What is Residential Construction?

In the world of private construction, there are two main categories. Commercial, and residential construction. Some differences should immediately jump out at you, commercial construction is construction where people work, and residential construction is where people live, right? This is true, but there is more to it than that. Let’s look more into residential construction including what it is, what it entails, and some of the differences between residential and commercial construction.

So, What is Residential Construction?

Residential construction is the manufacturing, renovation, or assembling of single family, multi-family, or multi-unit buildings, additions, and other work pertaining specifically to home and dwellings. Residential construction can include building a house, renovating a kitchen, adding an addition, and more.

Residential construction includes a myriad of different types of construction workers and techniques. Everything from stonework, to electrical, to roofing can be considered a part of residential construction when the work is being done on a home or dwelling.

Differences Between Residential and Commercial Construction

  • There are several differences between residential and commercial construction, rather than just where the construction is being done. Here are some key differences between residential and commercial construction.
  • Residential construction is typically performed by smaller companies compared to commercial construction.
  • Residential construction usually involves a smaller budget when compared to commercial construction.
  • Residential construction companies may hire more subcontractors whereas commercial construction companies will utilize private employees.
  • Residential construction companies often employ contractors that have a wide range of construction knowledge. Commercial construction will employ general contractors as well but because of the scale on commercial projects, many workers often stick to a certain specialty.
  • Residential construction companies will employ contractors who specialize in residential construction practices and techniques. Installing plumbing on a two-story family home is much different than installing plumbing on a 20 story office building, so companies must employ contractors whose skills are applicable to their projects.
  • Residential companies do not typically have as many resources as large scale commercial construction companies. This is because residential construction projects simply do not need the amount of resources found in commercial construction.

Knowing the proper differences between residential and commercial construction is important when looking for a contractor. These differences may help determine what type of construction company is suitable for your next construction project.

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