Construction and home services cooperatives include businesses such as solar installers, landscapers, cleaners, and other skilled trades. Most are worker cooperatives, where the workers own and run the business. Some are consumer cooperatives, such as community solar projects that are owned by the people who benefit from the production of solar power.
Solar installation is one of the most visible cooperative industries in this sector. Solar cooperatives help expand access to renewable energy while creating quality local jobs.
Many construction and home service businesses are family-owned. When an owner decides to retire, the business can sometimes be sold to its employees and converted into a worker cooperative. This approach preserves local ownership, keeps jobs in the community, and gives workers a stake in the company’s success.
Cleaning services are another area where cooperatives have found success. Worker-owned cleaning cooperatives give employees more control over their workplace and the opportunity to share in the business’s profits while providing quality service to customers.
Benefits of Cooperatives in Construction and Home Services
- Local ownership: Cooperative businesses keep ownership and decision-making in the community.
- Good jobs: Worker-owners share in the profits and have a voice in workplace decisions.
- Business succession: Cooperatives provide a way for retiring business owners to sell their companies to employees and preserve the business.
- Job stability: Worker ownership can help keep jobs local and reduce the risk of businesses being sold or relocated.
- Better working conditions: Cooperative workplaces often focus on fairness, safety, and employee well-being.
- Community impact: Many cooperatives are committed to serving local needs and supporting the local economy.
- Access to services: Consumer-owned cooperatives, such as community solar projects, can make important services more affordable and accessible.
- Shared success: The people who do the work or use the services benefit directly from the cooperative’s success.
Examples of Cooperatives in Home Construction and Services
Northwind Solar is a worker-owned solar installation company in central Wisconsin that helps homes and businesses switch to renewable energy.
South Mountain Company is a worker-owned co-op in West Tisbury, Massachusetts. The cooperative includes architects, carpenters, designers, and solar experts who work together to provide design, building, and energy services.
Terra Firma Building and Remodeling Cooperative is a worker-owned construction and remodeling company in St. Paul, Minnesota, that gives employees a direct ownership stake in the business.
A Yard & A Half Landscaping Cooperative was founded in 1988 by Eileen Michaels and became a worker cooperative in 2013. The co-op was created to preserve a locally owned, safe, and democratic workplace in an industry in which workers often face exploitation and hazardous conditions. It provides landscaping, lawn maintenance, and hardscaping services.
Boston Cleaning Collective is a worker-owned cleaning cooperative founded by immigrant women. Every worker is a member-owner, and the co-op provides residential, commercial, and Airbnb cleaning services while creating good jobs and ownership opportunities for its members.
Resources & Organizations
Cooperative and Community Opportunities in Solar Energy. USDA, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, 2021.