A home builder tradesperson frames new houses on a builder's own crew and helps with plumbing and electrical rough-in where the law allows, moving from lot to lot as each house reaches its next stage. They get houses ready for the county's inspections and come back to fix items buyers list after move-in.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, residential builders and remodelers · BLS, May 2025
Annual pay: 10th percentile $40,700, middle half $48,190 to $75,740, 90th percentile $92,230. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Reports to
Field Supervisor
Department
Operations
Schedule
Weekdays 8 to 5, on call near closings · The template sets 8 AM to 5 PM. Extra hours come when a closing date is set and a house still needs its final inspection
Also called
Production carpenter · Rough carpenter · Framer · Construction tradesperson
Home builder tradesperson job description template
This is our Role Blueprint, word for word. Replace the highlighted fields and adjust the example targets and pay to fit your company.
Serve as a key skilled tradesperson contributing to the successful construction of residential projects by performing advanced tasks in framing, plumbing, and electrical work under direct supervision. Ensure high-quality workmanship and adherence to safety and building standards.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Execute advanced framing, plumbing, and electrical installation tasks with precision.
Read and interpret blueprints, schematics, and technical drawings to determine project requirements.
Collaborate closely with team members to ensure project timelines, quality, and safety standards are met.
Maintain a clean and organized work environment in accordance with company policies and industry requirements.
Assist in troubleshooting and resolving technical issues on-site promptly.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Review daily project plans and coordinate with the site supervisor for task assignments.
Prepare and handle materials, tools, and equipment necessary for framing, plumbing, and electrical tasks.
Conduct routine safety inspections and adhere to all safety protocols on the job site.
Communicate daily with team members and supervisors regarding progress and any issues that arise.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Task Completion Rate: ≥95% of assigned tasks completed on time.
Quality of Work: Maintain a customer satisfaction rating >4.8 stars.
Safety Compliance: Achieve a record of <5% job site safety incidents.
Efficiency: Maintain labor productivity with a target of $150 revenue generated per hour.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
High school diploma or GED with relevant technical certifications.
Minimum of 2 years of experience in skilled trades or home construction environments.
Proven ability to perform advanced tasks in framing, plumbing, and electrical work.
Strong problem-solving, time management, and communication skills.
6. Preferred Experience
Prior experience working with residential home builders or in a similar construction environment.
Proficient in interpreting technical drawings and blueprints.
Experience collaborating in team-based settings to meet construction deadlines.
Familiarity with industry-specific tools and technologies.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.
Capacity to work in various environmental conditions including outdoor weather extremes.
Ability to stand, walk, and perform manual tasks for prolonged periods.
Flexibility to work in confined spaces when required.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Typical work hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Occasional overtime may be necessary to meet project deadlines.
On-call duties may be required during critical project phases.
Work is predominantly on-site in various residential construction environments.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Hourly rate between $20.00 - $30.00 USD based on experience and qualifications.
Eligibility for performance-based bonuses and commissions.
Health, Dental, Vision, and 401k benefits available.
Additional fringe benefits may include paid time off and professional development opportunities.
10. Company Culture and Overview
At [INSERT COMPANY NAME HERE], we value innovation, teamwork, and a commitment to excellence.
Our company fosters an inclusive and growth-oriented environment where every employee is supported in reaching their full potential.
We pride ourselves on a culture that emphasizes customer satisfaction, continual improvement, and career advancement within a collaborative team setting.
Join us to be part of a dynamic organization that nurtures talent and encourages professional development.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
What changes when a builder runs a whole street of houses
A production builder starts houses in a steady stream from a few standard plans. Its tradesperson works on several houses each week, each one at a different stage, and the schedule moves crews by lot number.
Inspections set the order of the week
Each county or city sets its own inspection steps. Harnett County, North Carolina, is one example. There, every trade's rough-in is checked in a single visit. Windows and doors must be in and flashed, with no brick or siding on yet, and the plumbing gets its water and drain stack test. One missed item can hold up every trade on that house, and the re-inspection fee is paid before the inspector comes back. Source: Harnett County, NC: Single family dwelling and new home inspections (2026).
Tie-off when the trusses go up
Setting trusses and sheathing the roof put the crew high above the deck on every house in a phase. Under OSHA's residential rule, anyone working 6 feet or more above a lower level gets guardrails, a safety net or a personal fall arrest system, unless another part of the rule allows a different measure. The same few plans repeat down the street, so work out anchor points and setup once per plan, then check that every crew follows them. Source: OSHA: Duty to have fall protection (29 CFR 1926.501).
Licenses decide who touches the wiring
The template lists electrical work next to framing. In Texas, anyone who does non-exempt electrical work must hold a state license, from apprentice electrician up to master, and do the work through a licensed electrical contractor. A builder without that contractor license keeps its crew on framing and blocking and hires a licensed electrical contractor for the wiring. Check your own state's board before you post. Source: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation: Electricians.
Warranty work brings the crew back
New Jersey sets its new-home warranty in state law. Builders cover faulty workmanship and materials, carpentry included, for one year, plumbing, electrical and heating and cooling systems for two, and major structural defects for ten years through a warranty plan. The owner sends the builder a written list of defects. Once a 120-day waiting period has passed, if covered items aren't fixed within 30 days of that notice, the owner can file a claim with the state plan or the builder's approved private plan. Other states differ. Source: New Jersey DCA: New Home Warranty Program homeowner's booklet (revised September 2025).
