Building vs. Construction: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
"Building" refers to a physical structure, while "construction" is the process of building or assembling structures.
Key Differences
"Building" typically refers to a physical structure, like a house or office, used for habitation, work, or other purposes. It's a noun that denotes a tangible, completed edifice. On the other hand, "construction" is a broader term that encompasses the entire process of creating these structures. It includes planning, designing, and assembling, and is often used as a noun and a verb.
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Nov 13, 2023
The term "building" is used to describe the outcome or the end product of construction work. For instance, a building could be a residential home, a school, or a skyscraper. Construction, however, refers to the process that leads to this outcome. This includes tasks like laying foundations, erecting structural frameworks, plumbing, and electrical work.
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Nov 13, 2023
In usage, "building" is straightforward, often referring to the structure itself. For example, we talk about building regulations or building maintenance. "Construction," however, can refer to the industry as a whole (the construction sector), the specific process (construction work), or the state of being under development (under construction).
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Nov 13, 2023
The distinction also lies in their verb forms. "To build" typically means to construct a building or structure. "To construct" has a broader application, meaning to assemble or create something, which could be a building, road, machine, or even an abstract concept.
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Nov 13, 2023
Comparison Chart
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Usage
As a noun for a structure
As a noun for the process or industry, and a verb
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Scope
Refers to the end product
Encompasses the entire process from planning to completion
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Examples
Houses, schools, offices
Building a house, road construction, structural engineering
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Nov 13, 2023
Verb Form
"To build" - to create a structure
"To construct" - broader, can refer to creating various things
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Building and Construction Definitions
Building
A structure with walls and a roof
The new building on Main Street is an architectural marvel.
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Construction
The assembly of various components
The construction of the machine requires precision.
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Building
A facility for a specific purpose
The hospital is expanding with a new building for research.
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Construction
The industry of building structures
She works in construction, specializing in urban development.
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Building
A permanent or temporary structure
The school added a temporary building for extra classrooms.
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Building
An edifice forming part of a complex
The office building is part of a larger corporate campus.
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Construction
The art, trade, or work of building
An engineer trained in highway construction.
Worked in construction for seven years.
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Building
A constructed dwelling place
They moved into a taller building for a better view.
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Construction
Something fashioned or devised systematically
A nation that was glorious in its historical construction.
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Construction
An artistic composition using various materials; an assemblage or a collage.
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Building
(uncountable) The act or process by which something is built; construction.
The building of the bridge will be completed in a couple of weeks.
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Oct 19, 2023
Construction
The way in which something is built or put together
A shelter of simple construction.
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Building
(countable) A closed structure with walls and a roof.
My sister lives in that apartment building.
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Construction
The interpretation or explanation given to an expression or a statement
I was inclined to put a favorable construction on his reply.
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Construction
(Grammar) An arrangement of words forming a grammatical phrase, clause, or sentence.
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Building
The act of constructing, erecting, or establishing.
Hence it is that the building of our Sion rises no faster.
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Construction
The process of constructing.
Construction is underway on the new bridge.
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Building
The art of constructing edifices, or the practice of civil architecture.
The execution of works of architecture necessarily includes building; but building is frequently employed when the result is not architectural.
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Oct 19, 2023
Construction
Anything that has been constructed.
The engineer marvelled at his construction.
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Building
That which is built; a fabric or edifice constructed, as a house, a church, etc.
Thy sumptuous buildings and thy wife's attireHave cost a mass of public treasury.
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Construction
The trade of building structures.
He had worked in construction all his life.
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Building
A structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place;
There was a three-story building on the corner
It was an imposing edifice
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Oct 19, 2023
Construction
A building, model or some other structure.
The office was a construction of steel and glass.
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Building
The act of constructing or building something;
During the construction we had to take a detour
His hobby was the building of boats
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Construction
(arts) A (usually non-representational) structure, such as a collage etc.
"Construction in string and clockwork" took first prize.
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Building
The commercial activity involved in constructing buildings;
Their main business is home construction
Workers in the building trades
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Construction
The manner in which something is built.
A thing of simple construction.
