NAICS 236115

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System is the framework federal statistical agencies use to categorize business establishments when collecting, analyzing, and publishing data on the U.S. economy. NAICS was created under the Office of Management and Budget in 1997 to replace SIC and was jointly developed by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The current U.S. NAICS vintage in use is 2022. ¹

NAICS 236115 — New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) — covers general contractor establishments primarily responsible for the complete construction of new single-family residences (e.g., detached houses and town/row houses where each unit is separated by a ground-to-roof wall and no units are above/below). It includes on-site assembly of modular and prefabricated houses, as well as single-family design-build and construction management firms acting as general contractors; for-sale builders are excluded. ²

See also on G2X:

• G2X — NAICS 236117
• G2X — NAICS 236118

What this NAICS covers

• General contracting for the full construction of new single-family detached houses. ²
• Construction of single-family townhouses/row houses where each unit has a ground-to-roof wall and no units above or below. ²
• On-site assembly of modular and prefabricated single-family homes as part of a general contract. ²
• Single-family design-build delivery when the firm acts as the general contractor. ²
• Single-family construction management firms acting as general contractors. ²
• Custom home building performed for owners (not for-sale/merchant building on own account). ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Boundary and exclusions (official cross-references)

• For-sale/merchant builders constructing new homes on their own account are classified in NAICS 236117. ²
• Remodeling or repair of existing residential buildings belongs in NAICS 236118. ²
• Manufactured (mobile) home setup and tie-down services are in NAICS 238990. ²
• Specialized trades performed on a subcontract basis are classified in NAICS Subsector 238, Specialty Trade Contractors. ²
• Constructing and leasing residential buildings on one’s own account is classified in NAICS 531110, Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings. ²

Frequently asked questions

• How is NAICS 236115 different from 236117? NAICS 236115 covers general contractors building new single-family homes for others, while NAICS 236117 covers for-sale (merchant/speculative) builders constructing on land they own for later sale. For-sale builders typically include site acquisition, carrying costs, and sales activities in their production process. ²

• Are modular or prefabricated single-family homes included in 236115? Yes. The on-site assembly of modular and prefabricated single-family houses is included when the firm is the general contractor responsible for the complete construction. Factory manufacturing of modules is classified elsewhere; 236115 covers the on-site general contracting aspect for single-family dwellings. ²

• Do townhouses fall under 236115 or 236116? Townhouses/row houses fall under 236115 when each unit is separated by a ground-to-roof wall and no unit is above or below another. If units are stacked vertically (e.g., apartments/condominiums), the work is classified in NAICS 236116. ²

• Does 236115 include residential remodeling or repairs? No. Remodeling, additions, and repair of existing residential buildings are classified under NAICS 236118 (Residential Remodelers). NAICS 236115 is limited to the complete construction of new single-family homes performed by a general contractor for an owner or client. ²

• Where are manufactured home setup services classified? Setup and tie-down of manufactured (mobile) homes are not in NAICS 236115. These services are classified under NAICS 238990 (All Other Specialty Trade Contractors), reflecting their nature as specialty trade activities rather than general contracting of a complete dwelling. ²

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 236115
• U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS main page and 2022 NAICS search (current vintage). ¹
• U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS United States Manual (2017): official industry descriptions and cross-references for NAICS 236115 and 23611. ²
• Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Code (PSC) Manual (April 2025): PSC families Y1/C1/Z1/Z2 for facility construction, A-E, and maintenance/repair/alteration. ³

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau, North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) — Introduction and search. https://www.census.gov/naics/
2. U.S. Census Bureau, North American Industry Classification System: United States, 2017 (official manual PDF), Sector 23 and Industry 236115 entries. https://www2.census.gov/library/reference/naics/publications/2017-NAICS-Manual.pdf
3. Acquisition.gov, Product and Service Codes (PSC) Manual, April 2025 (official PDF). https://origin-www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf