What Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction does

Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction, Inc. is a Wisconsin-based integrated design and construction management firm tracing its roots to 1892 and headquartered in Appleton. The firm operates as an owner's advocate rather than a traditional general contractor: it does not self-perform construction work, instead planning, designing, and managing projects through qualified subcontractor teams selected via 100% competitive bidding with open-book pass-through pricing and no markup on subcontractor costs. Its proprietary Total Project Management (TPM) methodology, formalized in 1986, bundles planning, design, and construction oversight under a single point of contact, and the firm claims its model routinely delivers up to 25% cost savings versus traditional GC approaches.

The company serves six primary verticals — Education (K-12 school districts), Senior Living, Religious (faith-based organizations), Manufacturing, Commercial, and Sustainability — each with a dedicated market leader. Notable customers include Appleton Area School District ($129.8M capital referendum, Sandy Slope Elementary School), St. John Nepomucene Catholic Community, Shawano School District, Mosaic Family Health, and Vault 202 Brewery & Taproom; the religious practice alone has served more than 70 congregations in 25 states. A Director of Sustainability oversees a solar, battery storage, and net-zero energy practice that has been active since 2006. Revenue is generated through professional service fees for planning, architectural design, and construction management, with no publicly disclosed pricing structure. The firm employs approximately 40+ professionals, is majority employee-owned, and was acquired by Keller, Inc. in February 2026, now operating as 'A Keller Company' while retaining its brand and operational independence under COO/EVP Chad Ulman.

Name

Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction

Legal name

Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction, Inc.

Website

https://hoffman.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1892

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction is an Appleton, Wisconsin-based integrated design and construction management firm founded in 1892, serving K-12 education, senior living, religious, manufacturing, commercial, and sustainability clients through its owner-advocate model with open-book budgeting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architecture & Construction Management Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310), Other Specialized Design Services (54149)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540)

akta.pro primary industry

Construction Engineering & Constructability Consulting (BPAHAIAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD), Space Planning & Workplace Design (BPAHAKAI), Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Construction management services
• Architectural design services
• Integrated project delivery
• Planning and consulting
• Sustainable building design

Headquarters

HQ city

Appleton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Design and Construction Management Services: Hoffman provides integrated project delivery services encompassing planning, design, and construction management. The company does not self-perform construction work but instead assembles and manages qualified subcontractors for each project. Revenue is generated through professional service fees for project management, architecture, and construction oversight, with open-book pricing passing through subcontractor costs at cost.
2. Planning and Consulting Services: Hoffman offers early-stage planning services including facility assessments, market studies, referendum strategy, educational adequacy analyses, property condition assessments, and capital planning. These consulting engagements provide revenue prior to and independent of design/construction phases.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction provides integrated design and construction management services to building owners through its proprietary Total Project Management (TPM) methodology. The firm delivers Planning Services, Architectural Design Services, and Construction Management Services as a coordinated engagement, acting as the owner's ally without self-performing construction work. Instead, Hoffman vets, selects, and manages qualified subcontractors using 100% competitive bidding and open-book budgeting with no markups on subcontractor costs, targeting Education (K-12), Senior Living, Religious, Manufacturing, Commercial, and Sustainability vertical markets.

Product overview

Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction operates as a unified design and construction management firm offering an integrated project delivery model through its Total Project Management (TPM) approach. The core offering combines Planning Services, Design Services, and Construction Management Services into a single coordinated service, with a solar and renewable energy module available as an add-on capability. The company's key differentiator is acting solely as the owner's ally and advocate—unlike general contractors, Hoffman does not self-perform construction work, instead utilizing 100% competitive bidding with no markups on subcontractors and open-book budgeting to deliver more building for clients' budgets. Hoffman serves five primary market segments: Education (K-12 schools), Senior Living, Religious (congregations), Manufacturing, and Commercial, with a Director of Sustainability overseeing renewable energy and high-performance building strategies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Design & Construction Management Integrated project delivery service combining planning, design, and construction management. Hoffman acts as the owner's ally, agent, and advocate without self-performing construction work, utilizing competitive bidding and open-book budgeting to deliver more building for the client's budget. Available to enterprise clients across Education, Senior Living, Religious, Manufacturing, Commercial, and Sustainability verticals.
• Total Project Management (TPM) Proprietary integrated project delivery methodology providing clients with planning, design, and construction services as well as responsible business solutions, from the earliest project stage through final walkthrough. Enables single-source responsibility and enhanced competitive bidding processes.
• Planning Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 25% cost savings vs. traditional general contractor approaches through open-book, no-markup model
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Miron + Co. Wisconsin-based construction services firm offering pre-construction, construction management, and design-build across commercial, education, healthcare, and industrial markets. Comparable to Hoffman in regional scope, target verticals, and integrated delivery approach.
• Hunzinger Construction Company: Wisconsin-headquartered construction management and general contracting firm with a 115+ year history serving commercial, education, healthcare, and senior living clients. Comparable to Hoffman in Wisconsin regional positioning, integrated delivery model, and longevity-driven brand.
• Kraus-Anderson: Minneapolis-based construction management and real estate development firm with integrated architectural services (Kraus-Anderson Architecture) serving education, healthcare, senior living, and religious markets. Highly comparable to Hoffman's vertical mix and integrated design/CM approach.
• Boldt Company: Wisconsin-headquartered integrated design/build and construction management firm serving industrial, healthcare, education, and commercial markets. Highly comparable to Hoffman in geography, integrated project delivery model, and Wisconsin/Midwest market focus.
• HGA Architects and Engineers: Midwest-rooted (Minneapolis) national architecture and engineering firm with strong education, healthcare, and cultural market practices. Comparable to Hoffman's integrated design services and Midwest operational base, though at significantly larger scale.
• Plunkett Raysich Architects: Wisconsin-based architectural firm serving senior living, healthcare, education, and religious markets with integrated design services. Comparable to Hoffman's architectural design practice and vertical specialization in Wisconsin.
• J.H. Findorff & Son: Wisconsin-based general contractor and construction manager serving education, healthcare, commercial, and senior living markets. Comparable to Hoffman in Midwest regional focus and nonresidential building project types, including many of the same K-12 and religious clients.

Broad incumbents

• Gilbane Building Company: National construction management firm with strong education, healthcare, and religious market practices and integrated design-build capabilities. Comparable to Hoffman's owner-advocate CM model but operates at significantly larger scale across multiple regions.
• Mortenson Construction: National construction and development firm with deep Midwest presence and significant education, healthcare, and renewable energy practices. Comparable to Hoffman's integrated delivery model and sustainability focus, but at much greater scale and broader geographic reach.

Regional players

• Weis Builders: Minneapolis-based design-build and construction management firm serving commercial, healthcare, education, and senior living markets across the Upper Midwest. Comparable to Hoffman's integrated delivery model and education/senior living focus, though concentrated in Minnesota rather than Wisconsin.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hoffmanpdc
• Facebookfacebook.com/hoffmanpdc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/203069

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction