RESIDENTIAL vs COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION

Residential and commercial construction share many similarities, as both are two sides of the industry, however there are many differences between each. Understanding these differences can give a deeper understanding of the buildings around you or the type of construction you may need. Residential construction includes the building of structures in which people, and some furry friends will live. This can range from high rise apartment complexes to suburban houses and smaller multi-family buildings. Commercial construction as the word “commercial” suggests is building structures for commercial use. Think like office buildings, or stores. We have compiled a list of some key differences between these two types of construction.

DIFFERENT MATERIALS

Although materials will depend on the scale of the project, one general key difference is the structural support material used. Residential construction will often use timber as it works well for smaller buildings and is cost effective (this doesn’t apply as much to large scale residential buildings in cities like Manhattan, here a steel frame will be more appropriate). Commercial construction, especially high rise commercial buildings, will often use steel frames which are more sturdy than timber. Steel frames won’t warp as they span longer distances making it very useful in larger complexes. Although concrete is starting to become more popular in residential construction, currently it is used way more in commercial construction. Concrete is affordable, and economic, as well as very versatile in terms of its final appearance. It can be poured into a mold to create interesting shapes in the final building, making commercial structures more enticing.?

DIFFERENT REGULATIONS

The regulations between residential and commercial construction also differ. The safety concerns in one type of construction are not necessarily the safety concerns in another type of construction. There are often many more rules and regulations for commercial buildings as the given number of people will vary way more drastically than in a residential complex. The height of commercial buildings, along with the machinery of commercial construction add on additional safety concerns which are often not associated with residential construction. A construction company must be well versed in the rules of the type of construction in which they are involved.?

DIFFERENT DESIGN

There tends to be more difference in design between residential buildings than between commercial buildings. A commercial building will often be built similar to the buildings around it, whereas more suburban home owners usually have a lot of say in how they want their house to look. Also, since residential buildings tend to be much smaller there is more room to focus on design, whereas with commercial buildings safety is a larger concern so using standard designs known to be safe tends to be the way to go.

DIFFERENT COST

There is a large difference in cost between these two types of construction. Residential construction tends to be cheaper than commercial construction. As previously mentioned, commercial construction uses higher grade materials. These higher grade materials cost more. Additionally, commercial construction has the added costs of machinery and specialists to create such large buildings. Also, commercial construction usually has a shorter time-line for completion than residential construction which requires more labor at a time than for residential construction.??

Having a good understanding of your project is always important. Knowing whether your project falls into the residential or commercial can help give you a better sense of the job. Overall, these are some great ways to distinguish between residential and commercial construction. Whether you have a residential or commercial project, we’re dedicated to providing as many solutions as possible. Give us a call today to talk about your latest project (732) 997-8138 .