Alabaster new home market overtakes 2017 numbers

Published 10:27 am Thursday, September 6, 2018

By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – After lagging behind last year’s numbers for much of early 2018, the total value of the new homes built in Alabaster has now overtaken the 2017 numbers, according to data recently released by the Alabaster Fire Department’s Building and Fire Prevention Services Department.

Alabaster City Council members reviewed the department’s year-to-date numbers through the end of July during an Aug. 27 meeting.

In July, the city issued permits for six new homes valued at a total of about $1.8 million, bringing the year-to-date total to 40 new homes valued at a total of about $12 million. In comparison, the city had issued permits for 43 new homes during the first seven months of 2017, but the total value of the homes was about $11.2 million.

The total number of residential addition or remodel permits is up this year, but the value of the projects is down compared with last year.

Through the end of July, the city had issued 173 residential addition or remodel permits for projects valued at a total of about $2.1 million, while the same time period last year saw 159 such permits for projects valued at a total of about $2.7 million.

In the commercial sector, the city had approved permits for six new buildings valued at a total of about $5.5 million through the first seven months of this year, compared to 10 such permits for projects valued at a total of about $5.7 million during the same time period last year.

While the number of commercial addition or remodel permits is down this year, the value of those projects is up significantly over last year.

At the end of July, Alabaster had issued 23 commercial addition or remodel permits for projects valued at a total of about $9.4 million, compared to 24 such permits valued at about $2.6 million during the same time period in 2017.