However, he added, “Nearly 22% of contractors had a project delayed or canceled in April due to tariffs, up from 18% in March, while 87% have been notified of tariff-related materials price increases.”

Since April 2024, backlog has risen 0.3%. The increase is largely spurred by projects over $100 million, up 2.2% for the year, while backlog for projects under $30 million rose 0.2%. The number projects in the works in the $30-$50 million and $50-$100 million ranges fell 0.8% and 0.6%, respectively.

Overall, contractors remain relatively positive about the outlook for construction in the near future, according to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index for April, but uncertainty remains when looking at the long-term picture. “While ABC members remain upbeat about the near-term outlook, the share of respondents that expect their sales to decline over the next six months rose to 19% in April, up 6 percentage points since the start of the year,” Basu pointed out.