Philadelphia Construction Law Blog

A recent trial in Delaware County, Pennsylvania resulted in a $24.3 million verdict in favor of the construction company Utility Line Services. The award, handed down by an 8 person jury panel, was arrived at by finding a breach of contract, violation of the Pennsylvania Contractor and Subcontractor Payment Act (“CASPA”), and wrongful termination of the contract.

Those who follow politics know that the “baby boomer” generation is often the topic of discussion in the context of budgetary and policy debates. The massive number of people that fit into that age demographic presents unique challenges in so many different ways. The construction industry, including in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, is no different.

The recent report from the U.S. Department of Labor on its producer price index showed mixed results for construction materials prices in March. Construction materials prices went up 0.5% from February, but they are up 1.1% from March of 2013. The number correlates closely with increases in non-residential construction materials prices, which were up 0.4%.

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives recently passed legislation which removes the exemption for harassment, stalking, or threats to use weapons of mass destruction when involved in a labor dispute from the criminal code. The bill, which can be read in its entirety here, passed the house with a vote of 115-74 and has moved over to the Senate for consideration.

Now that it is February and almost everyone’s New Years’ resolutions are officially broken, it seems a good time to review what some are projecting as possible trends in the construction industry in 2014. The following is a simple list of predictions gathered from various sources.

The Construction Back Log Indicator, a national economic measurement maintained by the Associated Builders and Contractors, has released its third quarter numbers. While chief economist Anirban Basu was cautiously optimistic that the economy’s gradual recovery remains underway, his analysis also contained some sobering elements.

The United States Commerce Department announced on October 22 that U.S. construction spending increased in July to the highest level in four years, largely based on gains in residential real estate construction.Construction spending climbed 0.6 percent compared to a median forecast of 51 economists surveyed by Bloomberg, which had called for a 0.4 percent increase.

In a positive sign for the construction economy, noted economist Anirban Basu recently commented on the stability of prices for construction materials in the Producer Price Index. He found the steadiness of construction material pricing particularly important given all the factors that suggest it should have risen.

The first lawsuit relating to the fatal building collapse at 22nd and Market Streets in Center City Philadelphia has been filed. Mariya Plekan, a Ukranian immigrant, has brought suit and listed a number of devastating injuries.

The Pennsylvania state legislature is now getting involved in the building collapse case in Philadelphia. Two state house committees will be holding hearings on the accident to evaluate how building codes impact demolition work and whether changes to the code can prevent the type of accidents that occurred in this instance. Both the Labor & Industry and Urban Affairs Committees will hold hearings on Tuesday at 1:00 at the Seaport Museum in Philadelphia.