Residential Spending Up, But Nonresidential Still Soft in March

AGC’s analysis of the March 2026 Census Bureau spending data shows total construction up 0.6 percent month-over-month, driven largely by residential gains. Single-family and multifamily both contributed. Manufacturing construction continued to pull back, and public construction dipped slightly. The report covers where money is moving across construction spending categories and what the trend line looks like after a weak start to the year.

The split between residential strength and nonresidential softness matters for how GCs are positioning their pursuit strategy right now. Firms that chased data center and manufacturing work over the last two years are competing for a shrinking slice of active opportunity. The residential rebound is real, but the margins on that work are different, the sub pool overlaps less, and the schedule expectations are brutal. If your estimating capacity is split across both segments, you need to be honest about where your win rate actually lives. Pouring hours into nonresidential pursuits while residential GCs are actively bidding volume is a resource decision, not just a market observation. Comms Center’s bid tracking gives estimators a clear view of which pursuits are gaining traction and which trades are covered, so you’re not spreading coverage thin across the wrong jobs.

Read the full story at AGC News.