Residential construction refers to the creation of houses or spaces intended for living purposes, ranging from rental units and condos to multi-million dollar mansions.
Contractors working in this industry know the top priority is keeping homeowners safe by selecting only top quality building materials and adhering to all required codes and standards.
Single Family Homes
Single-family homes are standalone houses used as one family's residence and do not share walls with any other houses on the same piece of property, nor share utilities with them.
New residential construction contractors statistics exclude group quarters such as dormitories and rooming houses; transient accommodations (hotels, motels, inns and tourist courts); manufactured homes manufactured according to HUD code standards; moved or relocated buildings and housing units created within existing nonresidential structures. They do however include basement suites used primarily as living quarters.
Contractors of single-family homes benefit from having access to a large pool of buyers for these projects, making construction of these residences more profitable than other forms of dwelling such as apartments or condos. Furthermore, single-family homes provide greater privacy as neighbors don't share wall space and they may also be built in areas that provide plenty of green spaces that families can enjoy together.
Multi-Family Homes
Multi-family homes (duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes) are residential properties with more than one dwelling unit occupying it. While sharing one wall but having separate entrances, these properties come complete with their own kitchens, bathrooms and utility meters for each unit.
Modern multi-family houses typically provide more space than single-family houses and allow their homeowners to express their design preferences freely in the structure. Furthermore, they may be more affordable than other forms of housing options.
These houses can be constructed using various materials, including wood and steel. Many are designed to withstand earthquakes and high winds while some even come equipped with fireproof features. As such, these types of houses offer greater homeowner safety compared to traditional residential construction methods; however contractors must remain up-to-date on current trends to use only quality materials in their projects and adhere to all necessary safety protocols during the building process.
Garages and Outbuildings
Garages are enclosed structures designed to store vehicles. Residential garages may be attached directly to their respective houses ("attached garage") or separate from it (detached garage).
Outbuildings include sheds, barns, greenhouses and gazebos that have roofed structures such as sheds. An outbuilding may be used for storage purposes or recreation/hobby rooms; garden sheds cannot be used as accessory dwelling units (DADU), home occupation or commercial type occupancy without first consulting the zoning code.
Some outbuildings can be converted to living spaces such as man caves or in-law suites, depending on your zoning code requirements. Converting outbuildings to habitable space may require an Accessory Dwelling Unit Permit and height survey depending on its use as living space.
Other Structures
Other structures used for residential construction may include fences, sheds and outbuildings that can be insured under your homeowner's policy under Other Structures coverage. Your insurance agent can help evaluate these detached structures to help determine appropriate coverage limits.
Residential construction typically uses three types of structures: wood, steel and masonry. Wood-frame construction is the most prevalent form, using timber or lumber to form plates, rafters and studs before covering these with either drywall or paneling for interior walls. Although wood construction is lightweight and easy to manage, it may be susceptible to damage from earthquakes and high winds.
Steel construction may be more costly, but it offers many advantages including fireproofing and earthquake resistance. Masonry construction costs more than wood or steel but provides even stronger fire resistance; it requires special tradespeople for installation and maintenance, however.
Contractors working in this industry know the top priority is keeping homeowners safe by selecting only top quality building materials and adhering to all required codes and standards.
Single Family Homes
Single-family homes are standalone houses used as one family's residence and do not share walls with any other houses on the same piece of property, nor share utilities with them.
New residential construction contractors statistics exclude group quarters such as dormitories and rooming houses; transient accommodations (hotels, motels, inns and tourist courts); manufactured homes manufactured according to HUD code standards; moved or relocated buildings and housing units created within existing nonresidential structures. They do however include basement suites used primarily as living quarters.
Contractors of single-family homes benefit from having access to a large pool of buyers for these projects, making construction of these residences more profitable than other forms of dwelling such as apartments or condos. Furthermore, single-family homes provide greater privacy as neighbors don't share wall space and they may also be built in areas that provide plenty of green spaces that families can enjoy together.
Multi-Family Homes
Multi-family homes (duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes) are residential properties with more than one dwelling unit occupying it. While sharing one wall but having separate entrances, these properties come complete with their own kitchens, bathrooms and utility meters for each unit.
Modern multi-family houses typically provide more space than single-family houses and allow their homeowners to express their design preferences freely in the structure. Furthermore, they may be more affordable than other forms of housing options.
These houses can be constructed using various materials, including wood and steel. Many are designed to withstand earthquakes and high winds while some even come equipped with fireproof features. As such, these types of houses offer greater homeowner safety compared to traditional residential construction methods; however contractors must remain up-to-date on current trends to use only quality materials in their projects and adhere to all necessary safety protocols during the building process.
Garages and Outbuildings
Garages are enclosed structures designed to store vehicles. Residential garages may be attached directly to their respective houses ("attached garage") or separate from it (detached garage).
Outbuildings include sheds, barns, greenhouses and gazebos that have roofed structures such as sheds. An outbuilding may be used for storage purposes or recreation/hobby rooms; garden sheds cannot be used as accessory dwelling units (DADU), home occupation or commercial type occupancy without first consulting the zoning code.
Some outbuildings can be converted to living spaces such as man caves or in-law suites, depending on your zoning code requirements. Converting outbuildings to habitable space may require an Accessory Dwelling Unit Permit and height survey depending on its use as living space.
Other Structures
Other structures used for residential construction may include fences, sheds and outbuildings that can be insured under your homeowner's policy under Other Structures coverage. Your insurance agent can help evaluate these detached structures to help determine appropriate coverage limits.
Residential construction typically uses three types of structures: wood, steel and masonry. Wood-frame construction is the most prevalent form, using timber or lumber to form plates, rafters and studs before covering these with either drywall or paneling for interior walls. Although wood construction is lightweight and easy to manage, it may be susceptible to damage from earthquakes and high winds.
Steel construction may be more costly, but it offers many advantages including fireproofing and earthquake resistance. Masonry construction costs more than wood or steel but provides even stronger fire resistance; it requires special tradespeople for installation and maintenance, however.