The Benefits of Self-Performed Work

Owners said the most significant causes of cost overruns on their projects were incomplete drawings and poor pre-planning, according to a 2004 survey of more than 100 private- and public-sector owners conducted by the Construction Management Association of America and FMI Corporation. Particularly during the pre-design phase, the survey found, owners feel a pressing need to control the scope of their projects. To help our customers gain and maintain greater control over costs, schedules, quality and safety not just at the beginning of their projects but all the way through, DPR often proposes to self perform select portions of the work when it offers the most value to the customer. We maintain a historical estimating database and continuously compare our labor rate against the information collected from subcontractors to provide current, accurate numbers. We also will bid out the job ourselves to guarantee the customer the best price.

We have found that self performing various aspects of the project—from drywall and taping to specialty item installation—allows for increased flexibility that can make all the difference when it comes to unforgiving schedules and tight budgets. For example, during the Biogen Idec manufacturing campus project (see cover story), DPR’s concrete crew was able to accelerate foundations, including analyzing and installing concrete and steel with bare minimum design, which shaved three to four months off of the aggressive 30-month construction schedule. We also self performed more than 293,000 hours of drywall, doors, frames and hardware, and rough carpentry and clean-up that helped bring the complex project in on time, under budget and with Zero Defects.

With each project, we gain an even stronger understanding of the intricate details involved in building technically challenging projects. This expertise is then shared across the company so that our teams are equipped with the knowledge they need to quickly and effectively avoid or solve issues in the field before they become problems that can have a larger impact on the job. We invest a lot of time into the training and development of our labor force—more than an average of 60 hours a year—to ensure that they have the right skills to best meet customers’ needs.

Quality and safety also are improved. As one of the nation’s leading general contractors, we take great pride in being true builders. This means that we have an experienced workforce available to competitively perform the actual work. Last year, DPR self performed more than 3.2 million hours across the nation, completed 110 projects with Zero Defects and earned a .29 experience modifier rate from the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), which is the lowest safety rate for a contractor of our size. The commitment we make to our customers and the ownership our craftsmen derive in the field are reflected in the quality of our work that often sets a positive example for the other subcontractors and raises overall standards in construction.