RIBA Future Trends Survey Shows Growing Confidence

The RIBA Future Trends Workload Index was unchanged in April 2015, with workload forecasts remaining positive throughout the UK, with practices in London and the South of England the most confident about medium-term prospects.
Small practices (1–10 staff) are still positive about the outlook for future workloads (balance figure of+29); medium-sized practices (11–50 staff) and large-sized practices (51+ staff) continue to be even more optimistic about future growth (+74 and +75 respectively).In terms of different work sectors,the private housing sector workload forecast increased this month (rising to +38) and remains the best performing of the sector forecasts The commercial sector workload forecast fell slightly to +15,eliminating the previous month’s rise. The public sector forecast also decreased this month, down to +3.The community sector forecast experienced a significant decline,down to -3 in April 2015 from +9 in March 2015, entering negative territory for the first time since April 2013.
RIBA Director of Practice Adrian Dobson said: “The overall picture
is still one in which confidence levels amongst architects about
future workloads are high. The rising Future Trends Staffing
Index indicates a strong feeling that the current market for
architectural services is stable or growing for the vast majority of
practices.“However, there remains widespread reporting of intense
fee competition in many sectors,along with tight profit margins.
“The decline in the community sector forecast is somewhat disappointing, while the fall in the public sector forecast may reflect on-going uncertainty about future public sector capital spending.”