Overall, the value of underlying projects rose 7% on the previous quarter and remained 3% ahead of last year’s levels, a sign of resilience despite challenges elsewhere, Roofing Today reported.

Housebuilding was the clear bright spot, helping to prop up wider industry performance. Private and social housing drove a 24% quarterly rise in project starts.

Private housing alone surged 29% year-on-year, while social housing experienced a 3% upturn annually after a strong spring showing.

Performance in non-residential verticals was mixed. While some sectors, including community & amenity, health and offices, saw strong gains, others, including education, hotel & leisure and retail, posted sharp declines.

Meanwhile, civils suffered a significant setback. Starts fell 22% quarterly and annually, reflecting a slowdown across infrastructure and utilities projects.

Residential construction saw a significant boost in the three months to April, with overall starts rising 24% compared to the previous quarter and up 22% on 2024 levels. This growth was driven by both private and social housing, which showed notable improvements.

Private housing starts surged 22% compared to the preceding three months, a 29% increase compared to last year.

Social housing also performed strongly, with a 29% increase over the previous quarter and a 3% increase over the same period in 2024.

Community and amenity project starts rose 21% compared to the previous three months, increasing 19% on the same period last year.

Health project starts also saw a positive trend, rising 12% on the previous quarter and standing 2% up on the year before.