Schafer Construction

What Schafer Construction does

Schafer Construction, Inc. is a private design-build and development firm headquartered in Brighton, Michigan, founded in 1997. It delivers integrated construction, design, and real estate development services to commercial, industrial, municipal, healthcare, religious, and nonprofit clients across Southeast Michigan, with NASCLA Accredited Contractor licensing that extends eligibility to 35 U.S. states. The company operates two core service lines: Construction Services (True Design-Build, Construction Management/Design-Assist, and General Contracting) and Development Services (delivered through the SC Development Services brand across Project Launch, Project Development, and Project Execution phases). An Available Properties portfolio — including Quality Business Park, Howell Commons, and Northville MITC — supports build-to-suit lease and sale offerings, vertically integrating land ownership with construction delivery.

The business model is project-based and quote-driven, with no publicly disclosed pricing. Revenue is generated through fixed-price contracts and cost-plus arrangements on individual construction and development projects; pricing is determined by scope, size, specifications, and delivery method. Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, leveraging 27+ years of regional reputation, subcontractor relationships, and direct outreach led by named principals Matt Vetter (President), Jason Lipa (VP), and Steve Schimpke (VP). The customer base is diversified across verticals with no single dominant end market, anchored by municipal work (fire stations, EMS substations, township halls), healthcare providers, nonprofits, and mid-market commercial/industrial clients.

In 2024, the Vetters and the Schafer team founded the Build Better Foundation, a non-profit subsidiary providing $500-$2,500 scholarships to individuals pursuing construction career paths, addressing Michigan's skilled trades shortage. The firm has 11-50 employees, no institutional investors, no parent company, and no public listings. Underlying technology is conventional for the construction sector — no proprietary software, no AI/ML capabilities, and no developer-facing platform; the company's competitive differentiators are process discipline, single-source Design-Build accountability, and tenured regional relationships.

Name

Schafer Construction

Legal name

Schafer Construction, Inc.

Website

https://schaferconstruction.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Schafer Construction is a Brighton, Michigan-based design-build and development firm founded in 1997, delivering construction, construction management, and real estate development services to commercial, industrial, municipal, healthcare, and nonprofit clients across Southeast Michigan with 35-state NASCLA licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Construction Services

NAICS

Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (23622), Construction of Buildings (236), Construction (23), Land Subdivision (23721)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540), Operative Builders (1531), Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552), Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial General Contracting (New Build) (IMAFAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retail & Mixed-Use Commercial Construction (IMAFACAB), Office & Corporate Building Construction (IMAFACAA), Residential Land Development & Subdivision Homebuilding (Build-to-Sell Communities) (IMAFABAL)

Keywords

• Design-build construction
• General contracting services
• Commercial construction services
• Real estate development
• Construction management

Headquarters

HQ city

Brighton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Construction Services: Project-based construction services including design-build, construction management, and general contracting. Revenue is generated through fixed-price contracts or cost-plus arrangements for commercial, industrial, municipal, and other construction projects.
2. Development Services: Real estate development services including project launch, development planning, and execution oversight. Services span from concept through shovel-ready status for clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Schafer Construction delivers commercial construction services through three delivery methods — True Design-Build (single-source accountability for design and construction), Construction Management/Design-Assist, and General Contracting — for projects across industrial, commercial office, healthcare, municipal, religious, and retail sectors. Through SC Development Services, the firm also provides real estate development services spanning Project Launch, Project Development, and Project Execution phases, moving projects from concept to shovel-ready status. An Available Properties portfolio offers build-to-suit lease and sale options in Southeast Michigan.

Product overview

Schafer Construction is a construction and development company offering a unified portfolio of services centered on construction delivery and real estate development. The core products are Construction Services (encompassing True Design-Build, Construction Management/Design-Assist, and General Contracting delivery methods) and Development Services (covering Project Launch, Project Development, and Project Execution phases). The company also operates an Available Properties portfolio and a community initiative called the Build Better Foundation. Schafer Construction has been serving Southeast Michigan since 1997, providing integrated development, design, and construction solutions with a disciplined process tailored to individual project needs and delivery methods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Build Better Foundation: Non-profit foundation founded in 2024 by Matt and Kerry Vetter to advocate, promote, and provide funding for construction career paths including skilled trades and construction management. Provides scholarships ranging from $500-$2,500 per recipient.

Products and services

• Construction Services Schafer's core construction offering for commercial, industrial, municipal, healthcare, religious, and retail clients. Delivered via three methods: True Design-Build (100% accountability for design and construction through a single point of contact), Construction Management/Design-Assist (collaborative approach for clients with internal design resources), and General Contracting (execution partner for fully designed projects). Each project follows a disciplined, tailored process with the client at the center.
• Development Services

Named customers18 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

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Build Better FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Founded in 2024 by Matt and Kerry Vetter along with the Schafer Construction Team. The Foundation's mission is to advocate, promote, and provide funding for construction career paths including skilled trades and construction management. Provides scholarships of $500-$2,500 per recipient for tuition, certifications, equipment, and other eligible expenses. Addresses Michigan's shortage of skilled construction workers.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• The Christman Company: Lansing-headquartered construction manager and general contractor with broad Michigan presence across healthcare, higher education, commercial, and government projects. Comparable design-build capability and Michigan-based regional focus.
• Granger Construction: Lansing, Michigan-based construction management and design-build firm serving commercial, healthcare, education, and government clients. Comparable in size, delivery model, and end-market mix to Schafer.
• George W. Auch Company: Michigan-based general contractor and construction manager with deep Southeast Michigan roots, providing design-build, general contracting, and construction management for commercial, industrial, healthcare, and institutional clients. Closely comparable size and footprint to Schafer.

Broad incumbents

• Clark Construction Group: National general contractor with design-build and construction management services across commercial, healthcare, education, and public-sector projects. Comparable delivery approach and end-market breadth, though at enterprise scale.
• Gilbane Building Company: Family-owned national construction manager with deep design-build capability across commercial, healthcare, education, and public-sector clients. Comparable integrated delivery model and customer segments to Schafer.
• Whiting-Turner Contracting Company: National design-build and construction management firm with broad commercial, healthcare, retail, and public-sector practice. Comparable delivery model and end-market coverage.
• Brasfield & Gorrie: Employee-owned general contractor with design-build and construction management services across commercial, healthcare, industrial, and institutional markets. Comparable integrated delivery offering, though at materially larger scale.
• Walsh Construction / The Walsh Group: Large national general contractor and construction manager with significant Midwest operations offering design-build, general contracting, and construction management across commercial, healthcare, transportation, and institutional sectors. Overlaps with Schafer's delivery model at a much larger scale.
• The Weitz Company: National design-build and construction management firm serving commercial, industrial, healthcare, and senior living clients. Directly comparable in design-build delivery philosophy and project types.

Direct peers

• Barton Malow Company: Michigan-headquartered construction manager and design-build general contractor serving commercial, industrial, healthcare, and public-sector clients. Directly comparable to Schafer in geography, delivery model, and end-market focus, though at materially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/schaferconstruction
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schaferconstruction

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Schafer Construction