National Association of Home Builders

The National Association of Home Builders, headquartered in Washington, D.C. is one of the most influential trade association in the country. NAHB provides its 225,000 plus members with numerous services including seminars, informative publications and library resources, governmental lobbying efforts on the national level and extensive training programs through the Home Builders Institute.

An average of 15 to 20 subcontractors is used to build the average American home.

In a 1,700 square foot, single-family home, subcontractors are responsible for:

• pounding 302 pounds of nails into 9,726 board-feet of lumber


• installing 12 windows


• hanging 15 doors, including 10 interior and 5 exterior


• running 750 feet of copper wiring


• laying on 55 gallons of paint


• 4,614 sq.ft. of sheeting, including roof, wall, & floor sheeting


• 243 square feet of plywood for sheeting


• 15 kitchen cabinets


• 2,528 square foot of exterior finish (if wood)


• 280 linear feet of copper pipe (water supply pipe)


• 100 plumbing fittings for water supply pipe


• 170 feet of plastic pipe for drain, waste, and vent piping


• 70 fittings


• 2 bathtubs or 1 tub and a shower stall


• 2 toilets


• 3 sinks


• 1 dishwasher


• 1 garbage disposal


• 1 range and range hood


• 2 smoke detectors


• 55 cubic yards of concrete - 3/4 pound concrete


• 2,528 square feet of exterior finish (if brick)


• 1,992 square feet of roofing material


• 2,500 square feet of insulation


• 6,484 square feet of gypsum wall board


• 90 linear feet of ducting

With this in mind, the builders and subcontractors required to build a home are your neighbors; they live and work in your community; their children attend the same schools and their families attend the same church. The building community is wide and touches everyone's life.