Build What Matters with Chris

Since the start of my career, my passion about the craft, precision, and discipline required in concrete construction has only grown. Projects like 1709 Chestnut — the largest self-performed concrete package Saunders ever completed — ignited that passion early on, while complex efforts like the Limelight Hotel and Conference Center showcased our ability to manage diverse structural systems and deliver exceptional results for another general contractor. These experiences keep reminding me just how valuable it is to have our own concrete team. Everyone communicates better, the quality is higher, and there’s a real sense of ownership that benefits every project and client we work with.

The Benefit of Having Skilled Concrete Crews In-House

The ability to self-perform concrete provides our clients with a level of assurance that they’ve hired a true builder to lead their project — one that not only manages construction but deeply understands it at a craft level. That same expertise is also why other general contractors hire us as their concrete trade partner. Other companies value the way we think, plan, and engage as partners rather than being solely focused on the concrete scope. Our teams bring an elevated level of collaboration and shared focus to ensure the entire project succeeds.

Self-performing concrete comes with a tremendous sense of ownership and care, relative to the people putting the work in place and the quality of work passed along to the next trade. When we self-perform concrete, we maintain direct control over quality and safety, rather than relying on others. Concrete forms the backbone of nearly every project, so the work our team performs directly impacts the structure’s integrity. When challenges arise, we can respond immediately to ensure high standards are consistently met. Knowing our reputation is tied to that critical piece motivates every crew member to execute at the highest level.

Safety is another critical component of our approach. Our teams are actively involved in every stage of the work, which heightens awareness of potential risks. Our superintendents and field staff are meticulous about avoiding common hazards like open excavations, fall hazards, and struck-by risks to ensure everyone’s safety on-site.

Improving Project Scheduling and Sequencing

With in-house concrete crews, we’re able to control the critical path of any project schedule, directly. Our core craftspeople are the driving force behind how we build our project schedules. They understand our limitations and know when to challenge our self-perform crews, helping us create schedules that are aggressive but realistic for everyone on-site.

Skilled concrete tradespeople, especially finishers, are difficult to find and are in high demand. With our dedicated place and finish crew, we have more flexibility to hit our most critical flatwork milestones successfully and adjust on the spot without relying on other trade partners.

Involving our concrete operations staff at the beginning of Field Execution Planning has proven to be invaluable. It minimizes changes once we’re underway and ensures we’re aligned around the right plan before the first pour. That level of involvement from start to finish drives smoother project delivery and shows up in more profitable outcomes.

We recently completed projects such as the Fox Park Redevelopment and Limelight Hotel and Conference Center, where the primary foundation for the concrete frame consisted of a thick mat foundation. Based on how these were sequenced, they resulted in high-volume placements (1,000 cubic yards or more per placement) and mass concrete protocols. When we have this large of a placement, especially on a tight site, there is a tremendous amount of planning that needs to be done. Our team uses hour-by-hour action plans outlining every step to complete a concrete pour of this size, along with contingency plans, to ensure projects like these are completed successfully.

Looking Towards the Future of Saunders Concrete Structures

What I’m most proud of is the way we approach every project with a builder’s mindset — starting with thoughtful planning in preconstruction and carrying that plan seamlessly into the field. Over the years, our team has grown tremendously, and seeing our people succeed as they take ownership of complex concrete scopes is one of the most rewarding parts of my job. We’ve built a culture centered on continuous improvement, consistently leveraging lessons learned to identify gaps early, strengthen budgets, and refine our approach before construction begins. Looking ahead, I’m excited to continue building on that momentum to grow our capabilities, develop our people, and deliver even greater value to our clients and partners.