Wohlsen Construction Company

What Wohlsen Construction Company does

Wohlsen Construction Company is a privately held, 100% employee-owned construction services firm founded in 1890 and headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The company delivers general contracting, construction management, design-build, preconstruction, in-house mechanical/electrical/plumbing (MEP) coordination, and a Special Projects Group for fast-track occupied renovations, serving clients across senior living, healthcare, higher education, commercial, industrial, and government/civic markets in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast United States from nine regional offices in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Approximately 300 team members execute projects, with an average tenure near nine years and more than 18,000 annual training hours supporting self-performed work in concrete, carpentry, and door/window installation.

The firm's core technology stack centers on Virtual Design & Construction (VDC) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) for pre-build visualization, complemented by 3D laser scanning, FAA-licensed drone imagery, and an Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) / lean construction methodology that maintains less than 1% cost variance from initial conceptual budget to guaranteed maximum price. Wohlsen monetizes through project-based competitive bids and negotiated contracts sized by scope and complexity, with subcontractor prequalification required above $300K and managed via the BuildingConnected platform; the firm reports approximately $900 million in annual delivered volume and ENR Top 400 status. Customer acquisition is driven primarily by regional field sales teams, repeat clients, and referrals, with named relationships spanning systems such as ChristianaCare, Bayhealth, Encompass Health, Wesley Enhanced Living, and Beebe Medical Center, alongside universities including UMBC, Quinnipiac, and Delaware State. The company transitioned to full employee ownership via an ESOP in October 2023.

Name

Wohlsen Construction Company

Legal name

Wohlsen Construction Company

Website

https://wohlsenconstruction.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1890

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Wohlsen Construction is a 100% employee-owned Mid-Atlantic and Northeast construction services firm founded in 1890, delivering general contracting, construction management, design-build, MEP, and lean/IPD services to healthcare, senior living, education, commercial, and government clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Construction Services

NAICS

Nonresidential Building Construction (2362)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial General Contracting (New Build) (IMAFAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Construction Management (Agency/Owner’s Rep) (IMAFAAAC), Construction Program Management (Multi-site/Portfolio) (IMAFAAAF)

Keywords

• Commercial construction services
• Construction management services
• Design-build construction
• Healthcare facility construction
• Senior living construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Lancaster

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. General Construction Services: Traditional general contracting services for new construction, additions, renovations and restorations. Licensed in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia. Core business focused on skilled tradespeople for concrete, carpentry, door/window installation.
2. Construction Management Services: Full-service construction management where Wohlsen assumes ownership of project oversight, coordination with subcontractors and suppliers, representing client interests from planning through completion.
3. Design-Build Services: Integrated design and construction delivery method combining all project stakeholders from start to finish, streamlining communication and removing potential for conflict and costly changes.
4. MEP Services: In-house mechanical, electrical, and plumbing coordination services. MEP typically represents 30-40% of construction project investment. Services span from preconstruction through commissioning and post-construction maintenance.
5. Special Projects Group (SPG): Fast-track specialized work including demolition, additions, renovations, fit-outs, and repair work. Often performed on occupied facilities, off-hours, or with quick turnaround requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Wohlsen Construction Company provides full-service construction management, general contracting, design-build, preconstruction, MEP coordination, and special projects services for senior living, healthcare, higher education, commercial, industrial, government, retail, and hospitality clients across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast United States. The firm operates through nine regional offices with approximately 300 team members, self-performs skilled trades including concrete, carpentry, and door/window installation, and delivers projects through VDC/BIM technology and lean/IPD methodologies.

