Edcon

What Edcon does

Edcon Inc. is a family-owned general contractor founded on June 1, 1988 by James M. Edwards III (Eddie Edwards) in Peak, South Carolina, from the shell of the old F.T. Chapman General Store on the banks of the Broad River. The firm specializes in K-12 educational construction and municipal athletic/recreational facilities exclusively within South Carolina, serving public school districts (Berkeley, Darlington, Dorchester, Florence, Lancaster, Lexington-Richland 5, Kershaw, Fort Mill, Calhoun, Edgefield, Newberry, Richland One, Georgetown) and city/county governments (Florence, Newberry, Orangeburg, Dorchester County). Its core service portfolio comprises four delivery models: pre-construction services (estimating, constructability review, value analysis), traditional general contracting via hard-bid market participation, Construction Management at Risk (CM At-Risk) with guaranteed maximum price — a delivery method Edcon was among the first SC contractors to deploy for school work in 2008 — and Design-Build. The company self-performs 10-70% of project work using its own workforce across foundation excavation, formwork, masonry, brick cleaning, carpentry, and specialty trades, which materially reduces subcontractor mark-ups and gives Edcon direct schedule and quality control.

The business model is project-based B2B contracting: revenue is generated one project at a time via competitive public bidding for hard-bid work, GMP contracts under CM At-Risk, and negotiated Design-Build engagements. Pricing is quote-dependent per project; no published rate cards exist because scope, size, and complexity vary materially (single projects range from $500K renovations to $40M+ ground-ups such as Spring Hill High School at 261,000 sf or Delmae Heights Elementary at $22M / 158,000 sf). Go-to-market is sales-led and enterprise-oriented: Edcon targets superintendents, procurement officers, facility directors, and public-works departments directly, while architect-of-record firms (FW Architects, Jumper Carter Sease, Moseley Architects, McMillan Pazdan Smith, LS3P, Seamon Whiteside, AAG, and others) serve as a referral channel that channels projects toward Edcon. The customer base is overwhelmingly repeat — the company states most work comes from returning clients — and project delivery is anchored to school calendars, with completions required before each academic year begins.

Operationally, Edcon is privately held under continuous family ownership with no disclosed external funding, parent company, or institutional investors. The firm is mid-sized (11-50 employees), with leadership built around three Edwards family members (Eddie as President, Josh as Director of Pre-Construction, Chase as Director of Field Operations), long-tenured operators including Bart Sease (Director of Project Management, 31 years, 35+ schools delivered), and a Clemson University talent pipeline. Headquarters remain in Peak, SC. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Edcon

Legal name

Edcon Inc.

Website

https://edconinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Edcon Inc. is a family-owned South Carolina general contractor founded in 1988, providing pre-construction, general contracting, CM At-Risk, and design-build services for K-12 school districts and municipal athletic/recreational facilities across the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Peak

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. General Contracting Services: Traditional general contracting services where Edcon serves as the primary contractor, overseeing all construction activities, managing subcontractors, and delivering projects on time and within budget. This includes hard bid market work where Edcon competes for publicly tendered construction projects.
2. Construction Management at Risk (CM At Risk): CM At Risk delivery method where Edcon provides preconstruction services, partners with architects during design, offers Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP), and manages construction from conception through closeout. One of the first contractors in South Carolina to employ CM At-Risk for school projects in 2008.
3. Self-Performance Work: Self-performing 10%-70% of project work using Edcon's own employees, including foundation excavation, formwork, masonry, brick cleaning, carpentry, and specialty divisions. This provides cost savings by eliminating subcontractor mark-ups and gives Edcon direct control over schedule and quality.
4. Design-Build Services: Design-build delivery method leveraged through lean and aggressive approach from hard bid market experience. Used for projects like the Newberry Skate Park.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Edcon Inc. is a family-owned general contractor that provides general contracting, Construction Management at Risk (CM At Risk), pre-construction, and self-performance services for K-12 educational and athletic/recreational facility projects across South Carolina. The company serves as primary contractor or construction manager, overseeing construction activities, managing subcontractors, and self-performing 10-70% of project work using its own workforce in trades including foundation excavation, formwork, masonry, brick cleaning, and carpentry.

