CONTRACTOR SUCCESS STORIES III : MAR CON BUILDERS , INC .
over national firms that come in just to bid on County projects .”
To develop connections and open doors to larger projects , including much of the company ’ s hospital work , Marco and his staff have participated in many networking and outreach opportunities , vendor fairs and one-on-one interviews , where he notes , “ We came armed with our statement of capabilities and effectively pitched ourselves .”
Finally , being a union contractor has been a benefit , providing access to skilled workers and opportunities to bid on union-only projects . “ One of the only downsides is when we bid on open shop bids , because for those , non-union contractors can generally submit a lower-priced bid because they don ’ t have to pay union wages . But I ’ m proud to pay union wages – it provides my crew with a livable income and means greater loyalty and less turnover .” His company is signatory to the Carpenters , Painters and Tapers unions .
For other small contractors who are just starting out , Marco suggests , “ Work with people you trust , be sure the project funding is secure before you sign the contract , and establish a good relationship with the client . Have a contact person who can help and guide you . Manage your money wisely because it may be 60 to 90 days before you get paid on a project .”
While overall productivity has been negatively impacted by the pandemic , Mar Con Builders , Inc . is managing despite the challenges . “ COVID-19 has had a trickle-down effect ,” explains Marco , “ with materials being delayed because of suppliers closing up shop or having slowdowns and subcontractor delays due to limited manpower and sick employees . On our end , we have adapted by complying with COVID-19 safety protocols , expanding our outreach and marketing , participating in more virtual vendor fairs and submitting prebids via Zoom .”
Marco Manriquez , owner and CEO , Mar Con Builders . Inc .
Mar Con Builders , Inc . typically works on $ 5 Million to $ 15 Million projects , with an emphasis on medical buildings , schools , higher education and government buildings . They are currently working on the City of Pleasanton Fire Station , City of Berkeley Live Oak Community Center , as well as several school projects for the City of Berkeley and the City of Redwood City . Marco is especially proud to be working on the City of Berkeley Live Oak Community Center because the surrounding community is so excited about and looking forward to using the center . “ They come by and interact with our construction crew , asking when the facility will be completed . It ’ s fulfilling to know that we ’ re part of building something positive that the community will be able to enjoy for decades to come .”
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