Framing Contractors Revenue Benchmarks
The average framing contractors business in the United States generates $1.2M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 12,198 framing contractors businesses in the U.S., employing 86,648 workers with an average profit margin of 7.0%.
What Does a Framing Business Actually Do?
Rough carpentry framers building the wooden skeleton of homes and buildings — walls, floors, roofs. Subcontract to general contractors.
Who buys: General contractors on new construction, remodelers doing additions.
Average Revenue
$1.2M
per year
Profit Margin
7.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$169K
per year
Total Businesses
12,198
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$84K
small business avg
Labor Cost
30.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
N/A
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
3.7
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Framing Contractors Charge?
Framing carpenters price per square foot of wall framed for rough framing.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Basic wall framing (per sqft) | $8–15/sqft |
Roof framing (per sqft) | $10–20/sqft |
Whole-house framing (avg 2,500 sqft) | $20,000–50,000 |
Hourly labor rate | $40–90/hour |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete framing business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a framing contractors business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the framing contractors industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Materials & subcontractors | $38 | $454K | Lumber, concrete, fixtures, subcontracted trades — the physical scope of the job. |
Wages & benefits | $30 | $360K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $5 | $60K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $38K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $17 | $204K | Equipment rentals, insurance (very high in construction), permits, vehicles, fuel. |
Net profit | $7 | $84K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
12.69%
openings/year
Closure Rate
11.47%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+2.44%
annual
Businesses Closed
8,367
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Framing Business?
Startup Cost
$25K – $150K
Break-Even
12 months
5-Year Survival Rate
52.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a framing contractors business do?
- Rough carpentry framers building the wooden skeleton of homes and buildings — walls, floors, roofs. Subcontract to general contractors. General contractors on new construction, remodelers doing additions.
- How much do framing contractors charge?
- Framing carpenters price per square foot of wall framed for rough framing. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average framing contractors make per year?
- The average framing contractors business generates $1.2M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $84K per year at a 7.0% profit margin.
- How many framing contractors businesses are there in the US?
- There are 12,198 framing contractors businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 86,648 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a framing contractors business?
- Startup costs for a framing contractors business typically range from $25K to $150K, with a 5-year survival rate of 52.0%.
Industry Growth & Survival
The framing contractors industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 2.4% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (12.7% entry vs 11.5% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 54% of framing contractors businesses survive their first 5 years. This is near the national average (~50%), with typical business risk. In 2023, 8,367 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The framing contractors industry has declined 6% since 2000 (from 94,025 to 88,283 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Framing Contractors revenue with other industries: