Jensen Builders

What Jensen Builders does

Jensen Builders Ltd. is a privately held, 100% employee-owned (ESOP) design-build general contractor headquartered in Fort Dodge, Iowa, with a regional office in Des Moines. Founded in 1983, the firm delivers commercial, industrial, agricultural, aviation, education, healthcare, and retail construction projects across Iowa and selectively in adjacent states such as South Dakota. Its service portfolio spans three delivery methods — Design-Build, Construction Management at Risk (CMaR), and traditional General Contracting — and seven self-perform trades including pre-engineered metal buildings, concrete, steel erection and precast, metal roof retrofits, carpentry, and concrete pumping.

The company's core technical differentiator is a 70% self-perform rate, supported by an in-house workforce of approximately 265 personnel (150 concrete workers, 50 steel erectors, 30 carpenters, plus project managers, office staff, an architect, and a full-time safety director). This vertical integration into the trades is uncommon for a mid-market general contractor and underpins quality control, schedule reliability, and cost competitiveness on competitive bid work. Jensen supplements in-house capabilities with strategic supplier relationships, notably with Chief Buildings for pre-engineered metal building systems and GSI for grain storage solutions, which feed its highest-volume agricultural and industrial lines.

Commercially, Jensen operates an enterprise field sales motion driven by direct client engagement (phone, website, project inquiry forms) and a portfolio-based demand generation model showcasing completed projects by sector. Pricing is project-specific, bid or quote-based, with no publicly disclosed rate cards. The firm reports that nearly 70% of annual revenue comes from repeat customers — a high re-engagement rate that signals durable client relationships in a market where project-based delivery is the norm. No external investors, parent entities, or capital raises are disclosed, and the business is funded entirely through operating cash flow and ESOP-held equity.

Name

Jensen Builders

Legal name

Jensen Builders Ltd.

Website

https://jensenbuildersltd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Jensen Builders is a 100% employee-owned (ESOP) Iowa-based design-build general contractor with 265 staff, self-performing 70% of construction work across commercial, industrial, agricultural, aviation, education, healthcare, and retail projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Construction Services

NAICS

Nonresidential Building Construction (2362), Industrial Building Construction (23621)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540)

akta.pro primary industry

Design-Build / EPC General Contracting (IMAFAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Office & Corporate Building Construction (IMAFACAA)

Keywords

• Commercial general contracting
• Design-build construction
• Construction management services
• Pre-engineered metal buildings
• Concrete and steel services

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Dodge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Construction Services: Project-based revenue from design-build, construction management (CMaR), and general contracting services for commercial, industrial, and agricultural construction projects across Iowa

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Jensen Builders Ltd. is an Iowa-based, family-rooted and 100% employee-owned (ESOP) design-build general contractor that delivers commercial, industrial, agricultural, education, healthcare, aviation, and retail facilities via Design-Build, Construction Management at Risk (CMaR), and General Contracting delivery methods. The firm self-performs approximately 70% of its work — including pre-engineered metal buildings, structural concrete, steel erection, precast concrete, carpentry, and concrete pumping — allowing single-source control of schedule, cost, and quality from offices in Fort Dodge and Des Moines, Iowa.

Product overview

Jensen Builders Ltd. is a family-run, 100% employee-owned Iowa-based design-build general contractor offering a comprehensive portfolio of construction services. The company operates three integrated delivery methods: Design-Build (unified design and construction under one roof), Construction Management at Risk (CMaR), and General Contracting. Self-perform services include metal buildings, concrete, steel erection, precast, metal roof retrofits, carpentry, and concrete pumping. The company serves seven market sectors: Agriculture, Aviation, Commercial, Education, Healthcare, Industrial & Manufacturing, and Retail. With over 250 team members and a workforce of 150 concrete workers, 50 steel erectors, and 30 carpenters, the company self-performs approximately 70% of all construction work, differentiating it from competitors who primarily subcontract.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Design-Build Construction Services A single-contract delivery model where Jensen Builders assumes responsibility for both design and construction of the facility, providing a single point of accountability for owners of commercial, industrial, agricultural, education, healthcare, aviation, and retail projects in Iowa.
• Construction Management at Risk (CMaR) Construction management services where Jensen Builders acts as the at-risk construction manager, typically providing a guaranteed maximum price and managing trade subcontractors to deliver owner facilities in Iowa.
• General Contracting Traditional lump-sum general contracting for commercial, industrial, agricultural, education, healthcare, aviation, and retail construction projects, with Jensen Builders coordinating trade subcontractors and self-performing key scopes.
• Pre-Engineered Metal Buildings Self-performed design and erection of pre-engineered metal building structures for commercial, industrial, and agricultural facility owners in Iowa.
• Structural Concrete Construction Self-performed foundation and structural concrete construction services delivered as part of Jensen's design-build and general contracting projects across its served end markets.
• Steel Erection Services Self-performed structural steel erection delivered as part of Jensen Builders' design-build, CMaR, and general contracting projects.
• Precast Concrete Installation Self-performed precast concrete component installation services provided as part of Jensen Builders' construction projects.
• Carpentry Services Self-performed carpentry and finish-trade work delivered as part of Jensen Builders' design-build, CMaR, and general contracting projects.
• Concrete Pumping Services Self-performed concrete pumping services delivered as part of Jensen Builders' structural concrete work and broader construction projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of annual revenue comes from repeat customers
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Chief BuildingscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChief Buildings - Independent Builder provides pre-engineered metal building systems used in Jensen Builders' construction projects. Jensen Builders serves as an independent builder for Chief Buildings products, incorporating their metal building frames and systems into various commercial, industrial, and agricultural projects across Iowa.
• GSI (Grain Systems Inc.)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGSI provides grain storage and handling systems that complement Jensen Builders' agricultural construction capabilities. Used in agricultural facility projects for grain bin installation and storage solutions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Weitz Company: Des Moines-based, employee- and family-influenced design-build general contractor serving commercial, industrial, and government clients across the Midwest. Operates in the same Iowa geography with overlapping market sectors (commercial, healthcare, education, industrial) and a comparable integrated delivery model, making it the closest direct competitor to Jensen.
• Holder Construction: Atlanta-based national design-build GC focused on commercial, healthcare, and data center/mission-critical projects. Comparable integrated delivery model and self-perform scope on concrete and steel, though typically at a larger project scale than Jensen.
• Mortenson Construction: Minneapolis-headquartered national design-build GC with strong wind, solar, data center, and commercial practices. Competes with Jensen in Midwest commercial/industrial work and shares the integrated design-build + self-perform ethos, though at materially larger scale.
• McCarthy Building Companies: National employee-owned design-build general contractor with strong healthcare, education, and industrial portfolios. Overlaps with Jensen's design-build, CMaR, and self-perform positioning, and competes for the same mid-market institutional and commercial owners.
• Gilbane Building Company: Family-owned national design-build GC with strong education, healthcare, and public-sector practices. Directly comparable in family-ownership structure, design-build delivery, and institutional customer mix.
• Pepper Construction: Midwest-focused (Chicago, Indianapolis, Cincinnati) family-owned general contractor with design-build and self-perform services across commercial, healthcare, education, and industrial sectors. Closely comparable in family-ownership culture, regional focus, and self-perform trade mix.
• Ryan Companies: Minneapolis-based national design-build, development, and real estate management firm. Competes with Jensen in Midwest commercial, industrial, healthcare, and senior living developments, with overlapping design-build + owner-services capability.

Broad incumbents

• Walsh Group / Walsh Construction: Chicago-based national construction services group operating across building, transportation, and water sectors. Competes with Jensen in Midwest commercial/industrial work and represents a larger, more diversified incumbent with broader capabilities.

Others

• Chief Buildings: Manufacturer of pre-engineered metal building systems and a core supplier/partner to Jensen. Relevant as an ecosystem participant and as a reference point for the pre-engineered metal building category Jensen integrates into its self-perform offering.

Regional players

• J.E. Dunn Construction: Kansas City-headquartered, employee-owned national GC with strong Midwest presence. Competes with Jensen in commercial, healthcare, and industrial sectors across adjacent states, with comparable employee-ownership culture.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jensenbuilders

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Jensen Builders