Landscape Architect & Specifier News

MAR 2018

LASN is a photographically oriented, professional journal featuring topics of concern and state-of-the-art projects designed or influenced by registered Landscape Architects.

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100 Landscape Architect and Specifier News I n f o r m a t i o n R e q u e s t # 5 0 7 ASLA 4th Quarter Business Survey The ASLA's 4th quarter national business survey was fielded January 11 to January 25, 2018, with 161 primary firm contacts responding. The majority of respondents (82.4%) described business conditions for 2017 as stable to significantly better than the previous year. Fully 84.8% of respondents said inquiries for new work were stable to significantly higher during the fourth quarter of 2017, an uptick from the second (83.1%) and third quarters of 2017 (82.1%). It is a jump from past fourth quarters of 2016 (77.8%), 2015 (71.7%), 2014 (76.8%) and 2013 (74.4%). Year-to-year, 81.6% of firms said that billable hours were stable to significantly higher—much higher than what had been reported for the fourth quarter of 2016 (77.3%). This number is within range of what had been reported for the fourth quarters of 2015 (81.7%) 2014 (80.2%) and 2013 (81.5%). Year to year, 88.1% of respondents said that fourth quarter inquiries for new work were stable to significantly higher, a jump from what had been reported for the fourth quarters of 2016 (81.7%), 2015 (81.2%), 2014 (84.6%) and 2013 (81.5%). General Business Conditions in 2018 90.6% of responding firms said they expect business conditions this year to be about the same or better than they are now, a rise from the 81.3% from the 2016 fourth quarter survey. About 98.1% of respondents said their level of optimism for the general business climate in 2018 is about the same or more optimistic. This number is greater than the 82.1% reported for the 2016 fourth quarter survey. Hiring 60% of responding firms with two or more employees said that they plan to hire during the first quarter of 2018. Among larger firms (50-99 employees), 83.3% said they will hire either an experienced landscape architect or an entry-level landscape architect. 4th Quarter Billable Hours vs 3rd Quarter 4th Quarter Year-to-Year Billable Hours 4th Quarter Inquires for New Work vs Last Quarter Significantly higher (>10%) Slightly higher (5-10% higher) About the same (±5%) Slightly lower (5-10% lower) Significantly lower (>10%)

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