Other Building Material Dealers Revenue Benchmarks
The average other building material dealers business in the United States generates $5.5M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 20,877 other building material dealers businesses in the U.S., employing 278,231 workers with an average profit margin of 4.0%.
What Does a Other Building Material Dealers Business Actually Do?
Specialty building material dealers — lumberyards, roofing supply, drywall supply, HVAC supply. Primarily serve contractors.
Who buys: Contractors, remodelers, some sophisticated DIYers.
Average Revenue
$5.5M
per year
Profit Margin
4.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$414K
per year
Total Businesses
20,877
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$220K
small business avg
Labor Cost
14.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
N/A
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
6.3
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Other Building Material Dealers Charge?
Specialty building material dealers (lumber, roofing supply, drywall supply) earn 15–30% gross serving pros primarily.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Lumber markup | 15–25% |
Specialty materials markup | 20–40% |
Contractor account discount | 5–20% off retail |
Delivery fee | $50–250 per delivery |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete other building material dealers business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a other building material dealers 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 other building material dealers 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost of goods sold | $61 | $3.4M | Wholesale cost of merchandise purchased for resale. Retail's biggest expense. |
Wages & benefits | $14 | $772K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $8 | $452K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $226K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $8 | $452K | Utilities, POS fees, shrinkage, insurance, store maintenance. |
Net profit | $4 | $220K | 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
4.62%
openings/year
Closure Rate
4.43%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
-0.87%
annual
Businesses Closed
1,831
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Other Building Material Dealers Business?
Startup Cost
$75K – $400K
Break-Even
13 months
5-Year Survival Rate
48.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a other building material dealers business do?
- Specialty building material dealers — lumberyards, roofing supply, drywall supply, HVAC supply. Primarily serve contractors. Contractors, remodelers, some sophisticated DIYers.
- How much do other building material dealers charge?
- Specialty building material dealers (lumber, roofing supply, drywall supply) earn 15–30% gross serving pros primarily. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average other building material dealers make per year?
- The average other building material dealers business generates $5.5M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $220K per year at a 4.0% profit margin.
- How many other building material dealers businesses are there in the US?
- There are 20,877 other building material dealers businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 278,231 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a other building material dealers business?
- Startup costs for a other building material dealers business typically range from $75K to $400K, with a 5-year survival rate of 48.0%.
Industry Growth & Survival
The other building material dealers industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of -0.9%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 4.6% and 4.4% respectively.
Approximately 80% of other building material dealers businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 1,831 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The other building material dealers industry has declined 38% since 2000 (from 48,298 to 30,090 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Other Building Material Dealers revenue with other industries: