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At Dawson, the way a project comes together matters as much as the finished result. We plan it in preconstruction, self-perform more than 60% of the work, and keep the budget and schedule predictable from concept through closeout. One team carries the project from the first estimate to the last punchlist item, so quality and accountability never get handed off.
Safety is at the top of the list of Dawson’s core values. Safety supersedes schedule, cost or circumstance. We believe that every accident is preventable. Everyone should go home safe.
For each project Dawson creates a site-specific safety plan identifying anticipated hazards and necessary controls prior to construction.
During construction, daily safety briefings and weekly meetings are held to ensure current hazards are communicated and controls are in place to protect workers and the public.
Every jobsite is posted with Dawson One-Call signs, which include a toll-free number to ensure Dawson personnel can be reached 24/7 for any immediate project site related need or concern.
Experience Modification Rate*
Insurers grade a contractor's safety record with this number. The industry average is 1.0. Ours has run below it for five straight years.
Recordable Incident Rate*
OSHA's measure of recordable workplace incidents per 200,000 hours worked. The industry average is 2.5. Ours has always run below it.
* Five-year average
Dawson's quality control program is structured around the belief that every project should be built right the first time. The program, which was adapted from the Army Corps of Engineers, has clearly defined roles and brings structure to the way we perform our work.
As part of the program, Dawson empowers all workers to monitor performance and stop work if there is a conflict or quality concern. Because we always aim for excellence, rewards are presented to employees who display leadership in the field.
How quality control works at Dawson:
Reaching your project objectives requires informed decision-making during the project planning stages. Whether your aim is to reduce costs, maximize scope or shorten the project schedule, Dawson's pre-construction services will help you achieve your goals. Dawson is dedicated to partnering with our clients to unlock project value through creativity, hard work and persistence.
Our pre-construction services include:
Dawson approaches value engineering as a collaborative exercise that runs continuously through design. Every alternate is evaluated for its cost, schedule, and quality impact, and the owner decides what fits the project. The result is meaningful savings that protect design intent and keep the schedule on track, backed by real pricing from the teams who self-perform the work.
How value engineering works at Dawson:
We're builders who think like designers, and we partner with the best design firms across Southeast Alaska and Washington. On a design-build project, Dawson holds one contract from concept through closeout, with the designer at the same table from day one, so constructability shapes the design instead of correcting it later. The result is one accountable partner, faster decisions, and fewer surprises.
How design-build works at Dawson:
Dawson's schedule discipline starts in preconstruction. We sequence long-lead procurement during design, keep critical path scope in-house through self-performance, and build weather contingency into the original timeline. Whatcom Middle School delivered a full year ahead of schedule. Sehome High School opened six months early.
How we deliver ahead of schedule:
Dawson's preconstruction discipline, transparent estimating, and weekly owner communication keep the budget, schedule, and risk register current and visible from concept through closeout. No surprises, no scrambles. Burlington VOA held to budget within 1.5% over three years while industry inflation ran 15%. If you have to hear it from someone else, we failed.
How we keep projects predictable:
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At Dawson we work under any contract type, including Lump Sum, Cost Plus, Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP), and Unit Price, and shape delivery to fit the project. But when the work allows, we'd rather build it ourselves. Self-performing the major scopes gives us direct control over quality, schedule, and safety.
The work we self-perform includes: