What Novak Construction does

Novak Construction is a privately held, Chicago-based national general contractor and construction management firm founded in 1980 by John G. Novak. The company delivers preconstruction, general contracting, construction management, and design-build services for commercial, industrial, mixed-use residential, healthcare, institutional, and restaurant projects across more than 30 states. Its client base is anchored by major national retail chains, including Costco Wholesale (275+ projects), Target Corporation (200 projects), Whole Foods Market (90+ projects), CVS Pharmacy (70+ projects), and Walmart Stores (60+ projects), with 85% of revenue derived from repeat client engagements. The firm employs more than 150 people, averaging 20+ years of tenure, and operates from a single headquarters at 3423 N. Drake Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60618.

The company's underlying technology stack centers on integrated project delivery rather than proprietary software products: estimating, project direction, full-time field superintendents, and Building Information Modeling (BIM) for 3D MEP coordination are deployed on LEED-certified builds (Centrum Evanston, Lake & Aberdeen, Target Chicago, all LEED Silver). Noval Construction also pursues design-build delivery in partnership with firms such as Ware Malcomb (for the 1.1M SF Costco distribution center in Illinois, announced September 2021) and has multiple LEED Accredited Professionals on staff. The firm maintains a documented safety record with an Experience Modification Rate (EMR) of 0.72, well below the industry average of 1.0, and reports no missed deadlines across its project portfolio.

Revenue is generated on a project-by-project basis under what appears to be cost-plus and Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) contract structures typical of mid-market commercial general contracting. The go-to-market is direct, relationship-driven enterprise sales — primarily secured through repeat client programs and project awards rather than competitive bidding on new logos. Customer segments include national retail chains, mixed-use residential developers, industrial and logistics clients (including automated storage and retrieval system installations for the Walmart Symbotic Program), and institutional clients such as Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Housing Authority, and Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The wholly-owned Novak Development subsidiary extends the firm into real estate development and investment, providing a captive pipeline of construction opportunities.

Name

Novak Construction

Legal name

Novak Construction Company

Website

https://novakconstruction.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Novak Construction is a Chicago-based, privately held national general contractor and construction management firm founded in 1980, serving major retail chains (Costco, Target, Walmart, Whole Foods, CVS), industrial clients, and institutional developers across 30+ U.S. states with preconstruction, general contracting, and design-build services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Construction Services

NAICS

Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (23622), Industrial Building Construction (23621), Nonresidential Building Construction (2362)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540), Operative Builders (1531)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial General Contracting (New Build) (IMAFAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Office & Corporate Building Construction (IMAFACAA), Healthcare Facility Construction (Hospitals, Clinics, Labs) (IMAFACAD)

Keywords

• General contracting services
• Construction management
• Preconstruction services
• Commercial construction
• Design-build delivery

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. General Contracting & Construction Management: Novak generates revenue through fees charged for general contracting and construction management services on commercial, industrial, mixed-use residential, and institutional projects. Services include preconstruction, general contracting, and construction management. Revenue is project-based and likely follows a cost-plus or GMP (Guaranteed Maximum Price) model as referenced on multiple project pages.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Novak Construction is a Chicago-based general contractor and construction management firm that delivers preconstruction, general contracting, and construction management services for commercial, industrial, mixed-use residential, healthcare, institutional, and retail projects. The firm manages ground-up builds, remodels, expansions, and design-build delivery for national retail chains, private developers, and institutional clients across more than 30 states.

Product overview

Novak Construction is a Chicago-based general contractor and construction management firm founded in 1980. The company operates as a single, unified service offering centered on preconstruction, general contracting, and construction management. Their portfolio spans multiple market sectors including retail (with major clients like Costco, Target, Walmart, Whole Foods, and CVS), industrial/distribution (large-scale fulfillment centers with automated systems), mixed-use residential, healthcare, institutional, and restaurant/hospitality construction. The company also offers specialized Design-Build services and LEED construction capabilities. With over 150 employees and operations in 30+ states, Novak focuses on repeat client relationships (85% repeat business) and delivers projects ranging from small interior remodels to multi-million square foot distribution centers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preconstruction Services
• General Contracting
• Construction Management
• Design-Build Services
• Retail Construction

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% of business is repeat client work, demonstrating exceptional client retention and satisfaction.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Ware MalcombcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2021Ware Malcomb served as Novak's design partner on the 1.1-million-square-foot Costco distribution center project in Illinois, including site planning and architectural design. The partnership enabled coordination between design and construction for large-scale industrial projects.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Walsh Construction: Chicago-headquartered national general contractor and construction manager with overlapping retail, healthcare, institutional and mixed-use residential portfolio. Walsh is the closest comparable Chicago-based private GC competing for similar anchor clients and project types.
• Pepper Construction: Midwest-based privately held general contractor and construction manager with strong retail, healthcare and higher-education portfolios. Direct competitor for regional retail build and institutional work that Novak pursues.
• Bulley & Andrews: Chicago-based general contractor with deep historic-building, mixed-use and commercial renovation expertise. Comparable peer for Novak's mixed-use residential and adaptive-reuse work, and an alumni employer of current Novak project managers.
• Skender Construction: Chicago-based general contractor serving healthcare, corporate, hospitality and senior living markets. Comparable in scale and geography to Novak, with overlapping healthcare and institutional client work.
• Power Construction: Chicago-headquartered general contractor with significant healthcare, corporate and higher-education portfolios. Direct competitor for Chicago-area commercial and institutional work; former employer of current Novak senior project managers.
• LEVEL General Contractors: Chicago-based commercial general contractor focused on corporate, retail and tenant improvement projects. Comparable peer for Novak's commercial interiors and ground-up retail work in the Midwest; former employer of a current Novak project manager.
• Reed Construction: Midwest-based general contractor active in commercial, healthcare and senior living sectors. Comparable in size and regional focus to Novak; former employer of a current Novak senior project manager.

Broad incumbents

• Gilbane Building Company: Large privately held national GC with significant retail, healthcare, industrial and education portfolios. Competes with Novak for multi-site retail and industrial distribution programs at a national scale.
• Clark Construction Group: Large national general contractor active in commercial, industrial, healthcare and mixed-use markets. Represents the class of larger incumbents competing with Novak for big-box retail and e-commerce fulfillment work.
• AECOM Hunt: National construction management firm operating across commercial, sports, healthcare and industrial markets. Larger-scale peer competing for institutional and industrial work; former employer of a current Novak project manager.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/novakcc
• Facebookfacebook.com/novakconstructioncompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/novak-construction
• Instagraminstagram.com/novakconstruction

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Novak Construction