All Other Specialty Trade Contractors
Description
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in specialized trades (except foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors; building equipment contractors; building finishing contractors; and site preparation contractors). The specialty trade work performed includes new work, additions, alterations, maintenance, and repairs. Illustrative Examples: Billboard erection Outdoor swimming pool construction Paver, brick (e.g., driveway, patio, sidewalk), installation Crane rental with operator Paving, residential and commercial driveway and parking lot Sandblasting building exteriors Fence installation Scaffold erecting and dismantling Interlocking brick and block installation Steeplejack work Manufactured (mobile) home set up and tie-down work Driveway paving or sealing
Hierarchy
| Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | Construction 2-digit sector | The Sector as a Whole The Construction sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in the construction of buildings or engineering projects (e.g., highways and utility systems). Establishments primarily engaged in the preparation of sites for new construction and establishments primarily engaged in subdividing land for sale as building sites also are included in this sector. Construction work done may include new work, additions, alterations, or maintenance and repairs. Activities of these establishments generally are managed at a fixed place of business, but they usually perform construction activities at multiple project sites. Production responsibilities for establishments in this sector are usually specified in (1) contracts with the owners of construction projects (prime contracts) or (2) contracts with other construction establishments (subcontracts). Establishments primarily engaged in contracts that include responsibility for all aspects of individual construction projects are commonly known as general contractors, but also may be known as design-builders, construction managers, turnkey contractors, or (in cases where two or more establishments jointly secure a general contract) joint-venture contractors. Construction managers that provide oversight and scheduling only (i.e., agency) as well as construction managers that are responsible for the entire project (i.e., at risk) are included as general contractor type establishments. Establishments of the "general contractor type" frequently arrange construction of separate parts of their projects through subcontracts with other construction establishments. Establishments primarily engaged in activities to produce a specific component (e.g., masonry, painting, and electrical work) of a construction project are commonly known as specialty trade contractors. Activities of specialty trade contractors are usually subcontracted from other construction establishments, but especially in remodeling and repair construction, the work may be done directly for the owner of the property. Establishments primarily engaged in activities to construct buildings to be sold on sites that they own are known as for-sale builders, but also may be known as speculative builders or merchant builders. For-sale builders produce buildings in a manner similar to general contractors, but their production processes also include site acquisition and securing of financial backing. For-sale builders are most often associated with the construction of residential buildings. Like general contractors, they may subcontract all or part of the actual construction work on their buildings. There are substantial differences in the types of equipment, work force skills, and other inputs required by establishments in this sector. To highlight these differences and variations in the underlying production functions, this sector is divided into three subsectors. Subsector 236, Construction of Buildings, comprises establishments of the general contractor type and for-sale builders involved in the construction of buildings. Subsector 237, Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction, comprises establishments involved in the construction of engineering projects. Subsector 238, Specialty Trade Contractors, comprises establishments engaged in specialty trade activities generally needed in the construction of all types of buildings. Force account construction is construction work performed by an enterprise primarily engaged in some business other than construction for its own account, using employees of the enterprise. This activity is not included in the construction sector unless the construction work performed is the primary activity of a separate establishment of the enterprise. The installation and the ongoing repair and maintenance of telecommunications and utility networks is excluded from construction when the establishments performing the work are not independent contractors. Although a growing proportion of this work is subcontracted to independent contractors in the Construction sector, the operating units of telecommunications and utility companies performing this work are included with the telecommunications or utility activities. |
| 238 | Specialty Trade Contractors 3-digit subsector | The Specialty Trade Contractors subsector comprises establishments whose primary activity is performing specific activities (e.g., pouring concrete, site preparation, plumbing, painting, and electrical work) involved in building construction or other activities that are similar for all types of construction, but that are not responsible for the entire project. The work performed may include new work, additions, alterations, maintenance, and repairs. The production work performed by establishments in this subsector is usually subcontracted from establishments of the general contractor type or for-sale builders, but especially in remodeling and repair construction, work also may be done directly for the owner of the property. Specialty trade contractors usually perform most of their work at the construction site, although they may have shops where they perform prefabrication and other work. Establishments primarily engaged in preparing sites for new construction are also included in this subsector. There are substantial differences in types of equipment, work force skills, and other inputs required by specialty trade contractors. Establishments in this subsector are classified based on the underlying production function for the specialty trade in which they specialize. Throughout the Specialty Trade Contractors subsector, establishments commonly provide both the parts and labor required to complete work. For example, electrical contractors supply the current-carrying and noncurrent-carrying wiring devices that are required to install a circuit. Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors also supply the parts required to complete a contract. Establishments that specialize in activities primarily related to heavy and civil engineering construction that are not normally performed on buildings, such as the painting of lines on highways, are classified in Subsector 237, Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction. Establishments that are primarily engaged in selling construction materials are classified in Sector 42, Wholesale Trade, or Sector 44-45, Retail Trade, based on the characteristics of the selling unit. |