Each lot gets its own material package
Lumber and trusses for each house arrive as a package dropped on that lot. Pulling studs from the next lot's pile to finish a wall leaves that house short when its crew arrives. A good production tradesperson keeps each house's material, plan options and punch items straight, even on a day spent on three different lots.
How much home builder tradespeople make
The closest BLS group for home builder tradespeople is carpenters. Carpenters who work for residential builders and remodelers earned a median of $29.13 an hour ($60,600 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s about the same as the $60,580 median for carpenters in all industries. About 204,290 of the 670,090 carpenters in that survey work for residential builders and remodelers.
Hourly, plus the bonuses for performance the template offers. The template also names commissions; decide whether any apply to a field job before you post. Licensed plumbing and electrical rough-in usually goes to subs, which is why the BLS chart shows carpenters.
Residential builders and remodelers
$60,600$60,600 median Middle half $48,190–$75,740 10th–90th $40,700–$92,230
All industries
$60,580$60,580 median Middle half $48,510–$76,830 10th–90th $40,410–$99,910
$30k$40k$50k$60k$70k$80k$90k$100k$110k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Residential builders and remodelers
$40,700
$48,190
$60,600
$75,740
$92,230
All industries
$40,410
$48,510
$60,580
$76,830
$99,910
BLS reports home builders and remodelers together. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Frames walls, floors and roof trusses from a builder's standard plans
Works on several houses in a day without mixing up their stages
Knows what the rough-in inspector checks and preps the house for it
Holds the electrical or plumbing credential, if any, that your state ties to the rough-in tasks you assign
Fixes warranty items neatly inside a home a family already lives in
Teach these on the job
Your house plans and the options buyers can add
How your lot packages are dropped and checked
Your truss-setting and tie-off method for each plan
Your warranty ticket app and rules for contacting buyers
Where your trades want blocking and backing
Most days need a coil or stick nailer, a worm-drive saw, a speed square, a laser, and a drill with hole saws for blocking and chases. Tell candidates if the company supplies nailers and compressors, and how many houses one crew keeps going at a time.
Home builder tradesperson interview questions
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Plan conflicts
The plans show a wall where the plumbing stub-ups don't line up. What do you do?
A strong answer: Stops, measures and photographs, tells the supervisor, and waits for direction instead of moving the wall or cutting pipes.
Behavioral · Checking own work
Tell me about a time you found a mistake in your own framing, plumbing or electrical work before anyone else did.
A strong answer: Explains how they caught it, fixed it, told the supervisor if needed, and what they now check.
Pull these from your house schedule and warranty log. Base each target on your crew's last phase, then hold it up against the template's figure.
Task Completion Rate
For each house, check whether the stages this person owned, such as framing, blocking and inspection prep, wrapped by the date on the house schedule. Note houses held up by another trade's failed inspection or a short lot package.
Quality of Work
The template ties this to buyer ratings. Read those alongside failed inspection items and warranty tickets traced to this person's work, house by house, so one upset buyer doesn't set the score.
Safety Compliance
Incidents and near misses per quarter, measured against the crew's hours, plus tie-off findings from site walks. OSHA bars punishing anyone for reporting an injury, so reward early reports and never let a low count become the goal.
Efficiency
The template counts revenue per hour. On new homes, compare the hours this person logged on each house with the hours your budget gave that plan, since crews don't bill buyers directly.
Career path
Laborer / helperStages lot packages, cleans houses and learns to frame.
Home builder tradespersonFrames and helps rough in houses across a phase.
Field supervisorRuns a group of houses, their trades and their inspections.
Production managerSets the build schedule and crew plan for every community.
Why would a home builder keep its own tradespeople?
Subcontractors handle most scopes, but they book other builders too. An in-house crew covers the work that stalls a house when nobody shows: missed blocking, a wall framed off plan, inspection corrections and warranty repairs. It also gives the field supervisor someone who knows your plans by heart and can fix a problem the same day.
How much does a home builder tradesperson make?
Carpenters who work for residential builders and remodelers earned a median of $29.13 an hour ($60,600 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $48,190 and $75,740 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
Do new homes fall under the lead paint renovation rule?
No. EPA's renovation, repair and painting rule is about older buildings: houses, day cares and similar child spaces built before 1978. EPA lists housing built in 1978 or later as outside it. If your company also renovates older homes, those jobs need a certified firm and a certified renovator on the work.
What does a warranty visit look like for the crew?
The warranty rep walks the buyer's list, then books the repair. The crew arrives on time, lays down floor protection, takes before and after photos and leaves the room cleaner than they found it. New Jersey asks owners to make every reasonable effort to be home for repairs between 9 AM and 6 PM on weekdays, or at another agreed time, so book visits inside those hours.
How can you test a production framer before hiring?
Walk a framed house with them the day before its rough-in inspection. Ask what the inspector would write up and what the plumber and electrician will need that isn't there yet. Then hand them the plan with one buyer option added, such as a bump-out or a tray ceiling, and ask what changes in the framing. You learn whether they think a house ahead.
What should a tradesperson say when a buyer visits their house?
Be friendly, keep them out of work areas, and send questions about changes, dates or price to the sales office or the field supervisor. Buyers often stop by on weekends and take any comment as a promise. A short rule for the crew, such as "I'll have the supervisor call you," avoids a lot of trouble at closing.
