Residential Construction Contractors
Companies in this industry construct and renovate residential buildings. Major companies include DR Horton, KB Home, Lennar, and PulteGroup (all based in the US), as well as Country Garden (China), Daiwa House (Japan), and Desarrolladora Homex (Mexico).
Global construction of new housing is forecast to grow 2.0% per year through 2026 to 60.4 million units, according to Freedonia Group. Long-term growth in the industry will be driven by factors including growing urban population levels, low interest and mortgage rates, rising living standards within the Asia/Pacific and Africa/Mideast regions, and increasing subsidized housing to reduce informal dwellers.
The US residential construction contracting industry includes about 170,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with annual revenue of about $340 billion.
Builders of both single-family and multifamily housing are included in the industry, as are residential remodelers. The industry includes general contractors, who build on land owned by others, and operative builders, who build on land they own or control. Specialty trade contractors such as plumbers and electricians, who often work as subcontractors for residential construction contractors or operative builders, are covered in separate profiles.
Competitive Landscape
Demand is driven by population growth and economic growth. The profitability of individual companies depends on efficient operations and securing favorable building locations. Large builders enjoy economies of scale in purchasing. Small companies can compete effectively by specializing in a certain type of home or by focusing on a specific geographic area. The US industry is highly fragmented: the 50 largest firms generate about 30% of industry revenue.
The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic pushed companies to adapt and enhance their digital capabilities to cater to customers. These include virtual home tours and online interactive floor plans, live chats with sales representatives, virtual appointments, online and/or contactless methods for transactions, and virtual or drive-through closings.
Products, Operations & Technology
Major products are new homes for-sale and residential remodeling. Single detached residential buildings account for about 60% of the industry revenue,
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Sales & Marketing
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Finance & Regulation
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Regional & International Issues
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Human Resources
Also includes the following chapters:
Quarterly Industry Update
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Industry Indicators
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Business Challenges
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Trends and Opportunities
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Call Preparation Questions
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Financial Information
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Industry Forecast
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Industry Websites
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Glossary of Acronyms