Over the last several years, construction firms performing work throughout the Southwest have been hoping that activity would pick up. For the most part, it has. In fact, six of the top 10 and five of the top seven firms responding to ENR Southwest's annual survey of general contractors reported an increase in revenue during 2013 compared with the prior year.
But more than six years since the downturn hit the U.S., it is becoming clear to many construction executives that "recovery" doesn't necessarily mean a return to levels seen in 2006. Industry insiders call it a "new normal" that includes steady, measured growth and enough activity for the firms still standing to prosper.