Analysis
NAICS 238910 is the 2022 national industry for site preparation contractors, part of 23891 (Site Preparation Contractors). Census lists 65 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 41,777 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 472,783 people at an average annual payroll of $77,142 per employee (65th percentile of national industries). 61% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which marks it as a small-business industry.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments grew 13% and employment rose 19%. The 2018 count used NAICS 2017, so part of a large move can come from codes being redefined rather than from businesses opening or closing.
Census lists 10 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 237210, 2371, 237990 and 238990. Businesses that do several things are classified by their primary activity, the one that generates the most value, so check those boundaries before settling on this code.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include aerial or picker truck, construction, rental with operator, backfilling, construction, backhoe rental with operator and blast hole drilling (except mining), among 65 in all.
For example, servicing land and subdividing real property into lots for sale to builders are classified in 237210 (Land Subdivision) instead.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in site preparation activities, such as excavating and grading, demolition of buildings and other structures, and septic system installation. Earthmoving and land clearing for all types of sites (e.g., building, nonbuilding, mining) is included in this industry. Establishments primarily engaged in construction equipment rental with operator (except cranes) are also included.
Illustrative Examples:
Blasting, building demolition Building interior gutting and stripping Concrete breaking and cutting for demolition Cutting new rights of way Demolition, building and structure Exterior demolition contractors Foundation digging (i.e., excavation) Foundation drilling contractors Grading construction sites Interior demolition contractors Dewatering contractors Dirt moving for construction Equipment rental (except crane), construction, with operator Excavating, earthmoving, or land clearing contractors Line slashing or cutting (except maintenance) Septic system contractors Trenching (except underwater) Underground tank (except hazardous) removal Wrecking, building or other structure Whole building deconstruction
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Servicing land and subdividing real property into lots for sale to builders | 237210 Land Subdivision |
| Constructing distribution lines and related buildings and structures for utilities (i.e., water, sewer, petroleum, gas, power, and communication) | 2371 Utility System Construction |
| Earth retention or underwater trenching | 237990 Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction |
| Crane rental with operator | 238990 All Other Specialty Trade Contractors |
| Overburden removal as an activity prior to mineral removal from quarries or open pit mines | 21 Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction |
| Drilling oil and gas field water intake wells | 213111 Drilling Oil and Gas Wells |
| Dismantling tanks in oil fields | 213112 Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations |
| Construction equipment rental without an operator | 532412 Construction, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing |
| Tree and brush trimming for overhead utility lines | 561730 Landscaping Services |
| Nuclear power plant decommissioning and environmental remediation work, such as the removal of underground steel tanks for hazardous materials | 562910 Remediation Services |
Index entries (65)
- Aerial or picker truck, construction, rental with operator
- Backfilling, construction
- Backhoe rental with operator
- Blast hole drilling (except mining)
- Blasting, building demolition
- Blasting, construction site
- Boring, for building construction
- Building demolition
- Building interior gutting and stripping
- Bulldozer rental with operator
- Caisson (i.e., drilled building foundations) construction
- Cesspool construction
- Concrete breaking and cutting for demolition
- Construction equipment (except crane) rental with operator
- Core drilling and test boring for construction
- Crawler tractor rental with operator
- Culvert or bridge removal
- Cutting new rights of way
- Demolition contractor
- Demolition, building and structure
- Dewatering contractors
- Digging foundations
- Dirt moving for construction
- Dismantling engineering structures (e.g., oil storage tank)
- Drainage system (e.g., cesspool, septic tank) installation
- Drilled pier (i.e., for building foundations) contractors
- Drilled shaft (i.e., drilled building foundations) construction
- Dry well construction
- Equipment rental (except crane), construction, with operator
- Excavating, earthmoving or land clearing, mining (except overburden removal at open pit mine sites or quarries)
- Excavating, earthmoving, or land clearing contractors
- Excavation contractors
- Exterior demolition contractors
- Foundation digging (i.e., excavation)
- Foundation drilling contractors
- Grading construction sites
- Grave excavation contractors
- Ground thawing for construction site digging
- Helical pier (i.e., drilled building foundations) construction
- House demolishing