some simply said there’s more competition in their area and less work to be had.
Other backlog factors contractors mentioned included rising material prices, permit approvals, the high cost of equipment and labor shortages.
The least selected category was a 10-12-month backlog at 8.4% of respondents.Equipment World
Looking back 12 months, 41% of contractors said their backlog was roughly the same as it was then, with another 41% saying it has gotten shorter. Only 19% of contractors said they have more work lined up now than they did in October 2023.
Only 19% of contractors said they have more work lined up now than they did one year ago.Equipment World
Looking ahead to the end of 2025, nearly half of responding contractors (48.3%) are saying they expect their backlog to be mostly unchanged from what it is now. Here though, a slightly larger percentage of contractors said they expect their backlog to grow in the next 12 months (28%) than those who forecast their backlog to shrink (24%).
Nearly half of all surveyed contractors are expecting to have roughly the same sized backlog in 12 months.Equipment World
Equipment World’s new poll series examines the latest trends in the industry and provides insights into what contractors are thinking. Got a burning question we should ask? Send it to Jordanne Waldschmidt at jordannewaldschmidt@fusable.com.
