In 2020, the construction industry faced a significant setback due to the global lockdown, leading to decreased activities. However, the contracting sector in the region is now preparing to celebrate.
According to the Business Observer annual Top 50, the largest contracting companies in the area generated a combined revenue of $6.08 billion in 2021, indicating a 4.64% rise from $5.81 billion in 2020. However, it was down by -7% from $6.54 billion in 2019.
Interestingly, the fortunes of individual companies changed, with only 13 of the 50 companies on the Top 50 experiencing a decrease in revenue in 2021, compared to 25 in the previous year. Two companies maintained the same payment year-over-year, while the other 35 experienced gains in 2021. Remarkably, 28 of the 35 companies saw an increase in revenue professional earnings growth of at least 10%.
To qualify for the Top Contractor’s list, companies must be located within the coverage area of the Business Observer, which spans from Polk County down to Collier County. These companies must operate in a contracting field, such as electrical, general construction, roofing, HVAC, etc. The companies themselves submit the data for the list.
Top Contractors in USA
A closer look at the Top 10 contractors shows that several companies have expanded into new areas, requiring more personnel, project managers, equipment, and materials – all of which currently need to be improved.
Among these contractors is Franklin Development Corp, a Tampa-based company with 15 employees specializing in constructing restaurants, car washes, daycares, urgent care facilities, and medical office buildings. In 2021, the company’s revenue increased from $11 million to $29 million, representing a remarkable growth rate of 163.64%.
During this period, Franklin’s most significant project was constructing a 12,000-square-foot Ford’s Garage bar and restaurant in Winter Garden. The company also built the new Tiki Docks Bar + Grill in Riverview, an elevated structure with a floor area of 18,000 square feet.
Other companies in the Top 50 have also experienced substantial growth. Florida Asphalt & Concrete, a Tampa-based company, saw its revenue increase by 81.61% to $31.9 million, while Bradenton-based TDS Construction, which specializes in retail projects, grew by 89.16% to $78.5 million.
Two of the larger companies in the region, Naples-based Connor & Gaskins Unlimited LLC (ranked No. 11) and Clearwater-based Creative Contractors (ranked No. 10), also experienced significant growth with revenue increases of 42.55% to $147 million and 29.17% to $155 million, respectively.
List of Top 10 Contractors
The top 10 contractors in the region ranked by gross revenue in 2021 demonstrate top-heavy distribution, with the ten largest companies accounting for about two-thirds of the entire list’s revenue, generating approximately $4 billion.
Despite experiencing a second consecutive year of declining revenue, Naples-based Manhattan Construction Group maintained its number one position with $1.16 billion in revenue, making it the only billion-dollar Contractor on the list. St. Petersburg-based Power Design came in second with $875 million, pending audit, while Talbon Construction was in third place.
1. Manhattan Construction Group, $1.16 billion
2. Power Design, $875 million (pending audit)
3. Talbon Construction, $365 million
4. Ripa & Associates, $365 million
5. O-A-K/Florida Inc. DBA Owen-Ames-Kimball Co., $319 million
6. Brooks & Freund LLC, $218 million
7. Ajax Building Co. LLC, $217.19 million
8. B&I Contractors Inc., $166.58 million
9. Hawkins Construction Inc., $163 million
10. Creative Contractors Inc., $155 million
Our Foundation
Since 1974, TALBON has been a renowned construction and renovation company in Central Florida and the United States. We prioritize the well-being of our employees, emphasizing their health, safety, and education while treating our suppliers and subcontractors with the utmost care and respect as if they were family.
Our team of construction professionals is diverse, consisting of individuals committed to providing exceptional service and exceeding our client’s expectations. As a result of our high-quality work, we have been recognized with numerous awards across multiple expertise markets.
Heritage
At TALBON, we firmly believe that a healthy and happy workforce is the foundation of a strong and thriving organization. Thus, we take a holistic approach to promoting the wellness of our employees and their families by fostering an environment that encourages healthy habits and provides a high level of job safety.
Tracy Forrest founded TALBON with a focus on residential renovation projects. However, our commitment to ethical business practices and doing the right thing every time has attracted more complex construction assignments. Today, our team is led by seasoned construction experts with a collective experience of over 200 years.
Paying Tribute to Tracy Forrest
Tracy Forrest steered TALBON towards strategic expansion, focusing on various construction ventures such as renovations, timeshare resorts, hotels, senior living facilities, and apartment complexes. His leadership helped the company become one of the largest General Contractors in the U.S., as per ENR 400, and one of Florida’s 200 largest privately-owned enterprises.
Throughout his 50-plus years in the construction industry, Tracy instilled a culture of constant progress among TALBON employees. Sadly, he died on October 12, 2020, after fighting severe brain cancer.
The TALBON Approach
At TALBON, our primary objective is to serve our people, customers, and community. Our culture prioritizes our employees, believing that when they bring their best selves to work, they deliver our clients’ best possible construction experience.
Collaboration is at the heart of TALBON’s values, where we support and inspire our employees to achieve their best and provide our clients with the highest quality construction experience. Above all, we are a family at TALBON.
According to Jeff Forrest, President/CEO of Winter Park Construction, “Over two-thirds of my life has been spent working at TALBON, and I’ve watched the business grow over the years. The key to our success has always been ‘Our People.'”
In 1974, Tracy Forrest started a small-scale home renovation company in Winter Park, Florida, with only a few employees and a pickup truck. He named it Winter Park Construction, which is now known as TALBON. The company thrived on the fundamental principle of Building Beyond the Blueprint® and delivering on TALBON’s trademark promise of getting it right the first time.
TALBON’s Evolution and Services
As TALBON’s trust and reputation grew, so did our client base, project scopes, and team. One of our early offices was on Park Avenue in Winter Park, Florida, but in 1982, we moved to a new space at 221 Circle Drive in Maitland, which expanded with us over time.
Today, as we plan for the next 50 years of our existence, we are excited to announce our move to a new home at 529 East Crown Point Road, Suite 140, in Ocoee, Florida. We are making strategic choices to evolve our business efficiently, and this move will help us better serve our clients.
What do we do?
TALBON has been setting the standard for responsive performance and service excellence in general contracting for nearly 50 years. Our team comprises experienced and well-disciplined professionals who can anticipate challenges and provide cost-saving solutions well before construction begins.
We treat our subcontractors, suppliers, and employees with respect and integrity, and our streamlined operations allow us to deliver a quality experience that keeps our clients coming back.
TALBON is licensed, bonded, and strategically staffed to provide precisely what our clients need, when, and where they need it. We have extensive experience in various construction projects, including hospitality, multifamily, senior living, and student housing.
Our expertise in value engineering, sophisticated scheduling, and streamlined operations ensures that we deliver on our promise of “doing it right the first time” on a grand scale.
Renovations
Revamp, refresh, and regain your competitive edge with TALBON’s renovation services. Now is the perfect time to retool your space to meet industry demands and reclaim your position as a leading competitor.
We excel in the intuitive renovation of existing assets, providing the chance to problem-solve and deliver incredible before and after results creatively. Our experience and results make us the leader in complete renovation construction.
Preconstruction
At TALBON, our preconstruction services stand out for our ability to anticipate challenges, pre-plan, and estimate solutions. As the owner’s eyes and ears, we bring all design and construction elements together, emphasizing “efficiency and constructability“. It ensures that all the construction puzzle pieces fit together seamlessly, delivering maximum value for the owner.
Construction Management
Trust is crucial in construction management, so TALBON prioritizes ensuring our clients enjoy their experience working with us. As the single entity responsible for overall construction management, we minimize risk, reduce cost, and ensure timely delivery. With an average construction project taking 12-24 months to complete, we know how important it is to have a reliable and efficient construction manager.
Safety
At TALBON, safety is our top priority. We strive to provide our employees, suppliers, and subcontractors with the safest possible work environment.
Our safety mandate is to provide an accident and injury-free work environment, protect the general public, reduce costs associated with accident losses, and control unintentional production interruptions. Accidents can result in the loss of health and productivity, and in most cases, they can be prevented.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility and an integral part of our day-to-day operations. We adhere to national safety regulations mandated and monitored by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and have an enhanced protocol for all our job sites.
All Talbon employees are trained to participate actively in the safety program and to look for, record, and correct all unsafe conditions.
Sustainability
At TALBON, we are committed to a holistic approach to sustainability encompassing our entire operation, from the front office to the front lines of our building projects. Sustainability means meeting our present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs in the form of smart cities.
With a growing U.S. population, we recognize the need for personal and social responsibility towards our environment. TALBON is invested in developing, implementing, and assessing sustainable practices in all aspects of our work, including on our job sites, around our offices, and during transportation.
Keeping it Green
Before construction even begins, we perform a detailed building life cycle analysis to ensure we minimize our environmental impact. During construction, we have robust solid waste management programs to recycle construction debris and participate in sustainable purchasing programs.
Our Safety and Sustainability Manager ensures that we are not only in compliance with environmental regulations but also in adopting new green building practices. Many of our Project Managers and Superintendents have achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the US Green Building Council.
Experiences and Capabilities
For almost 50 years, TALBON has been Building Beyond the Blueprint® in Central Florida and across the United States. Our extensive experience allows us to understand the construction and development side of the equation and the operational side.
This understanding gives us an advantage over our competitors, as we can manage construction efforts at a project while it is open and active. This support reduces costs for warranty and maintenance and provides immediate responses to tenant issues falling under our responsibility.
Our Promise & Commitment
At Talbon, we aim to serve our clients and community by building safely with integrity, innovation, and quality. We are committed to upholding our core values of safety, honesty & integrity, client focus, social responsibility, financial stability, opportunity, and family culture.
Green Building Philosophy
Our Talbon Green philosophy is based on the “triple bottom line” of sustainable building and design, considering the people, planet, and profit. Every sustainable decision must have a positive social, environmental, and economic impact.
In 2002, we began requiring our Project Managers and Preconstruction Managers to become LEED® Accredited Professionals, and since then, we have built some of the greenest buildings in the Bay Area.
Green Practices
To maximize our sustainable efforts, we collaborate with our architecture and engineering partners to develop green building systems that are highly integrated, efficient, and constructible.
Our green initiatives for the job site include the following:
- Recycling 75-95% of our construction debris.
- Donating reusable materials to non-profit groups.
- Using biodiesel in our construction equipment.
- Employing only certified environmental hazardous waste removal firms.
- Implementing Storm Water Pollution Prevention Programs (SWPPPs).
For our office, we have eliminated all plastic bottles and styrofoam, reduced paper use by using double-sided printing and emailing submittals and RFIs and recycled at least 50% of office debris. We also donate gently used office equipment to non-profits and encourage public transportation, carpooling, and bike commuting through incentives.
Sustainable Building Guides
We follow several sustainable building guides, such as RecycleWorks for a recycling program provided by San Mateo County, Green Home Building for information about sustainable architecture and natural building, and Green Building for homeowners looking to remodel their homes green or building professionals wanting to learn more about how to build green.
Green Groups and Agencies
We are proud to work with several green groups and agencies, such as the U.S. EPA Green Building, SFEnvironment.org, Enterprise Green Communities, Build It GREEN, U.S. Green Building Council, U.S. Green Building Council/LEED to promote sustainable building practices and create a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation.
Quality Control and Customer Service at Talbon Brothers
Talbon Brothers greatly emphasize quality craft, reputation, integrity, and innovation to achieve project success and retain clients for repeat business. The following are some of the steps Talbon takes to ensure quality control throughout the preconstruction, construction, and post-construction stages:
Pre-Task
Conduct preconstruction meetings to review installation, products, procedures, and scheduling.
Have the manufacturer’s representative on site to review substrate conditions and provide a compliance letter.
Build mock-ups to obtain consensus from all manufacturers, architects, and owner’s representatives. Work with architects and subcontractors regarding design and installation procedures.
We review deck coatings and metal coatings. Collaborate early on with manufacturers in product selection, design, installation, and oversight.
Construction
Perform site inspections of various installations, including waterproofing, plumbing, windows, roofing, and coatings.
Have the manufacturer’s representatives onsite verify installation and issue a compliance letter.
Provide oversight during water testing of windows, storefronts, and wall assemblies.
Work with architects to develop onsite details.
Post-Construction
Conduct close-out training on all building systems, such as MEPs, system operations, and building maintenance.
- Film training and issue a building operation and maintenance DVD to the client.
- Assist with building close-out and warranties.
- Perform a final building walk-thru and verify current systems are performing per contract documents.
- Aid the client’s building manager with building issues.
- Work with manufacturers to develop a comprehensive installation of new fluid-applied barriers and wall accessories.
- Perform in-house testing of products to ensure performance and compatibility with other products.
Talbon Brothers’ Customer Service Department is involved in every project from start to finish, serving as the liaison for the client and coordinating all subcontractors and suppliers. Talbon Brothers aim to continue working with repeat clients while building new relationships with prospective clients. The quality of Talbon’s work product and reputation makes this possible.
Experience the Difference with Talbon
Talbon’s roots lie in carpentry as a small business established in 1950. Over the years, we have evolved into builders specializing in constructing iconic and technically intricate structures in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Our team possesses the expertise and proficiency to undertake the region’s most demanding and environmentally sustainable projects. Our success rests on the continued and concentrated use of three crucial tactics.
The Right Goals
At Talbon, we prioritize your goals and aim to earn your business and trust. Our team’s relentless attention to your specific needs, combined with our experience and expertise, has given us the continued confidence of hundreds of satisfied clients.
The Right Team
Having the right people on board is essential to meeting your project needs. Talbon’s seasoned construction professionals, supported by young and motivated staff, will expertly manage every detail of your project. Our team’s expertise in working with architects, subcontractors, and state and local agencies helps us quickly navigate each stage of construction.
The Right Approach
Talbon’s decades of experience have taught us that an honest, collaborative, proactive, and technologically advanced approach is critical to success. We provide simple, transparent assessments of costs to give our clients greater price certainty.
Early team collaboration coupled with creative, proactive problem-solving maximizes quality and minimizes significant problems down the road. Our team’s use of advanced technology, such as Building Information Modelling, leads to fewer change orders and related budget/schedule impacts.
Healthy Employees
Talbon understands that a strong and healthy organization is built on happy and healthy employees and their families. We take a holistic approach to employee wellness by ensuring a safe work environment and nurturing healthy habits.
We offer a comprehensive wellness program that includes the following:
Smoking Cessation Program
Employees can sign up to quit smoking, and receive reimbursement of up to $500 for smoking cessation aids.
Weight Loss Program
Employees can earn between $3 and $15 per pound lost and receive support, information, and accountability.
Conclusion
Employees can earn discounts by participating in the Talbon Wellness Program, which offers healthcare information, assessments, and customized programs in partnership with influential health brands.
Talbon funds this program, allowing employees and their families to participate in Central Florida events ranging from family walks to competitive marathons. Participants earn points per kilometer walked, with nearly 30% of the Talbon team being represented.
At Talbon, we are committed to building iconic structures and happy, healthy, and motivated employees.
