ASLA Q1 Business Survey—Mostly Stable, Some Positive Growth

The 2012 first quarter business survey of the American Society of Landscape Architects was fielded April 9 through 20, with 301 primary firm contacts responding.

Year to year, more than three-quarters of firms indicated stable or positive Q1 2012 growth in new business inquiries (76.2 percent), a number nearly identical to the Q1 2011 figure (76.6 percent).

Year to year, about seven of 10 firms (71.3 percent) reported stable or improved billable hours. The Q1 2011 number was 67.9 percent. Nancy Somerville, executive vice president and CEO of ASLA, judged the survey data as indicative of slow but positive improvement.

Quarter to Quarter (1Q 2012 vs 4Q 2011) Billable Hours

Quarter to Quarter (1Q 2012 vs 4Q 2011) New Work Inquiries

Year to Year (1Q 2012 vs 1Q 2011) Billable Hours

Year to Year (1Q 2012 vs 1Q 2011) New Work Inquiries

Hiring
About seven of 10 firms (71.2%) are not currently hiring, but 28.2 percent indicated they plan to hire in Q2 2012, a 3.5 percentage increase over Q4 2011, but 4.3 percent lower than Q1 2011.
Of the firms expecting to hire in Q2 2012, here’s the percentage of firms expecting to hire and the type of staff sought:

• Experienced landscape architect: 5.8%
  
• Design/architecture/engineering staff: 6.1%
  
• Entry-level landscape architect: 9.5%
  
• Intern: 8.8%
  
• Support staff: 2.7%