Where Does the Typical Home Building Business Stand?

Not all home building companies look the same, with variables from project type to revenue differing across the board. To get a pulse on how business is going for the typical builder, the National Association of Home Builders surveyed over 2,800 of their builder members.

Overall, results from the 2024 Builder Member Census show the typical builder member is reporting consistent business, with rising revenues and a steady influx of projects.

Majority of survey respondents say they specialize in single-family homes

Among those surveyed, 63% of members reported single-family home building as their primary focus, followed by 21% who specialize in residential remodeling. Additionally, 5% specialize in multifamily home building and commercial building, 4% work in land development, and 1% of members are in commercial remodeling and manufacturing of modular homes.

Median revenue continued to climb in 2024

According to survey data, most builder members recorded an increase in revenue. The typical builder member reported $3.7 million in gross revenue in 2024, which was up by 8% from 2023.

Median annual revenue began rising in 2013 and then plateaued in 2017 to 2023 at around $2.6 million to $2.7 million. In 2021, revenue jumped to $3.3 million and has been slowly climbing ever since.

Builders reported steady housing starts 

In addition to rising revenue, the typical builder reported six housing starts in 2024, which is comparable to 2023. While 4% of surveyed builders say they started more than 500 homes in 2024, many NAHB builder members are small businesses, meaning the majority (21%) say they started just two or three homes in 2024. However, 8% of builders recorded zero housing starts during this time.

NAHB also surveyed its Associate members, including specialty trade contractors, wholesale and retail dealerships and distributorships, and professional specialities, such as finance. 

Despite steady performance throughout 2024, builder sentiment has been down over the last few quarters

• Builder Confidence Remains Low: NAHB data from April shows builder sentiment was down in the first few months of the year, with many builders reporting economic concerns. Of those surveyed, 60% of builders reported cost increases from tariffs. 
• Optimism Among Home Builders Remains Low: Builder optimism stayed low in May, with many builders reporting a need to cut home prices, ultimately resulting in lower profits.