What is a housing start?
A housing start, also known as a new start, is an economic indicator used to determine the number of new residential construction projects that have begun over a certain period (such as a month, a quarter or a year).
The start of the construction is considered to be the date on which excavation begins for the footings or foundation of the building, or when work begins building on an existing foundation. All the housing units within a building are counted as having started when this excavation begins; for example, when work begins on semi-detached houses, or when work begins on the foundations of an apartment building.
The figures for new housing starts can provide an indicator for how the economy is performing over a given period of time. The types of new houses that are being started can also provide insights into the particular direction in which the economy is moving, e.g. a decline in new starts of suburban single-family houses and an increase in new starts of inner-city apartment buildings may indicate a move to more affordable housing options in closer proximity to urban centres.
Speculative builders and property developers use data on new housing starts to inform their procurement of land for development and their plans for their existing portfolio of land.
Politicians and economists use new starts data to assess the effectiveness of policies to tackle the housing crisis.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Quality Planning for Micro and Small to Medium Sized Enterprises
A CIOB Academy Technical Information sheet.
A briefing on fall protection systems for designers
A legal requirement and an ethical must.
CIOB Ireland launches manifesto for 2024 General Election
A vision for a sustainable, high-quality built environment that benefits all members of society.
Local leaders gain new powers to support local high streets
High Street Rental Auctions to be introduced from December.
Infrastructure sector posts second gain for October
With a boost for housebuilder and commercial developer contract awards.
Sustainable construction design teams survey
Shaping the Future of Sustainable Design: Your Voice Matters.
COP29; impacts of construction and updates
Amid criticism, open letters and calls for reform.
The properties of conservation rooflights
Things to consider when choosing the right product.
Adapting to meet changing needs.
London Build: A festival of construction
Co-located with the London Build Fire & Security Expo.
Tasked with locating groups of 10,000 homes with opportunity.
Delivering radical reform in the UK energy market
What are the benefits, barriers and underlying principles.
Information Management Initiative IMI
Building sector-transforming capabilities in emerging technologies.
Recent study of UK households reveals chilling home truths
Poor insulation, EPC knowledge and lack of understanding as to what retrofit might offer.
Embodied Carbon in the Built Environment
Overview, regulations, detail calculations and much more.
Why the construction sector must embrace workplace mental health support
Let’s talk; more importantly now, than ever.
Ensuring the trustworthiness of AI systems
A key growth area, including impacts for construction.