A net balance of -9% of survey respondents reported a fall in construction workloads in Scotland in Q3 2026, falling further into negative territory from the -2% that was seen in the Q2 survey.

Looking at the subsectors, the public sector dependent subsectors were the only areas to see rises in workloads. Infrastructure activity rose through Q3 with a net balance of 13% of respondents reporting an increase, albeit down from the net balance of 27% seen in Q2.

Public housing activity also increased through Q2 (a net balance of 10%), alongside “other public works” activity, which saw a net balance of 12% reporting an increase in workloads, up from the net balance of 5% seen in the survey previous.

As for the other subsectors, activity across the private industrial and private commercial sectors was reported to have fallen (net balances of -13% and -22% respectively). Private housebuilding activity also saw a decline with a net balance of -18% reporting a fall, which is largely in line with the balance seen in the Q2 survey.

Looking ahead, a net balance of 17% of Scottish respondents expects overall workloads to rise over the next year, which is up from the net balance of 10% that was seen in the Q2 survey.

In saying this, surveyors in Scotland still remain hesitant on the outlook for profit margins in the face of inflationary pressures. For the second consecutive quarter, respondents expect workloads to fall flat over the next 12 months.

Surveyors in Scotland continue to report shortages of skilled professionals through Q3 2026. 49% of survey respondents noted a shortage of quantity surveyors, 38% reported a shortage of bricklayers, and 45% report a shortage of other construction professionals.

Kinlay Laidlaw of Laidlaw Associates Building Surveying Ltd near Ayr said: “A lack of access to training, alongside a decline in interest in the construction industry and building surveying, is likely to contribute to the continued decline in skilled and experienced craft skills and professional skills across surveying and architecture.”

Ailsa McGregor, a surveyor and survey contributor based in Glasgow, commented: “Delays in planning and decision-making are delaying the progress of projects and affecting the supply chain”.

Commenting on the UK picture, RICS chief economist, Simon Rubinsohn, said: “RICS data continues to show the financial pressures on housebuilders as the key factor holding back development with increased regulatory costs significantly impacting viability alongside rising material prices. The Your First Home scheme, while welcome, cannot alone improve the housing construction pipeline which is running someway below what was projected by the government.

“The latest RICS survey also highlights the ongoing challenges around securing planning permissions despite the passage of the Planning and Infrastructure Act. And critically, the results point to the pressure on profit margins remaining intense through the course of 2027, which will likely compel developers to remain highly selective in their focus.”