The Construction of Buildings subsector comprises establishments primarily responsible for the construction of buildings. The work performed may include new work, additions, alterations, or maintenance and repairs. The on-site assembly of precut, panelized, and prefabricated buildings and construction of temporary buildings are included in this subsector. Part or all of the production work for which the establishments in this sector have responsibility may be subcontracted to other construction establishments - usually specialty trade contractors.
Establishments in this subsector are classified based on the types of buildings they construct. This classification reflects variations in the requirements of the underlying production processes.
2361 Residential Building Construction
23611 Residential Building Construction
This Industry comprises establishments primarily responsible for the construction or remodeling
and renovation of single-family and multifamily residential buildings. Included in this industry
are residential housing general contractors (i.e., new construction, remodeling or renovating
existing residential structures), operative builders and remodelers of residential structures,
residential project construction management firms, and residential design-build firms.
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in -
- Performing specialized construction work on houses and other residential buildings, generally on a subcontract basis - classified in Subsector 238, Specialty Trade Contractors;
- Performing manufactured (mobile) home setup and tie-down work - classified in Industry 23899, All Other Specialty Trade Contractors; and
- Constructing and leasing residential buildings on their own account - classified in Industry 53111, Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings.
236115 New Single-Family Housing Construction
(except Operative Builders)
This U.S. industry comprises general contractor establishments primarily responsible for the
entire construction of new single-family housing, such as single-family detached houses and town
houses or row houses where each housing unit (1) is separated from its neighbors by a
ground-to-roof wall and (2) has no housing units constructed above or below. This industry
includes general contractors responsible for the on-site assembly of modular and prefabricated
houses. Single-family housing design-build firms and single-family construction management firms
acting as general contractors are included in this industry.
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in
- Building single-family houses on their own account for sale as operative or speculative builders - classified in U.S. Industry 236117, New Housing Operative Builders;
- Remodeling or repairing existing houses and other residential buildings - classified in U.S. Industry 236118, Residential Remodelers;
- Performing manufactured (mobile) home setup and tie-down work - classified in Industry 238990, All Other Specialty Trade Contractors;
- Performing specialized construction work on houses and other residential buildings, generally on a subcontract basis - classified in Subsector 238, Specialty Trade Contractors; and
- Constructing and leasing residential buildings on their own account - classified in Industry 531110, Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings.
236116 New Multifamily Housing Construction (except Operative Builders)
This U.S. industry comprises general contractor establishments responsible for the construction of new multifamily residential housing units (e.g., high-rise, garden, and town house apartments and condominiums where each unit is not separated from its neighbors by a ground-to-roof wall). Multifamily design-build firms and multifamily housing construction management firms acting as general contractors are included in this industry.
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in
- Building multifamily buildings on their own account for sale as operative or speculative builders - classified in U.S. Industry 236117, New Housing Operative Builders;
- Remodeling or repairing existing multifamily housing and other residential buildings - classified in U.S. Industry 236118, Residential Remodelers;
- Performing specialized construction work on multifamily housing and other residential buildings, generally on a subcontract basis - classified in Subsector 238, Specialty Trade Contractors; and
- Constructing and leasing residential buildings on their own account - classified in Industry 531110, Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings.
236117 New Housing Operative Builders
This U.S. industry comprises operative builders primarily responsible for the entire construction
of new houses and other residential buildings, single-family and multifamily, on their own
account for sale. Operative builders are also known as speculative or merchant builders.
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in
- Building single-family houses for others as general contractors - classified in U.S. Industry 236115, New Single-Family Housing Construction (except Operative Builders);
- Building multifamily residential buildings for others as general contractors - classified in U.S. Industry 236116, New Multifamily Housing Construction (except Operative Builders);
- Remodeling or repairing existing houses and other residential buildings, either for others or on own account for sale - classified in U.S. Industry 236118, Residential Remodelers;
- Performing specialized construction work on houses or other residential buildings, generally on a subcontract basis - classified in Subsector 238, Specialty Trade Contractors; and
- Constructing and leasing residential buildings on their own account - classified in Industry 531110, Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings.
236118 Residential Remodelers
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily responsible for the remodeling construction
(including additions, alterations, reconstruction, maintenance and repair work) of houses and
other residential buildings, single-family and multifamily. Included in this industry are
remodeling general contractors, operative remodelers, remodeling design-build firms, and
remodeling project construction management firms.
