Despite what you are hearing, construction remains a strong sector of the economy. This is particularly true among small businesses in the industry. From the NFIB:
The construction industry is still stronger than the overall small-business economy and has slowed the economy only as it converges to the performance of the rest of the small-business sector. There are many reasons for this, including the fact that it will still be a good housing year, following record performances in earlier years. Furthermore, business construction remains strong, so firms find work in endeavors other than building new homes and condos. There will be work in New Orleans and the hurricane-affected region for some time to come.