Economy
Construction E-Verify Audits Up 340% in 2026: How to Pass Without a Stand-Down
Construction e verify audit 2026 — ICE I-9 audits up 340%, NOI timelines, penalties $281-$27,894, internal audit protocol that keeps crews working.
Sarah Torres · 2026-05-23
EconomyWIP Reports for Contractors: How to Stop Misjudging Profit on Active Jobs
Construction work in progress reporting 2026 — percentage-of-completion math, over- and under-billing traps, and the WIP errors that hide losing jobs.
EconomyMarkup vs Margin for Contractors: The Pricing Mistake That Costs You Thousands
Markup vs margin explained for contractors. Free calculator, conversion table, real examples, and the pricing mistake that costs construction companies thousands.
EconomyConstruction Loan Interest Rates: April 2026 Update (8.4% Average)
Construction loan rates average 8.4% in April 2026 — down from 8.7% in late 2025. Current rates by project type (7.4% data centers to 9.4% hospitality), lender LTC changes, and what contractors need to know.
Key Metrics
PPI materials
267.4
indexProducer Price Index for construction materials. Measures input cost inflation for contractors.
Lumber
$487/MBF
Random Lengths composite price. Volatile — driven by Canadian tariffs and housing demand cycles.
Steel HRC
$820/ton
Hot-rolled coil steel. Key input for structural and rebar. Tariff-sensitive.
Construction GDP
+2.1%
AGC confidence
58