When consulting with clients, I frequently encounter the term “My builder.” As a home inspector, I should clarify that most planned residential communities do not have builders on property.
For instance, Henry Ford didn’t build your car, and David Brothers didn’t build your house. The term “Homebuilder” is now frequently substituted for “Project Manager.”
In the past, there were actual homebuilders. These builders might have hired a roofer or contracted out other specialized work; however, they closely collaborated with and were intricately involved in every aspect of the house’s construction.
As populations expanded, the scale of homebuilding also increased. The majority of single-family residential homes in the Greater Dallas/Fort Worth area are mass-produced, involving from 75 to over 150 employees, contractors, tradespeople, and laborers. And from the salesperson to the cleaning crew, the skillsets of these people vary significantly.
Texas doesn’t license Project Managers. Their hiring criteria usually boil down to experience, knowledge of the building trades, scheduling skills, and their ability to manage. The Project Manager works in a corporate environment, helping mass-produce a community. A good Project Manager is invaluable to the construction of your home, but it’s a difficult job, and skillsets vary.
There still are some small-scale custom homebuilders today. But to keep up with demand and help make housing more affordable, they are the exception rather than the rule.