House builder

House builders construct, maintain and repair houses or similar small buildings using a range of techniques and materials of several construction building workers.

The duties of a house builder include, but are not limited to:

• Developing blueprints and renderings of new homes based on clients’ needs, tastes, and budgets
• Creating working drawings of new home designs that meet local building codes
• Building new homes from the ground up, including excavation, framing, electrical work, plumbing, and drywall
• Coordinating with contractors and subcontractors to ensure that construction is completed on time and within budget
• Maintaining inventory of materials needed for construction projects, such as lumber, drywall, insulation, pipes, and concrete
• Managing the process of applying for permits from local authorities such as city or county planning departments, architectural review boards, fire marshal departments, etc.
• Coordinating with architects, engineers, subcontractors, suppliers, and other parties involved in the home building process
• Managing the home building budget in order to stay within the client’s spending limit
• Performing site preparation work such as removing trees or shrubs and preparing the land for construction by grading or leveling the land

House builders work in a variety of settings, including office complexes, construction sites, and model homes. They typically work long hours, including evenings and weekends, to meet deadlines. Home builders may be exposed to noise, dust, and fumes from construction equipment and materials. They may also be exposed to hazardous materials, such as asbestos, lead, and formaldehyde.

House builders may be required to wear protective clothing, such as hard hats, safety glasses, and earplugs, to protect themselves from these hazards.

The following job titles also refer to house builder:

builder of houses
builder
home builder
domestic property builder
residential property builder

House builders typically need a high school diploma or GED certificate. Some builders may have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, but this is not required. Those who have a degree in construction management or building science can use their education to learn about the latest building techniques and materials.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

House builder is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to house builder.

roofer
resilient floor layer
water conservation technician
insulation worker
hardwood floor layer

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of house builder. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of house builder with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

roofing supervisor
insulation supervisor
bricklaying supervisor
construction quality inspector
concrete finisher supervisor

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of house builder.

• Building codes: The set of guidelines that determine the minimum standards for buildings and other constructions in order to protect public health and safety.
• Roofing techniques: Techniques used to form the upper covering of a building according to specific materials such as ceramic tiles, wood shingles, slate, metal, concrete of plant stalks.
• Building materials industry: Supplier, brands and types of products and goods available on the market of building materials.

These skills are necessary for the role of house builder.

