What DBM Contractors does

DBM Contractors, Inc. is a privately held specialty geotechnical construction firm headquartered in Federal Way, Washington, with an additional branch office serving Oregon and Southwest Washington. Founded by Donald B. Murphy circa 1950, the company has operated continuously for more than 70 years and is still under family stewardship, with Managing Director Michael Murphy and President Todd Jarvis leading a team that includes in-house engineers, construction managers, and a Safety Director. DBM delivers earth retention, foundation support, and dewatering services — alongside integrated design-build delivery and additional specialty offerings such as methane and UIC wells, hydraulic elevator jack shafts, and foundation drilling for sport fields and signage — across the thirteen western United States and, on a project basis, throughout North America, over land and water. Methods span Soldier Pile and Lagging Systems, Secant Piles and Shafts, Slurry Diaphragm Walls, Soil Nail and Shotcrete Systems, Micropiles, Tieback Anchors, Drilled Shafts, CFA Piles, Rigid Inclusions, Tiedown Anchors, Deep Wells, Vacuum Well Points and Ejector Systems, Vertical Gravel and Sand Drains, and Horizontal Drains.

The company serves two principal customer segments: prime general contractors requiring specialized geotechnical subcontracting for complex projects, and public entities procuring infrastructure work such as transportation, water, and dam projects. Named enterprise customers include Turner Construction, PCL Construction Services, and GLY Construction, whose public testimonials emphasize safety performance, on-time delivery, and constructability outcomes. DBM's commercial model is project-based: scopes are typically secured through competitive bidding on complex construction projects, with engagement either directly with project owners and design teams or through general contractors.

Revenue mechanics flow from one-time project contracts priced on scope, complexity, equipment requirements, and site conditions, with pricing not publicly disclosed. Labor is supported through long-standing apprenticeship partnerships with Laborers (Locals 242, 440, 252), International Union of Operating Engineers (Locals 302, 612), and the PNW Regional Council of Carpenters. The firm underwrites its differentiation through 70+ years of brand reputation, equipment-intensive specialty capabilities, an integrated design-build delivery model, and a sustained safety record that has earned consecutive Outstanding Safety Awards from ADSC (2018–2025) and recognition from AGC and AGC of Washington. No funding rounds, acquisitions, IPOs, or restructuring events are disclosed; the company operates as an independent, owner-managed specialty subcontractor.

Name

DBM Contractors

Legal name

DBM Contractors, Inc.

Website

https://dbmcontractors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DBM Contractors, Inc. is a privately held specialty geotechnical construction firm with 70+ years of operation, delivering earth retention, foundation support, dewatering, and design-build services to general contractors and public entities across the thirteen western US states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Federal Way

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Specialty Construction Services: DBM generates revenue through direct project-based contracts for geotechnical construction services including earth retention, foundation support, dewatering, and specialty construction. Projects are secured through competitive bidding or direct engagement with general contractors and public entities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

DBM Contractors is a specialty geotechnical construction company that designs and builds earth retention systems, drilled foundation support, and dewatering systems for complex infrastructure projects. The company also delivers integrated design-build services, working directly with general contractors and public entities across the western United States on projects requiring specialized expertise in challenging subsurface and terrain conditions.

Product overview

DBM Contractors is a specialty geotechnical construction company with over 70 years of experience providing design-build and specialty construction services throughout North America. The company operates through five core service offerings: Earth Retention Services (utilizing Soldier Pile and Lagging Systems, Secant Piles and Shafts, Slurry Diaphragm Walls, Soil Nail and Shotcrete Systems, Micropiles, and Tieback Anchors), Foundation Support Services (including Drilled Shafts, Micropiles, CFA Piles, Rigid Inclusions, Tiedown Anchors, and Nondestructive QA Testing), Dewatering Services (Deep Wells, Vacuum Well Points and Ejector Systems, Vertical Gravel and Sand Drains, and Horizontal Drains), Design-Build Services, and Additional Specialty Services (Methane Wells, UIC Wells, Hydraulic Elevator Jack Shafts, and Foundation Drilling). The company operates from headquarters in Federal Way, Washington with a branch office in Oregon, serving primarily the thirteen western United States states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Earth Retention Services

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Laborers Apprenticeship TrainingcoreOthersDBM works with Laborers Apprenticeship Training programs including Local 242, Local 440, Local 252 for workforce development and skilled labor recruitment in the Pacific Northwest
• International Union of Operating Engineers Apprenticeship TrainingcoreOthersDBM partners with Operating Engineers apprenticeship programs including Local 302 and Local 612 for equipment operator training and skilled workforce development
• Carpenters PNW Regional Council of CarpenterscoreOthersDBM collaborates with the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters for skilled carpenter workforce recruitment and apprenticeship training

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Condon-Johnson & Associates: West Coast-based specialty geotechnical contractor offering drilled shafts, micropiles, soil nailing, shotcrete, and dewatering services. Direct competitor in DBM's primary Pacific Northwest and California markets with comparable service portfolio.
• Berkel & Company Contractors: Specialty geotechnical contractor focused on auger cast piles, drilled shafts, micropiles, and earth retention, directly overlapping DBM's foundation support and earth retention service lines for similar GC and public entity customers.
• Case Foundation Company: Specialty deep foundation contractor delivering drilled shafts, micropiles, secant piles, and earth retention services. Comparable to DBM in technical capabilities and target customers, though operating at larger scale across multiple U.S. regions.
• Malcolm Drilling Company: Privately held specialty foundation contractor providing drilled shafts, micropiles, earth retention, and ground improvement across the Western U.S. Closely comparable in scope of services, customer base, and regional focus.
• Hayward Baker (Keller Group): Largest North American specialty geotechnical contractor offering ground improvement, earth retention, and deep foundation services directly comparable to DBM's earth retention, micropile, and drilled shaft capabilities, but at materially greater scale as part of the global Keller Group.
• GeoStructures (a Keller company): Specialty geotechnical contractor under Keller Group providing earth retention, underpinning, and ground improvement. Direct comparable to DBM's earth retention and underpinning services for similar commercial and institutional customers.
• Bencor Corporation: Specialty foundation and earth retention contractor offering drilled shafts, slurry walls, micropiles, and ground anchors. Competes with DBM on similar public and private infrastructure projects, particularly in transportation and water infrastructure.

Emerging players

• Helical Drilling: Northeast U.S.-based geotechnical contractor specializing in helical piers, micropiles, and specialty foundation solutions. Partially overlapping with DBM's micropile and specialty foundation offerings but regionally distinct.

Regional players

• Pacific Foundation, Inc. Pacific Northwest and Hawaii-based specialty foundation contractor providing drilled shafts, micropiles, and earth retention. Strong regional overlap with DBM's Western U.S. footprint but more limited national reach.

Broad incumbents

• Skanska USA Civil (Foundation Division): Large, publicly listed civil contractor with significant foundation and ground engineering capabilities. While DBM does not directly compete on full general contracts, Skanska's foundation division overlaps with DBM's drilled shaft and earth retention services on large public infrastructure projects.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/dbmcontractorsinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dbm-contractors-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 DBM Contractors