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Building
The occupants of a building;
The entire building complained about the noise
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Construction
(grammar) A group of words arranged to form a meaningful phrase.
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Construction
The act or result of construing the meaning of something.
American conservatives tend to favor strict construction of the Constitution.
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Construction
The meaning or interpretation of a text, action etc.; the way something is viewed by an observer or onlooker.
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Construction
(geometry) A geometric figure of arcs and line segments that is drawable with a straightedge and compass.
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Construction
The process or art of constructing; the act of building; erection; the act of devising and forming; fabrication; composition.
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Construction
The form or manner of building or putting together the parts of anything; structure; arrangement.
An astrolabe of peculiar construction.
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Construction
The arrangement and connection of words in a sentence; syntactical arrangement.
Some particles . . . in certain constructions have the sense of a whole sentence contained in them.
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Oct 19, 2023
Construction
The method of construing, interpreting, or explaining a declaration or fact; an attributed sense or meaning; understanding; explanation; interpretation; sense.
Any person . . . might, by the sort of construction that would be put on this act, become liable to the penalties of treason.
Strictly, the term [construction] signifies determining the meaning and proper effect of language by a consideration of the subject matter and attendant circumstances in connection with the words employed.
Interpretation properly precedes construction, but it does not go beyond the written text.
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Construction
The act of constructing or building something;
During the construction we had to take a detour
His hobby was the building of boats
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Oct 19, 2023
Construction
The commercial activity involved in constructing buildings;
Their main business is home construction
Workers in the building trades
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Oct 19, 2023
Construction
A thing constructed; a complex construction or entity;
The structure consisted of a series of arches
She wore her hair in an amazing construction of whirls and ribbons
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Construction
A group of words that form a constituent of a sentence and are considered as a single unit;
I concluded from his awkward constructions that he was a foreigner
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Construction
The creation of a construct; the process of combining ideas into a congruous object of thought
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Construction
An interpretation of a text or action;
They put an unsympathetic construction on his conduct
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Construction
Drawing a figure satisfying certain conditions as part of solving a problem or proving a theorem;
The assignment was to make a construction that could be used in proving the Pythagorean theorem
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Construction
The act or process of building
The construction of the new bridge will take two years.
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Construction
The way something is built or formed
The construction of the novel's plot is intricate.
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Construction
The state of being built
The road is closed due to construction work.
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Nov 13, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can "construction" be used in a non-physical sense?
Yes, like in the construction of a sentence or argument.
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Nov 13, 2023
Can "building" refer to the act of construction?
Not typically, it usually refers to the structure itself.
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Nov 13, 2023
Is "construction worker" specific to building construction?
No, they can work in various types of construction projects.
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Nov 13, 2023
What is "construction management"?
It's the planning, coordination, and control of a construction process.
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Is "construction" only related to buildings?
No, it can refer to any physical structure or assembly process.
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Nov 13, 2023
What's "green building"?
It refers to environmentally sustainable building practices.
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Can "building" describe a process?
No, it typically describes the physical structure.
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Nov 13, 2023
Can "construction" be a hobby?
Yes, in contexts like model construction or DIY projects.
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Nov 13, 2023
Are all structures considered buildings?
Not necessarily, as "building" often implies a roofed and walled structure.
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Nov 13, 2023
Does "building" have a verb form?
Yes, "to build" refers to the act of creating a structure.
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Nov 13, 2023
What does "under construction" mean?
It means a structure is currently being built or assembled.
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Can "construction" be temporary?
Yes, like in temporary structures for events.
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Are "construction" terms technical?
They can be, especially in the context of engineering or architecture.
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Are skyscrapers always buildings?
Yes, as they are large, habitable structures.
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Does "building" include interior design?
Not directly, it's more about the structure itself.
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Nov 13, 2023
Are all buildings made of concrete?
No, buildings can be made of various materials like wood, steel, or glass.
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Is roadwork a type of construction?
Yes, it's a form of civil construction.
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What does "construction site" mean?
It's a location where construction is taking place.
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Do all buildings have multiple floors?
No, some buildings are single-story.
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Nov 13, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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