By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The city’s new home and commercial building markets are lagging slightly behind last year’s numbers, while commercial and residential remodels are up over 2017, according to data recently released by the Alabaster Fire Department’s Building and Fire Prevention Services Department.

Members of the Alabaster City Council reviewed the department’s year-to-date numbers through the end of November during a mid-December meeting, revealing the trends as the calendar year draws to a close.

In November, the city issued permits for two new homes for projects valued at a total of $833,060.

The two new home permits brought the city’s year-to-date total to 55 for projects valued at a total of about $18.3 million. In comparison, the city had issued 69 new home permits for projects valued at a total of about $21.2 million during the first 11 months of 2017.

Through the end of November, the city had issued 14 permits for new commercial buildings for projects valued at a total of about $8 million, compared to 17 such permits for projects valued at a total of about $9.7 million during the same time period last year.

This year has brought an increase in the commercial and residential renovation markets.

Through the end of November, the Building and Fire Prevention Services Department had issued 337 residential addition or remodel permits for projects valued at a total of about $4.1 million, compared to 253 such permits for projects valued at a total of about $4.8 million last year.

While the number of commercial renovation permits is nearly equal with last year’s numbers, the value of those permits is significantly higher.

Through the first 11 months of this year, the city had issued 35 permits for commercial addition or remodel projects valued at a total of about $13.8 million. In comparison, the city had issued 36 commercial renovation permits for projects valued at a total of about $4.8 million during the same time period last year.