Construction spending estimates are comprised of estimates based on mail-out/mail-back and interview surveys of selected construction projects and building owners, and estimates developed or compiled from other Census Bureau, federal agency, and private data sources. Directly measured (survey) estimates account for 65 percent of total monthly Construction spending; other estimates cover the remaining 35 percent of work done.
The Construction Progress Reporting Surveys are mail-out/mail-back surveys of owners of sampled construction projects that collect data on expenditures for 4 types of construction: privately-owned nonresidential construction, state and local construction, privately-owned multi-family, and federal construction projects.
The Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CE) program provides data on expenditures, income, and demographic characteristics of consumers in the United States. CE data are collected by the Census Bureau for BLS in two surveys, the Interview Survey for major and/or recurring items and the Diary Survey for more minor or frequently purchased items. Construction Spending data for residential improvements to owner-occupied housing units are derived from the Interview Survey .
Other estimates are developed or compiled for the Value of Construction Put in Place through various sources and surveys. Examples include estimates of new home construction activity for houses identified in the Survey of Construction; expenditures for railroad construction obtained from the Surface Transportation Board; and data on cable television construction obtained from industry trade association statistics.