| 2389 | Other Specialty Trade Contractors 4-digit industry group | This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in site preparation activities and in specialized trades (except foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors; building equipment contractors; and building finishing contractors). The specialty trade work performed includes new work, additions, alterations, maintenance, and repairs. |
| 23899 | All Other Specialty Trade Contractors 5-digit NAICS industry | See industry description for 238990. |
| 238990 | All Other Specialty Trade Contractors 6-digit U.S. detail | This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in specialized trades (except foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors; building equipment contractors; building finishing contractors; and site preparation contractors). The specialty trade work performed includes new work, additions, alterations, maintenance, and repairs. Illustrative Examples: Billboard erection Outdoor swimming pool construction Paver, brick (e.g., driveway, patio, sidewalk), installation Crane rental with operator Paving, residential and commercial driveway and parking lot Sandblasting building exteriors Fence installation Scaffold erecting and dismantling Interlocking brick and block installation Steeplejack work Manufactured (mobile) home set up and tie-down work Driveway paving or sealing |
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Classification References
- 01Foundation, structure, and building exterior work--are classified in Industry Group 2381, Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors;
- 02Installing, repairing, or maintaining building mechanical systems--are classified in Industry Group 2382, Building Equipment Contractors;
- 03Finishing buildings--are classified in Industry Group 2383, Building Finishing Contractors;
- 04Paving public highways, streets, and roads--are classified in Industry 237310, Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction;
- 05Construction equipment rental with an operator (except cranes), preparing land for building construction, or building demolition--are classified in Industry 238910, Site Preparation Contractors;
- 06Construction equipment rental without an operator--are classified in U.S. Industry 532412, Construction, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing;
- 07Radon testing--are classified in Industry 541380, Testing Laboratories and Services;
- 08Swimming pool cleaning and maintenance, power washing, and other building exterior cleaning (except sandblasting)--are classified in Industry 561790, Other Services to Buildings and Dwellings;
- 09Environmental remediation work, such as asbestos and lead paint abatement--are classified in Industry 562910, Remediation Services;
- 10Installing electronic containment fencing for pets--are classified in Industry 238210, Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors; and
- 11Constructing indoor swimming pools--are classified in Industry 236220, Commercial and Institutional Building Construction.
Index Items
Artificial turf installation
Asphalt coating and sealing, residential and commercial parking lot and driveway
Asphalting, residential and commercial driveway and parking area
Billboard erection
Blacktop work, residential and commercial driveway and parking area
Boat lift installation
Brick driveway contractors
Brick paver (e.g., driveways, patios, sidewalks) installation
Cable splicing (except electrical or fiber optic)
Chain link fence installation
Concrete patio construction
Concrete paving, residential and commercial driveway and parking area
Concrete sawing and drilling (except demolition)
Construction elevator (i.e., temporary use during construction) erection and dismantling
Crane rental with operator
Culvert, concrete, residential and commercial paved area
Curb and gutter construction, residential and commercial driveway and parking area, concrete
Driveway paving or sealing
Fence installation (except electronic containment fencing for pets)
Fencing contractors (except electronic containment fencing for pets)
Flagpole installation
House moving (i.e., raising from one site, moving, and placing on a new foundation)
Interlocking brick and block installation
Mail box units, outdoor, multiple box-type, erection
Manufactured (mobile) home set up and tie-down work
Parking lot paving and sealing
Patio construction
Paver, brick (e.g., driveway, patio, sidewalk), installation
Paving, residential and commercial driveway and parking lot
Playground equipment installation
Pole (e.g., telephone) removal
Posthole digging
Radon gas alleviation contractors
Safety net system, erecting and dismantling at construction site
Sandblasting, building exterior
Scaffold erecting and dismantling
Shoring, construction
Sidewalk construction, residential and commercial
Sign (except on highways, streets, bridges and tunnels) erection
Sign, building, erection
Statue erection
Steeplejack work
Street, interlocking brick (i.e., not mortared), installation
Swimming pool screen enclosure construction
Swimming pool, outdoor, construction
Tank lining contractors
Turf, artificial, installation
Underpinning, construction
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External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 238990.
Construction Business Directory
Industry-specific resources and trends data from Construction Business magazine.
U.S. Census Bureau NAICS Explorer
Official government page providing detailed definition, industry statistics, and data for All Other Specialty Trade Contractors.
NCCBA Specialty Trade Contractors Association
Trade association dedicated to connecting and supporting specialty trade contractors in the construction industry.
