Survey Gives Mixed Report for Landscape Architect Businesses

Results of an industry survey of business activity by the American Society of Landscape Architects send a thoroughly mixed message.

Quarter-to-quarter reports of billable hours dropped slightly. In the third quarter of 2011, 32.4 percent of respondents said their billable hours improved as compared to the previous quarter.  In the fourth quarter of 2011, only 27.8 percent of respondents said billable hours had improved.

Year-to-year results paint a more optimistic picture.  More than 40 percent of firms reported higher billings in 2011 than in 2010, and about 25 percent reported stable billings. Moreover, 43 percent of responding firms expressed optimism about continued improvement, while just 11 percent expected conditions to worsen.