Self-Help and Informal Sector Housing in the United States and Canada

Abstract

In the developed world most dwellings are now erected by the building industry, which is associated with informal sector work not reported to any government agency. In addition, in Canada and the United States many dwellings have been built by households for their own use (homesteading), and owners often undertake their own repairs and improvements (do-it-yourself (DIY)). In the housing field, informal sector and amateur work probably add as much value as the formal building industry. The informal sector has arguably grown with the expansion of the state. Homesteading has declined since the 1950s, while DIY has become more significant, though both fluctuate in response to economic conditions. Even DIY may now be in relative decline.