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in
- Building single-family houses for others as general contractors - classified in U.S. Industry 236115, New Single-Family Housing Construction (except Operative Builders);
- Building multifamily buildings for others as general contractors - classified in U.S. Industry 236116, New Multifamily Housing Construction (except Operative Builders);
- Building houses or other residential buildings, on their own account for sale as operative or speculative builders - classified in U.S. Industry 236117, New Housing Operative Builders;
- Remodeling nonresidential buildings - classified in Industry Group 2362, Nonresidential Building Construction, based on the type of structure being remodeled;
- Performing specialized construction work on houses or other residential buildings generally on a subcontract basis - classified in Subsector 238, Specialty Trade Contractors; and
- Constructing and leasing residential buildings on their own account - classified in Industry 531110, Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings.
2362 Nonresidential Building Construction
This industry group comprises establishments primarily responsible for the construction
(including new work, additions, alterations, maintenance, and repairs) of nonresidential
buildings. This industry group includes nonresidential general contractors, nonresidential
operative builders, nonresidential design-build firms, and nonresidential project construction
management firms.
23621 Industrial Building Construction
See industry description for 236210 below.
236210 Industrial Building Construction
This industry comprises establishments primarily responsible for the construction (including new
work, additions, alterations, maintenance, and repairs) of industrial buildings (except
warehouses). The construction of selected additional structures, whose production processes are
similar to those for industrial buildings (e.g., incinerators, cement plants, blast furnaces, and
similar nonbuilding structures), is included in this industry. Included in this industry are
industrial building general contractors, industrial building operative builders, industrial
building design-build firms, and industrial building construction management firms.
Illustrative Examples:
Assembly plant construction; Furnace, industrial plant, construction; Cannery construction;
Mine loading and discharging station construction; Cement plant construction;
Paper or pulp mill construction; Chemical plant (except petrochemical) construction;
Pharmaceutical manufacturing plant construction; Factory construction;
Steel mill construction; Food processing plant construction; Waste disposal
plant (except sewage treatment) construction.
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in
- Constructing oil refineries and petrochemical plant - classified in Industry 237120, Oil and Gas Pipeline and Related Structures Construction;
- Constructing water treatment plants, sewage treatment plants, and pumping stations for water and sewer systems - classified in Industry 237110, Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction;
- Constructing power generation plants (except hydroelectric) - classified in Industry 237130, Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction;
- Constructing industrial warehouses - classified in Industry 236220, Commercial and Institutional Building Construction; and
- Performing specialized construction work on industrial buildings, generally on a subcontract basis - classified in Subsector 238, Specialty Trade Contractors.
23622 Commercial and Institutional Building Construction
See industry description for 236220 below.
236220 Commercial and Institutional Building Construction
This industry comprises establishments primarily responsible for the construction (including new
work, additions, alterations, maintenance, and repairs) of commercial and institutional buildings
and related structures, such as stadiums, grain elevators, and indoor swimming pools. This
industry includes establishments responsible for the on-site assembly of modular or prefabricated
commercial and institutional buildings. Included in this industry are commercial and
institutional building general contractors, commercial and institutional building operative
builders, commercial and institutional building design-build firms, and commercial and
institutional building project construction management firms.
Illustrative Examples:
Airport building construction; Office building construction; Arena construction;
Parking garage construction; Barrack construction; Prison construction;
Farm building construction; Radio and television broadcast studio construction;
Fire station construction; Religious building (e.g., church, synagogue, mosque, temple)
construction; Grain elevator construction; Restaurant construction; Hospital construction;
School building construction; Hotel construction; Shopping mall construction;
Indoor swimming facility construction; Warehouse construction (e.g., commercial,
industrial, manufacturing, private).
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in
- Constructing structures that are integral parts of utility systems (e.g., storage tanks, pumping stations) or are used to produce products for these systems (e.g., power plants, refineries) - classified in Industry Group 2371, Utility System Construction, based on type of construction project;
- Performing specialized construction work on commercial and institutional buildings generally on a subcontract basis - classified in Subsector 238, Specialty Trade Contractors; and
- Constructing buildings on their own account for rent or lease - classified in Industry Group 5311, Lessors of Real Estate.
Information courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau.
