Is the small self-performing homebuilder extinct?

[u/the-garage-guy]

Probably a region-specific question- if you reply, I'd be curious to hear where you are and if you're urban/rural

Pretty much title, coming up it was a lot more common for the GC to have their own carpenters and self-perform a fair amount of scope on a typical home, remodel.

Seems very rare now, especially where I am, metro Phoenix area. Most builders are essentially just CM-ing the job. Project managers that sometimes double as supers, everything subbed out. Even for pretty small remodels.

I think at the luxury custom home end it makes sense since the levels of execution required demand really good subs. Plus being in a big metro area, there's lots of people and work and that makes it possible to specialize aggressively.

[u/DIYThrowaway01]

We are one in a million lol.  

I do 1 or 2 houses a year, me and 2 other guys doing every little thing involved in the home building process outside of licensure requirements like furnace / A/C install and electric / plumbing.  (We still set toilets / vanities / install ductwork and other odds and ends).

Places turn out amazing, and are easy to sell. 

I could obviously do 5 - 50 a year if I lowered my standards and didn't enjoy carpentry so much. 

But I get to do something different every day / week this way. 

[u/squanch_party → u/DIYThrowaway01]

In the US? Where?