Строительство по ряду признаков значительно отличается от других отраслей народного хозяйства. Эта отрасль характеризуется разнообразной структурой подрядных строительных организаций и предприятий, высоким уровнем их специализации и кооперации. Она является одной из самых высокомонополизированных отраслей в структуре народного хозяйства Украины. По объему производимой продукции, и количеством занятых работников отрасль строительство занимает почти десятую часть экономики Украины. В экономически развитых странах в последние годы наметилась тенденция сокращения строительной деятельности. Это объясняется тем, что рынок жилья оказался насыщенным, новое строительство все больше вытесняется реконструкцией и техническим переоснащением действующих предприятий.
Taking into account the importance of raw material and consumer factors, two groups of industries are distinguished: • predominantly raw material oriented: production of cement, asbestos-cement and slate products, refractories, glass, ceramic pipes, lime, etc.; • primarily consumer-oriented: production of concrete, reinforced concrete products and structures, soft roofs, sanitary and technical products, etc. Enterprises related to raw materials have a full production cycle (for example, production of cement, glass, bricks). A number of enterprises in the areas of consumption work on imported semi-finished products (concrete and reinforced concrete factories, enterprises producing sanitary and technical products).
Design, construction, and engineering firms, facility customers, manufacturers and suppliers of construction materials and equipment, financial institutions, and state bodies are involved in the construction process. At the same time, there is a noticeable variety of construction firms in terms of their size and specialization - from small artisanal and family firms to giants of the construction industry with a turnover of billions. The relative slowness of capital turnover in construction and the associated need to use loans, especially when building large houses. A higher degree of risk compared to other industries. These features affect the functioning of the construction market in economically developed countries, which is based on the competitive contract approach, in the conditions of the market economy provides the greatest efficiency of construction production.
Architecture largely reflects the leading ideas of its time, and the more progressive they are, the higher their value for humanity. Time does not spare ancient architectural structures. Wars and barbaric destruction led to the destruction of many ancient temples, outstandingly constructed in the Middle Ages and modern times. And nowadays, the ruins of the Athenian Acropolis, the famous Falling Tower of the Campanile in Pisa, the sights of Rome and the like are under threat. In the Soviet Union and in socialist countries, the protection of cultural achievements has become a state matter. VI Lenin attached great importance to the protection and restoration of architectural monuments.