By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – Alabaster’s new home building market continued its surge through November, ending the month about 30 percent higher than it did during the same time period last year, according to numbers recently released by the Department of Building Safety.

In November, the department issued eight new home-building permits for projects valued at a total of more than $2.4 million. The eight new permits brought the city’s year-to-date permit number up to 93 for projects valued at a total of nearly $24.7 million through the end of November.

The year-to-date total represents significantly more permits than the city issued through the first 11 months of 2014. At the end of November 2014, the department had issued 63 new home building permits for projects valued at a total of about $14 million.

In the commercial sector, the department issued no new building permits in November, leaving the year-to-date number at nine permits for projects valued at a total of about $13.5 million. During the same time period in 2014, the city had issued three new commercial building permits for projects valued at a total of about $3 million.

Another significant permit increase came in the residential remodeling sector. Through the end of November, the department had issued 221 residential remodeling permits for projects valued at a total of about $3.8 million.

Through the first 11 months of 2014, the department had issued a total of 125 residential remodeling permits for projects valued at a total of about $1.5 million.