What Technology Did Builders Use Most in 2019?

To find the most popular building technology, look up. By a long shot, roof trusses topped the list of builders’ and remodelers’ use of technology in 2019. When it comes to technology, simple fixes fare best, as the next top entries included floor trusses, prefab wall panels, and dust-free concrete and masonry tools. More slow to catch on are technologies that could be considered on the cutting-edge, such as 3D printing and robots, which only one percent and zero percent of respondents use respectively—if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

According to a recent NAHB study, although use of some factory-produced components like trusses has become widespread, the newer and more innovative types of construction technology, such as 3D printing and robots, have so far penetrated the residential market only to a very limited extent. This is true for both single-family builders and residential remodelers.

Data on use of technology come from special questions on two of the surveys NAHB conducts on a regular basis. NAHB canvasses its single-family builders once a month in the survey for the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), and its residential remodelers once a quarter in the NAHB Remodeling Market Index (RMI) survey. The main purpose of the surveys is to provide the data for the NAHB indexes, but each survey also often includes a set of special questions on a topic of current interest to the industry. The special questions on technology were included on the surveys for the 2nd quarter 2019 RMI and June 2019 HMI. A total of 508 builders and 233 remodelers responded to the two surveys.

Trusses are the most common type of construction technology used in the residential sector, and by a wide margin. According to the NAHB surveys, over 70 percent of both builders and remodelers use roof trusses, and over 50 percent of both builders and remodelers use floor trusses.

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