Ask Difference

House vs. Building — What's the Difference?

By Fiza Rafique & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 11, 2024
A house is a dwelling designed for living, typically used by a single family or household, while a building is any structure with walls and a roof, including residential, commercial, or public use.
House vs. Building — What's the Difference?

Difference Between House and Building

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Key Differences

A house is primarily a residential unit, providing a space for individuals or families to live, with areas for sleeping, cooking, and leisure. Buildings, on the other hand, encompass a wider range of structures, including offices, schools, factories, and more, serving various functions beyond just living spaces.
Houses are designed with a focus on comfort, privacy, and accommodating the daily life activities of a household. Buildings are designed based on their intended use, which could include commercial, industrial, educational, or recreational purposes, among others, with their design reflecting their specific function.
A house typically features architectural elements that make it suitable for a home, such as a living room, bedrooms, kitchen, and bathrooms. A building might include these features if it contains residential units, but can also have features tailored to other uses, such as large open spaces for offices, classrooms for schools, or manufacturing areas for factories.
In terms of ownership, houses are often owned by an individual, a family, or landlords who rent them out to tenants. Buildings, especially those for commercial or public use, may be owned by corporations, government entities, or real estate investors, with different parts of the building often leased to various tenants.
The construction and design of a house often prioritize aesthetic appeal and homeliness, incorporating personal touches and considerations for the occupants’ lifestyle. Buildings prioritize functionality, safety, and efficiency, catering to the needs of multiple users and adherence to strict building codes and regulations for commercial, educational, or industrial activities.
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Comparison Chart

Purpose

Primarily for residential living.
Serves various functions, including residential, commercial, and public use.

Design Focus

Comfort, privacy, and daily life activities.
Functionality, safety, and efficiency for intended use.

Typical Features

Living room, bedrooms, kitchen, bathrooms.
Can include residential spaces, offices, classrooms, manufacturing areas, etc.

Ownership

Individuals, families, landlords.
Corporations, government entities, real estate investors.

Architectural Priorities

Aesthetic appeal and homeliness.
Catering to the needs of multiple users, adherence to building codes.

Compare with Definitions

House

A building for human habitation, especially one that is lived in by a family or small group of people.
They bought a two-story house in the suburbs.

Building

A structure with a roof and walls, such as a house, school, store, or factory.
The new office building downtown has twenty floors.

House

A residential unit designed to support family life.
Their house features a large backyard for the children.

Building

The physical structure that encompasses a variety of spaces.
The building’s innovative design incorporates green technology.

House

A place considered as a home.
After a long journey, there’s no place like house.

Building

Any constructed edifice designed to stand more or less permanently, covering a space of land.
The university plans to erect a new building for the engineering department.

House

A building in which people live, regarded as a unit of accommodation.
The neighborhood’s houses are known for their unique architectural styles.

Building

A structure that can house various activities, from residential to commercial.
The historic building has been repurposed into a boutique hotel.

House

A structure serving as a dwelling for one or more persons, typically for a family.
The newlyweds are looking for a house to call their own.

Building

An establishment constructed for a specific purpose.
The community’s new library building is a hub for learning and events.

House

A house is a single-unit residential building, which may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Houses use a range of different roofing systems to keep precipitation such as rain from getting into the dwelling space.

Building

A building, or edifice, is a structure with a roof and walls standing more or less permanently in one place, such as a house or factory. Buildings come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and functions, and have been adapted throughout history for a wide number of factors, from building materials available, to weather conditions, land prices, ground conditions, specific uses, and aesthetic reasons.

House

A building for human habitation, especially one that consists of a ground floor and one or more upper storeys
House prices
A house of Cotswold stone

Building

A structure with a roof and walls, such as a house or factory.

House

A building in which people meet for a particular activity
A house of prayer

Building

The action or trade of constructing something
The building of motorways
Building materials

House

A religious community that occupies a particular building
The Cistercian house at Clairvaux

Building

A flock of rooks
A picture of her standing amongst a building of rooks

House

A legislative or deliberative assembly
The sixty-member National Council, the country's upper house

Building

Something that is built, as for human habitation; a structure.

House

A style of electronic dance music typically having sparse, repetitive vocals and a fast beat
DJs specializing in techno, garage, and house

Building

The act, process, art, or occupation of constructing.

House

A twelfth division of the celestial sphere, based on the positions of the ascendant and midheaven at a given time and place, and determined by any of a number of methods.

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.

House

Old-fashioned term for bingo

Building

(countable) A closed structure with walls and a roof.
My sister lives in that apartment building.

House

(of an animal or plant) kept in, frequenting, or infesting buildings.

Building

Present participle of build

House

Relating to a firm, institution, or society
A house journal

Building

The act of constructing, erecting, or establishing.
Hence it is that the building of our Sion rises no faster.

House

Provide with shelter or accommodation
They converted a disused cinema to house twelve employees

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.

House

Provide space for; contain or accommodate
The museum houses a collection of Roman sculpture

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.

House

A structure serving as a dwelling for one or more persons, especially for a family.

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

House

A household or family.

Building

The act of constructing or building something;
During the construction we had to take a detour
His hobby was the building of boats

House

Something, such as a burrow or shell, that serves as a shelter or habitation for a wild animal.

Building

The commercial activity involved in constructing buildings;
Their main business is home construction
Workers in the building trades

House

A dwelling for a group of people, such as students or members of a religious community, who live together as a unit
A sorority house.

Building

The occupants of a building;
The entire building complained about the noise

House

A building that functions as the primary shelter or location of something
A carriage house.
The lion house at the zoo.

House

A building devoted to a particular activity
A customs house.
A house of worship.

House

A facility, such as a theater or restaurant, that provides entertainment or food for the public
A movie house.
The specialty of the house.

House

The seating area in such an establishment
Dimmed the lights in the house to signal the start of the show.

House

The audience or patrons of such an establishment
A full house.

House

A commercial firm
A brokerage house.

House

A publishing company
A house that specializes in cookbooks.

House

A gambling casino.

House

(Slang) A house of prostitution.

House

A residential college within a university.

House

Often House A legislative or deliberative assembly.

House

The hall or chamber in which such an assembly meets.

House

A quorum of such an assembly.

House

Often House A family line including ancestors and descendants, especially a royal or noble family
The House of Orange.

House

One of the 12 parts into which the heavens are divided in astrology.

House

The sign of the zodiac indicating the seat or station of a planet in the heavens. Also called mansion.

House

House music.

House

To provide living quarters for; lodge
The cottage housed ten students.

House

To shelter, keep, or store in a house or other structure
A library housing rare books.

House

To fit (something) into a socket or mortise.

House

(Nautical) To secure or stow safely.

House

To reside; dwell.

House

To take shelter.

House

A structure built or serving as an abode of human beings.
This is my house and my family's ancestral home.

House

An apartment building within a public housing estate.

House

(uncountable) Size and quality of residential accommodations.

House

A building intended to contain a single household, as opposed to an apartment or condominium or building containing these.

House

The people who live in a house; a household.

House

A building used for something other than a residence (typically with qualifying word).
The former carriage house had been made over into a guest house.
On arriving at the zoo, we immediately headed for the monkey house.

House

A place of business; a company or organisation, especially a printing press, a publishing company, or a couturier.
A small publishing house would have a contract with an independent fulfillment house.

House

A place of public accommodation or entertainment, especially a public house, an inn, a restaurant, a theatre, or a casino; or the management thereof.
One more, sir, then I'll have to stop serving you – rules of the house, I'm afraid.
The house always wins.

House

(historical) A workhouse.

House

The audience for a live theatrical or similar performance.

House

A theatre.
After her swan-song, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

House

(politics) A building where a deliberative assembly meets; whence the assembly itself, particularly a component of a legislature.
The petition was so ridiculous that the house rejected it after minimal debate.

House

A dynasty; a family with its ancestors and descendants, especially a royal or noble one.
A curse lay upon the House of Atreus.

House

(metaphorical) A place of rest or repose.

House

A grouping of schoolchildren for the purposes of competition in sports and other activities.
I was a member of Spenser house when I was at school.

House

An animal's shelter or den, or the shell of an animal such as a snail, used for protection.

House

(astrology) One of the twelve divisions of an astrological chart.

House

(cartomancy) The fourth Lenormand card.

House

A square on a chessboard, regarded as the proper place of a piece.

House

(curling) The four concentric circles where points are scored on the ice.

House

Lotto; bingo.

House

(uncountable) A children's game in which the players pretend to be members of a household.
As the babysitter, Emma always acted as the mother whenever the kids demanded to play house.

House

A small stand of trees in a swamp.

House

(sudoku) A set of cells in a Sudoku puzzle which must contain each digit exactly once, such as a row, column, or 3×3 box in classic Sudoku.

House

(music genre) House music.

House

(transitive) To keep within a structure or container.
The car is housed in the garage.

House

(transitive) To admit to residence; to harbor.

House

To take shelter or lodging; to abide; to lodge.

House

To dwell within one of the twelve astrological houses.

House

(transitive) To contain or cover mechanical parts.

House

(transitive) To contain one part of an object for the purpose of locating the whole.
The joists were housed into the side walls, rather than being hung from them.

House

(obsolete) To drive to a shelter.

House

(obsolete) To deposit and cover, as in the grave.

House

(nautical) To stow in a safe place; to take down and make safe.
To house the upper spars

House

To eat.

House

A structure intended or used as a habitation or shelter for animals of any kind; but especially, a building or edifice for the habitation of man; a dwelling place, a mansion.
Houses are built to live in; not to look on.
Bees with smoke and doves with noisome stenchAre from their hives and houses driven away.

House

Household affairs; domestic concerns; particularly in the phrase to keep house. See below.

House

Those who dwell in the same house; a household.
One that feared God with all his house.

House

A family of ancestors, descendants, and kindred; a race of persons from the same stock; a tribe; especially, a noble family or an illustrious race; as, the house of Austria; the house of Hanover; the house of Israel.
The last remaining pillar of their house,The one transmitter of their ancient name.

House

One of the estates of a kingdom or other government assembled in parliament or legislature; a body of men united in a legislative capacity; as, the House of Lords; the House of Commons; the House of Representatives; also, a quorum of such a body. See Congress, and Parliament.

House

A firm, or commercial establishment.

House

A public house; an inn; a hotel.

House

A twelfth part of the heavens, as divided by six circles intersecting at the north and south points of the horizon, used by astrologers in noting the positions of the heavenly bodies, and casting horoscopes or nativities. The houses were regarded as fixed in respect to the horizon, and numbered from the one at the eastern horizon, called the ascendant, first house, or house of life, downward, or in the direction of the earth's revolution, the stars and planets passing through them in the reverse order every twenty-four hours.

House

A square on a chessboard, regarded as the proper place of a piece.

House

An audience; an assembly of hearers, as at a lecture, a theater, etc.; as, a thin or a full house.

House

The body, as the habitation of the soul.
This mortal house I'll ruin,Do Cæsar what he can.

House

The grave.

House

To take or put into a house; to shelter under a roof; to cover from the inclemencies of the weather; to protect by covering; as, to house one's family in a comfortable home; to house farming utensils; to house cattle.
At length have housed me in a humble shed.
House your choicest carnations, or rather set them under a penthouse.

House

To drive to a shelter.

House

To admit to residence; to harbor.
Palladius wished him to house all the Helots.

House

To deposit and cover, as in the grave.

House

To stow in a safe place; to take down and make safe; as, to house the upper spars.

House

To take shelter or lodging; to abide to dwell; to lodge.
You shall not house with me.

House

A dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families;
He has a house on Cape Cod
She felt she had to get out of the house

House

An official assembly having legislative powers;
The legislature has two houses

House

A building in which something is sheltered or located;
They had a large carriage house

House

A social unit living together;
He moved his family to Virginia
It was a good Christian household
I waited until the whole house was asleep
The teacher asked how many people made up his home

House

A building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented;
The house was full

House

Members of a business organization that owns or operates one or more establishments;
He worked for a brokerage house

House

Aristocratic family line;
The House of York

House

The members of a religious community living together

House

The audience gathered together in a theatre or cinema;
The house applauded
He counted the house

House

(astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided

House

The management of a gambling house or casino;
The house gets a percentage of every bet

House

Contain or cover;
This box houses the gears

House

Provide housing for;
The immigrants were housed in a new development outside the town

Common Curiosities

How do design priorities differ between houses and buildings?

Houses prioritize aesthetic appeal and comfort, focusing on the occupants’ lifestyle, while buildings focus on functionality, safety, and efficiency for their intended use.

What differentiates a house from a building?

A house is a residential dwelling, typically for a single household, focusing on living spaces, while a building can serve various functions, including residential, commercial, and public activities.

Who typically owns buildings compared to houses?

Houses are often owned by individuals or families, while buildings, especially commercial or public ones, may be owned by corporations, government entities, or real estate investors.

What types of buildings are there?

There are various types of buildings, including residential buildings (houses and apartment buildings), commercial buildings (offices and shops), industrial buildings (factories), and public buildings (schools and hospitals).

Why are building codes important in construction?

Building codes ensure the safety, health, and well-being of occupants and the public by setting minimum standards for construction and design, which is particularly important for buildings used by multiple people for various purposes.

How does the purpose of a structure influence its design?

The purpose of a structure heavily influences its design; residential structures prioritize living conditions, while commercial and public structures focus on accommodating specific activities and meeting regulatory standards.

Can a building contain houses?

Yes, a building, especially an apartment complex, can contain multiple residential units, which can be considered individual homes or houses within the larger structure.

Can a house be considered a building?

Yes, a house can be considered a building, as it is a structure with a roof and walls, but it specifically refers to a residential type.

What is the role of aesthetics in house design?

Aesthetics play a significant role in house design, enhancing the living experience by creating a visually appealing and comfortable environment for the occupants.

How do environmental considerations impact building construction?

Environmental considerations impact building construction by encouraging sustainable practices, energy efficiency, and the use of eco-friendly materials, aiming to minimize the environmental footprint of the structure.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Fiza Rafique
Fiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj Arif
Urooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.

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