Product overview

Wohlsen Construction Company is a full-service construction firm founded in 1890 with an annual volume of $900 million. The company operates as a merit-shop contractor offering integrated construction services including Preconstruction Services, General Construction Services, Construction Management Services, Design-Build Services, MEP Services, Special Projects Group (SPG), IPD/Lean Construction, and Virtual Design & Construction (VDC) technology. These services are delivered across multiple markets including senior living, healthcare, education, commercial, industrial, government, retail, and hospitality, serving clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions from offices in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The company is 100% employee-owned through an ESOP and maintains approximately 300 team members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preconstruction Services Early-stage planning services covering project feasibility and constructability reviews, lifecycle cost analysis, value engineering, schedule optimization, site analysis, budget development, and subcontractor review and selection for healthcare, education, senior living, and commercial clients.
• General Construction Services Full-service general contracting for new construction, additions, renovations, and restorations, including self-performed concrete, rough and finish carpentry, and door and window installation. Licensed in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia.
• Construction Management Services Comprehensive construction management across preconstruction through post-construction phases, including scheduling, cost estimating, value engineering, constructability reviews, logistics planning, bidding and negotiation, contractor coordination, quality control, health and safety management, and warranty follow-ups.
• Design-Build Services Integrated design and construction delivery method that combines all project stakeholders from start to finish, streamlining communication, removing opportunities for conflict and costly changes, and enabling faster delivery, better quality, and lower cost.
• MEP Services In-house mechanical, electrical, and plumbing coordination services spanning preconstruction estimating through commissioning and post-construction maintenance, typically representing 30-40% of construction project investment, with cross-trained staff in BIM and 3D modeling.
• Special Projects Group (SPG) Fast-track specialized construction including demolition, additions, renovations, fit-outs, and repair work, often performed on occupied facilities, off-hours, or with quick turnaround requirements, with self-perform capability in carpentry, door/window installation, framing, excavation, and concrete work.
• IPD/Lean Construction Integrated Project Delivery approach that brings all stakeholders together at the beginning of the project to share risks and rewards contractually, minimizing waste, reducing risk, enabling timely decisions, and consistently maintaining less than 1% variance in cost from initial conceptual budget to guaranteed maximum price.

Quantifiable outcome

• Less than 1% variance in cost from initial conceptual budget to establishment of guaranteed maximum price
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BuildingConnectedcoreTechnology or IntegrationBuildingConnected is used to manage Wohlsen's Bid Invitation and Prequalification processes. Subcontractors and suppliers must register in BuildingConnected to receive bid invitations and complete annual prequalification requirements.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Whiting-Turner Contracting Company: Whiting-Turner is a Baltimore, MD-based employee-owned general contractor comparable to Wohlsen in Mid-Atlantic regional focus, ENR Top 50 scale, healthcare/education verticals, and ESOP ownership structure.
• Clark Construction Group: Clark Construction is a Bethesda, MD-based commercial GC with strong Mid-Atlantic presence serving healthcare, education, government, and commercial markets - directly overlapping Wohlsen's vertical mix and geography.
• Gilbane Building Company: Gilbane is a privately-held, family-owned commercial GC with comparable size, regional Mid-Atlantic/Northeast operations, and similar healthcare/education/industrial client mix to Wohlsen.
• Barton Malow Company: Barton Malow is an employee-owned (ESOP) commercial GC serving healthcare, education, industrial, and sports markets - directly comparable to Wohlsen on ESOP structure, services mix, and similar revenue scale.
• L.F. Driscoll: L.F. Driscoll is a Bala Cynwyd, PA-based healthcare-specialty contractor providing construction management and general contracting for hospitals, medical centers, and life sciences - closely overlapping Wohlsen's healthcare vertical.
• Warfel Construction: Warfel Construction is a Pennsylvania-based employee-owned (ESOP) general contractor serving senior living, healthcare, education, and commercial markets - closely comparable to Wohlsen on geography, ownership structure, and vertical mix.
• Mascaro Construction Company: Mascaro Construction is a Pittsburgh, PA-based employee-owned general contractor serving healthcare, higher education, and corporate markets in the Mid-Atlantic - a similar regional commercial GC peer.
• Brasfield & Gorrie: Brasfield & Gorrie is a privately-held, employee-owned commercial GC with comparable revenue scale serving healthcare, education, commercial, and industrial markets - similar size and ownership model to Wohlsen.

Broad incumbents

• Turner Construction Company: Turner is the largest U.S. commercial GC with national reach and full-service offerings across all of Wohlsen's verticals. A broad incumbent rather than direct competitor given its significantly larger scale.
• Skanska USA: Skanska USA is a large, publicly-traded international construction firm with significant Mid-Atlantic presence serving healthcare, education, and commercial markets - broader incumbent peer with much greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wohlsenworks
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/wohlsenconstruction
• Facebookfacebook.com/wohlsenconstruction
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wohlsen-construction-company
• Instagraminstagram.com/wohlsen_construction

Compliance14 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wohlsen Construction Company