Gadberry General Contracting & Construction

When Dustin Gadberry was in college, he never expected to enter the construction industry as a full-time career. “Even when I started the company I had no idea what it would become,” says Gadberry. Before graduating from the University of Texas at Dallas, Gadberry founded Gadberry General Contracting & Construction as a small firm performing residential construction projects. “It was in the early 2000s when the new-construction housing boom was happening. We were very busy doing a lot of work in North Texas,” he says. As Gadberry Construction grew, the company shifted into the commercial sector working on hospitality and restaurant projects. With two offices in Houston and Dallas, the Gadberry team consists of 15 people including a management staff of seven, and a field crew of eight.

Gadberry began working in the construction industry as a child. During summers and school vacations Gadberry would join his grandfather for various projects. “You couldn’t have told me at the time but it turns out that construction is my calling,” Gadberry explains. “When I was in college I worked construction jobs with a friend of mine and then started my own company a year later. After I received my degree I realized that there’s nothing else I would rather do.”

Rising up

For a business to not only survive, but also thrive, diversification is a key factor. Gadberry Construction is a prime example of a company that is capable of weathering a heavy economic hit only to rise higher than before. “We were hit pretty hard by the recession in ’08 and ’09,” says Gadberry. “At that time we were very one-dimensional, focusing solely on the hospitality sector.”

After emerging from the recession, Gadberry Construction developed a strategy of diversification. The company began looking into government work. “We started doing municipality work on the federal, state and local level,” explains Gadberry. “This has made us a much broader company, and really diversified our offerings.”

Gadberry Construction has established and maintained lasting relationships with the subcontractors the company partners with on a regular basis. Knowing that the strategic partners he chooses to work with possess the ability to make or break any project, Gadberry views subs as the lifeblood of his business. “I make sure that we take care of our relationships with our subcontractors,” says Gadberry. “We always pay them on time and we try to pay them quicker than other companies would.”

In-house work performed by Gadberry will consist of demolition if necessary as well as specialty construction work. The company maintains a solid network of mechanical, electrical and plumbing contractors.

A growing portfolio

A recently completed project by Gadberry Construction involved the construction of a bakery in Grand Prairie. La Tapatia Bakery is a family business that burned down due to an electrical fire. “Its historic nature was more about helping out the client than making money,” says Gadberry. “She had been through a real tough time getting the project off the ground. We were happy to step in and take the burden off her shoulders.”

Currently, Gadberry Construction is working on the renovation of a historic bank lobby in downtown Dallas. The 12,000 square-foot project includes a historical preservation aspect. “The fact that it’s so old means that you can’t change much,” says Gadberry. “I found a contractor from Michigan who does historical paint restoration, and we got him to come down to work on the project. The biggest challenge on this type of job is finding the right team, after you do that the rest will take care of itself.”

Another ongoing project consists of the repurposing an old Luby’s restaurant. “We’re gutting the old Luby’s and turning it into a four-suite strip center that will contain four individual restaurants,” says Gadberry. Along with the core construction, they have completely replace the Building’s façade.

Fruits of labor

Upon completion of a project, viewing a three-dimensional structure that began as an idea on paper is the reward that Gadberry looks forward to with every job. “Leaving a jobsite every day knowing that there is now something there that wasn’t there before is what I take the most pride in,” says Gadberry. “Creating a 3-Dimensional Reality from a Client’s 2-Dimensional Dream is the driving force behind what makes Gadberry tick. Leaving the jobsite every day knowing we are creating something great that wasn’t there before is a very gratifying feeling and nothing beats the satisfaction of successfully completing a job where everybody is happy.”

Customer and employee satisfaction is the biggest metric of success for Gadberry Construction. When both categories are fulfilled a company has performed its duty, regardless of revenue volume. “When you do things right everybody is happy,” says Gadberry. “You don’t need a spreadsheet to tell you that.”

The future is bright for Gadberry General Contracting & Construction. The company has continued to grow at an aggressive rate. In 2014 Gadberry Construction was one of the 12 fastest growing company in the United States. With acquisitions in mind for the future, Gadberry Construction will continue to accept challenges and build new relationships.