Product overview

Edcon Inc. is a family-owned general contractor founded in 1988, specializing in K-12 school construction and athletic/recreational facilities throughout South Carolina. The company offers four core service offerings: Pre-Construction Services (project coordination, site logistics, scheduling, and value analysis), General Contracting (oversight with self-performing work and subcontractor management), CM At Risk (construction management with guaranteed maximum pricing), and Self-Performance (use of Edcon's own workforce for construction tasks). These services are applied across two primary market verticals: K-12 School Construction (new schools, renovations, additions for elementary, middle, and high schools) and Athletics and Recreation Facilities (stadiums, sports complexes, recreation parks). Edcon employs cutting edge construction technology and a large workforce of skilled labor to deliver projects ranging from waterfront parks to 200,000+ sf educational facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pre-Construction Services Project coordination and planning, site logistics assessment, schedule analysis, procurement planning, constructability reviews, and value analysis services provided before construction begins for school districts and municipal clients in South Carolina.
• General Contracting Direct oversight of construction through self-performing work and managing subcontractors, applying lean and efficient principles developed in the hard bid market. Serves as primary contractor on publicly tendered K-12 and municipal construction projects.
• Construction Management at Risk (CM At Risk) Alternative delivery method where Edcon serves as construction manager at risk from conception through closeout, partnering with architects during design and providing a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for K-12 and municipal projects.
• Self-Performance Construction Engagement of Edcon's own employees to complete 10-70% of construction tasks including foundation work, formwork, masonry, brick cleaning, carpentry, and specialty divisions, providing direct control over schedule, quality, and timeline.
• K-12 School Construction Construction of new schools, renovations, additions, and historic building restorations for K-12 educational facilities including elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, career and technical education (CATE) facilities, and school district administration buildings across South Carolina school districts.
• Athletics and Recreation Facilities Construction of stadiums, sports complexes, recreation parks, skate parks, and athletic facilities for South Carolina school districts and municipal governments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivered three elementary schools on time before school year started, despite COVID-19 pandemic challenges
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers24 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• FW ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with FW Architects on multiple school construction projects. Edcon has worked with Hal Fuller and Dennis Ward on projects including Delmae Heights Elementary School ($22M, 158,000 sf) and ongoing projects. FW Architects serves as architect of record and collaborates with Edcon throughout construction process.
• Jumper Carter Sease ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtended partnership predating Edcon's founding with work on projects before the company was established. Currently working on multiple projects including Cain Elementary School, Black Creek Elementary School, and Keenan High School Stadium. Edcon's relationship predates company's founding by more than 10 years through founder Eddie Edwards' previous work.
• Moseley ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Van Wyck Elementary School and other projects. Jimmy Wilhide from Moseley Architects has worked with Edcon team members Josh Edwards, Chase Edwards, and Bart Sease on Calhoun High School and Van Wyck Elementary School projects.
• McMillan Pazdan SmithcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitectural firm partnership on multiple projects including Spring Hill High School (261,000 sf) and LEX-RICH 5 Center for Advanced Technological Studies (110,000 sf).
• AAG ArchitectsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Summerville High School CATE II project (32,500 sf) and ongoing collaboration on school projects. Anish Shah from AAG Architects has praised Edcon's collaborative approach to managing project costs and schedules.
• Seamon WhitesidemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on North Road Recreation Park for City of Orangeburg (70-acre facility) and Ashley River Park for Dorchester County (85-acre flagship park).
• LS3PmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Florence Sports Complex (85-acre recreational facility with NCAA stadium and track). Matt Varner from LS3P has worked with Edcon for over 25 years on successful projects in K-12 sector.
• Quackenbush ArchitectsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Chapin Middle School (125,000 sf) completed in 2015 through traditional Design-Bid-Build method.
• UWPD ArchitecturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Camden Middle School (155,000 sf) for Kershaw County School District.
• Altman Architectural GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Andrews High School renovation and expansion project (12,000 sf new, 150,000 sf renovation) for Georgetown County School District.
• Fuller Ward ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Carolyn Lewis K-8 (173,555 sf) in Berkeley County School District and Dillon Consolidated Elementary School (102,000 sf).
• Fuller Ward ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Dillon Consolidated Elementary School (102,000 sf) completed July 2024 for Dillon School District Four.
• Pinnacle ArchitecturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Lexington One Transportation Facility (11,000 sf, 217 bus parking) for Lexington School District One through CMAR delivery method.
• Jumper Carter SeasecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Black Creek Elementary School (110,000 sf) for Darlington County School District, consolidating two existing schools into one facility through CM at Risk delivery.
• Subcontractors and SupplierscoreOthersExtensive network of prequalified subcontractors and suppliers. Edcon coordinates with consultants and subcontractors as crucial partners in project success. Strong relationships with local, small, minority and women-owned businesses.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mashburn Construction: South Carolina-based general contractor of comparable size and footprint, with a strong portfolio of K-12 educational, municipal, and commercial projects across the Carolinas. Directly comparable in geography, vertical mix, and family-owned operating model.
• Rodgers Builders: Charlotte, NC-based general contractor specializing in K-12 and higher education construction across the Carolinas and Southeast. Closely comparable in size, education-vertical focus, and relationship-driven delivery model.
• T.B. Penick & Sons: South Carolina-based general contractor serving public and institutional clients in the Southeast. Comparable in regional footprint, public-sector client mix, and use of self-perform crews on commercial and civic work.

Broad incumbents

• Barton Malow Company: Large national contractor with a long-standing education and community/institutional practice. Comparable in vertical focus and CM At-Risk delivery, though with significantly broader geographic reach and project size.
• Balfour Beatty: International infrastructure and construction firm with a significant U.S. K-12 and higher education practice. Comparable in education vertical and alternative delivery expertise, with far greater scale and balance-sheet capacity.
• JE Dunn Construction: Major national general contractor with a robust education practice serving K-12 and higher education clients. Comparable in core vertical and delivery methods, though operates at much greater scale across multiple regions.
• Gilbane Building Company: Large national contractor with a dedicated K-12 education practice serving school districts across the U.S. Comparable in education-vertical focus and CM At-Risk delivery expertise, with significantly broader geographic and project-size capacity.
• Holder Construction: Atlanta-based national general contractor with an established education and civic practice that competes for larger SC and Southeast institutional projects. Comparable in vertical mix and delivery methods, though materially larger in scale and geographic reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/edconinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Edcon