The 2012 forecast from economists at McGraw-Hill Construction is for a flat year in 2012 in the construction industry, which is much better than a sixth year of decline would be.

"Analysts forecast that 2012 will see essentially flat activity, with an estimated $412 billion in starts," Constructor magazine reports in its current issue. They think 2011 will finish at $410 billion once all the numbers are computed.

The economists had predicted an 8 percent increase in construction starts last year, but the recovery never did get going.

Constructor said Robert Murray, McGraw-Hill Construction vice president of economic affairs, "credits much of the decline to decreased activity in the single-family housing, public-works and institutional building sectors"

Another recent analysis for 2012 said home prices seemed to have hit bottom and also would be flat on a national basis.