• Perform roof maintenance: Inspect the roof or facade cladding to assess its general state and identify any damage, recommend and perform maintenance and repair work such as fixing broken shingles, replacing flashing, clearing debris and securing the gutters.
• Create floor plan template: Lay out the floor plan of the area to be covered on a suitable medium, such as strong paper. Follow any shapes, nooks and crannies of the floor.
• Install wood elements in structures: Install elements made of wood and wood-based composite materials, such as doors, stairs, plinths, and ceiling frames. Assemble and affix the elements, taking care to prevent gaps. Inspect the work and notify the responsible person in case of problems.
• Design floor: Plan a floor to be created from different types of materials, like wood, stone or carpet. Take into account the intended use, space, durability, sound, temperature and moisture concerns, environmental properties and aesthetics.
• Assess construction compliance: Determine whether a construction complies with laws and regulations.
• Check compatibility of materials: Make sure the materials are fit to be used together, and if there are any foreseeable interferences.
• Work in a construction team: Work as part of a team in a construction project. Communicate efficiently, sharing information with team members and reporting to supervisors. Follow instructions and adapt to changes in a flexible manner.
• Create smooth wood surface: Shave, plane and sand wood manually or automatically to produce a smooth surface.
• Seal flooring: Use a suitable sealer to seal a floor, preventing damage from fluids and other spills.
• Read standard blueprints: Read and comprehend standard blueprints, machine, and process drawings.
• Inspect concrete structures: Visually inspect a concrete structure to see if it is structurally sound. Check for different types of cracks, such as those due to reinforcement corrosion, impact damage or high water content.
• Prepare surface for hardwood floor laying: Make sure the base is properly prepared. Flatten out any uneven surface by applying thin strips of wood called firrings, sanding and refixing any loose or creaky boards.
• Maintain construction structures: Repair and maintain existing construction structures. Inspect the construction site in order to keep these structures in a safe and sanitary condition, and compliant to safety standards and regulations.
• Follow health and safety procedures in construction: Apply the relevant health and safety procedures in construction in order to prevent accidents, pollution and other risks.
• Install construction profiles: Install a variety of metal or plastic profiles used to attach materials to each other or to structural elements. Cut them to size if called for.
• Use safety equipment in construction: Use elements of protective clothing such as steel-tipped shoes, and gear such as protective goggles, in order to minimise risk of accidents in construction and to mitigate any injury if an accident does occur.
• Prepare building site: Draw up building plans and prepare building sites for erecting buildings or other structures.
• Plan construction of houses: Draw up blueprints for the construction of houses and other types of buildings. Calculate and estimate the required materials and coordinate and supervise activities of workers executing the several construction techniques needed for the building process.
• Inspect roofs: Inspect the condition of an existing roof. Check the state of the weight-bearing structure, roof covering, insulation, and accessibility. Take into account the intended purpose of the roof, including any accessories to be installed.
• Follow safety procedures when working at heights: Take necessary precautions and follow a set of measures that assess, prevent and tackle risks when working at a high distance from the ground. Prevent endangering people working under these structures and avoid falls from ladders, mobile scaffolding, fixed working bridges, single person lifts etc. since they may cause fatalities or major injuries.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of house builder. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Energy performance of buildings: Factors that contribute to lower energy consumption of buildings. Building and renovation techniques used to achieve this. Legislation and procedures regarding energy performance of buildings.
• Construction product regulation: Regulations on construction products quality standards applied throughout the European Union.
• Energy efficiency: Field of information concerning the reduction of the use of energy. It encompasses calculating the consumption of energy, providing certificates and support measures, saving energy by reducing the demand, encouraging efficient use of fossil fuels, and promoting the use of renewable energy.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of house builder. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Prepare roofing materials: Select the appropriate pieces and, if necessary, prepare them for fixing by cutting, sawing, trimming the edges.
• Apply roll roofing: Roll out mats of roofing material, often bituminous asphalt, to cover flat or low-pitched roofs. Apply the felt layer first if required. Make sure there are no gaps so the roof is weatherproof. Firmly attach the layer to the structure.
• Install roof flashing: Form and fix the pieces, usually made of metal, that make the joint between the roof and the masonry or brick work, and prevent water infiltration into the structure.
• Install gutters: Take measurements, cut the desired length of gutter, assemble gutter pieces to form the corners using adhesive substances and screws, drill a hole for the connection with the vertical gutter, establish the height of the gutter, fix the horizontal and the vertical gutters to the walls using brackets and screws.
• Lay non-interlocking roof tiles: Lay roof tiles that don’t interlock, such as traditional slate tiles or asphalt shingles. Take care to provide the right overlap between the tiles, taking into account local weather conditions and roof slope.
• Cut stair carriages: Make cuts in a plank of solid wood to carry stair treads and risers. Take measurements and calculations into account to make markings on the carriage with a steel square. Cut the carriage using a power saw or hand saw.
• Calculate needs for construction supplies: Take measurements on site and estimate the amount of materials required for the construction or restoration project.
• Ensure compliance with construction project deadline: Plan, schedule and monitor the building processes in order to ensure completion of the project by the set deadline.
• Install metal roofing: Install the underlayments over the main roof decking and other covering materials such as ice and water shields, form and screw down the starter flashing along the eaves and wrap them around the corners, screw down the metal panels while making sure they overlap, and finish the roof by fixing the flashing over the joints.
• Install laminate floor: Lay laminate floor planks, usually with tongue-and-groove edges, on a prepared underlayment. Paste the planks in place if called for.
• Prepare surface for painting: Make sure the surface to be painted is free of scratches and dents. Assess the porosity of the wall and the need for coating. Remove any grease, dirt, moisture and traces of previous coverings.
• Install in-floor and in-wall heating: Install heating circuits, often sold as mats, into floors and walls. Strip the existing floor or wall covering if necessary. Roll out the mats and test them for continuity. Attach the mats to the surface if necessary and connect them to a power supply. Cover the circuits with mortar, drywall or other appropriate materials.
• Cut resilient flooring materials: Cut materials used for resilient floor covering such as vinyl, linoleum or cork with a sharp knife according to the cutting plan. Make straight cuts and avoid causing damage to the materials or surroundings.
• Order construction supplies: Order required materials for the construction project, taking care to purchase the most suitable material for a good price.
• Lay interlocking roof tiles: Lay interlocking roof tiles of various shapes and materials. Fix the tiles to the battens judiciously, and take special care of the verges, ridges and hips.
• Process incoming construction supplies: Receive incoming construction supplies, handle the transaction and enter the supplies into any internal administration system.
• Install structural glazing: Assemble the support structures, fix them on the building facade, insert the chassis if necessary, and fit the glass panes into the structures. In case of large construction projects, fix pre-assembled modules on the facade using rigging equipment and power tools.
• Construct wood roofs: Build the structural elements of wood flat or pitched roofs. Lay rafters to provide strength and battens at regular intervals to account for lateral forces and attach any covering. Back the weight-bearing elements with panels, such as plywood, and insulation material.
• Set up temporary construction site infrastructure: Set up a variety of temporary infrastructure used on building sites. Put up fences and signs. Set up any construction trailers and make sure that these are connected to electricity lines and water supply. Establish supplies stores and garbage disposal in a sensible manner.
• Lay resilient flooring tiles: Lay resilient flooring tiles on a prepared surface. Align the tiles along straight lines. Remove any protective backing and paste the tiles onto the surface.
• Coordinate construction activities: Coordinate the activities of several construction workers or crews to make sure they do not interfere with each other and to ensure that the works are done in a timely manner. Keep up to date on the progress of the teams and update the schedule if called for.

7111 – House builders

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References

1. House builder – ESCO
2. Home Builder Job Description: Salary, Duties, and More – Climb the Ladder
3. Featured image: Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko