What Portland Builders Inc does

Portland Builders Inc. is a privately held construction management and general contracting firm founded in November 1984 in Portland, Maine, by Pat Cushman and Harvey Klugman. The firm provides preconstruction consulting, construction management at risk, design-build delivery, and general contracting across five market segments: historic preservation, occupied renovations, new construction multi-family, commercial, and select custom residential. Core technical differentiators center on occupied renovation site protocols — photo ID badges, by-unit construction schedules, full-time supervision, and daily subcontractor tracking — combined with deep expertise in the Federal Historical Preservation Tax Credit Program (600,000+ square feet rehabilitated to date) and LEED-certified delivery.

The company generates revenue through project-based fees on construction management and general contracting engagements across Maine and New Hampshire. Pricing is bid-driven and not publicly disclosed; no subscription, recurring, or SaaS revenue model exists. Customers are developers, affordable housing providers, government housing authorities, and healthcare/commercial owners; key repeat clients include Developers Collaborative, Caleb Development Corporation, Avesta Housing, Portland Housing Authority, Greater Brunswick Housing Associates, Fresenius Medical Care, and SSCC Health & Wellness Center.

The go-to-market motion is sales-led and relationship-based, with projects sourced through direct developer relationships, RFP responses, and reputation within the affordable housing and historic preservation sectors. Marketing is limited to a company website, LinkedIn, Instagram, and industry awards visibility. The firm is independently held with no disclosed institutional investors or parent entities, currently led by Principal Jeremy Somes (appointed Fall 2021), and operates with 11–50 employees from a single Portland, ME headquarters.

Name

Portland Builders Inc

Legal name

Portland Builders, Inc.

Website

https://portlandbuilders.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Portland Builders Inc. is a 40-year-old Portland, Maine construction management firm specializing in occupied renovations, historic preservation, and affordable multi-family housing for developers and government clients across Maine and New Hampshire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Management Services

NAICS

New Multifamily Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (236116), New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (236115), Residential Remodelers (236118), Nonresidential Building Construction (2362)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Family Residential Construction (Apartments, Condos, Townhomes) (IMAFABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE), Office & Corporate Building Construction (IMAFACAA), Custom Home Building (IMAFABAC)

Keywords

• Construction management services
• Historic preservation construction
• Affordable housing construction
• Occupied renovation construction
• Design build contracting

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. General Contracting & Construction Management: Revenue generated through construction management and general contracting services for commercial, residential, and multi-family construction projects. Services include preconstruction consulting, construction management at risk, design-build, and occupied renovation services. Projects range from small commercial builds to large-scale multi-family developments.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Portland Builders Inc. is a construction management and general contracting firm delivering preconstruction consulting, construction management at risk, and design-build services across Maine and New Hampshire. The firm specializes in occupied renovations of multi-family housing, historic preservation and adaptive re-use projects utilizing Federal Historical Preservation Tax Credits, new construction of multi-family housing, commercial construction with fast-track delivery, and select custom residential homes.

Product overview

Portland Builders Inc. is a construction management firm offering a comprehensive suite of construction services through multiple delivery methods including Construction Management at Risk, Design Build, and preconstruction consulting. The company operates across five primary market segments: Historic Renovations (adaptive re-use of historic buildings with Federal Historical Preservation Tax Credit expertise), New Construction Multi-Family (affordable and market-rate housing development), Occupied Renovations (rehabilitation while maintaining resident occupancy), Commercial Construction (fast-track project delivery), and Custom Residential (energy efficient homes). Services include preconstruction planning, feasibility consulting, historic tax credit consulting, conceptual budgeting, and long-term maintenance planning. The company has placed over 600,000 square feet of rehabilitated and re-purposed properties back into Maine and New Hampshire communities since its founding in 1984.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Construction Management at Risk A project delivery method where Portland Builders assumes responsibility for planning, scheduling, evaluation, and controlling construction tasks, minimizing costs while maximizing customer satisfaction. Sold to clients as a contractual engagement distinct from design-build.
• Design Build Construction Management An integrated approach where Portland Builders provides all design and engineering services and is responsible for the complete construction package, eliminating gaps between plans, specs, and construction. Sold as a unified delivery method to clients.
• Preconstruction Services Planning and consulting services provided before construction begins, including feasibility studies, conceptual budgeting, and pre-acquisition consulting to help clients evaluate project viability and costs.
• Historic Renovations Rehabilitation and adaptive re-use of historic buildings, including properties benefiting from the Federal Historical Preservation Tax Credit Program, with expertise in preserving architectural heritage while updating buildings for modern use.
• New Construction Multi-Family New construction services for multi-family housing projects (affordable and market-rate), specializing in bringing construction costs within acceptable budget parameters while minimizing use of the owner's contingency.
• Occupied Renovations Rehabilitation of occupied housing requiring experience and commitment to minimizing resident disruption while adhering to project schedules, using comprehensive site protocols including photo ID badges, updated by-unit construction schedules, full-time Portland Builders supervision, and daily subcontractor tracking.
• Commercial Construction Commercial building construction with specialization in fast-track project management and iron-clad completion dates, addressing the time-sensitive 'time is money' demands of commercial clients.
• Custom Home Construction Custom residential home building services for select clients, constructing energy-efficient homes with the same attention to quality, schedule, and budget as the firm's commercial work, including a full-time site superintendent and project manager partnership.

Quantifiable outcome

• 600,000+ square feet of rehabilitated and re-purposed properties placed back into local communities
• +2 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MaineHousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState housing authority providing funding and support for affordable housing projects. Partnership on $11M senior housing project in Rumford involving 33 affordable rental units for adults 55-plus.
• Developers CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing development partner on multiple projects including Motherhouse (88 units), Summer Street Apartments (15 units), and Fresenius Kidney Care. Portland Builders serves as construction manager on collaborative projects.
• Caleb Development CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner on occupied renovation projects including Riverbend Apartments (28 units family housing in Biddeford) and Bradford Commons (194 units family housing in Bangor).
• Avesta HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit housing development partner on multiple projects including Mildred Fox School Apartments (12 units senior housing in South Paris) and Hyacinth Place (37 units in Westbrook).
• ArchetypecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture and design partner on projects including Motherhouse, Summer Street Apartments (Gardiner), and Stevens Square at Baxter Woods. Collaborative relationship for design and construction delivery.
• Town of RumfordminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner providing support and approvals for the $11M affordable senior housing project located at 101 Hancock St. in Rumford.
• Ames EngineeringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering partner on Bradford Commons project (194 units family housing in Bangor), working alongside Portland Builders and Caleb Development Corporation.
• Greater Brunswick Housing AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing development organization that purchased Lisbon Falls High School and partnered with Portland Builders to renovate it into Campus Commons (13 elderly apartments).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Gilbane Building Company: Large national construction manager with extensive multi-family, affordable housing, and historic preservation practices. Overlaps with Portland Builders on project types but operates at much greater scale and geographic breadth.
• Shawmut Design and Construction: National CM firm with New England roots that competes for institutional, multi-family, and historic projects. Provides a useful benchmark for premium positioning and design-build delivery.
• Suffolk Construction: Major national construction manager with significant New England presence across commercial, residential, and institutional segments. Increasingly competitive on large multi-family and mixed-use RFPs.

Direct peers

• PC Construction: Vermont-based construction manager serving northern New England with multi-family, affordable housing, and community development projects. Comparable regional focus and project types.
• BOND Building Construction: Northeast-based construction management firm with deep multi-family, affordable housing, and historic rehabilitation expertise. Comparable size and service mix to Portland Builders.
• Consigli Construction Co., Inc. New England-headquartered construction manager with extensive multi-family, affordable housing, historic preservation, and academic/institutional work. Highly comparable service lines and delivery methods, though operating at larger scale.
• Wright-Ryan Construction: Maine-based construction management and general contracting firm with comparable multi-family, historic preservation, and commercial project portfolios across northern New England. Directly comparable in scale, geography, and service mix.
• Ledgewood Construction: New Hampshire-based construction manager specializing in multi-family, affordable, and senior housing projects in northern New England. Directly comparable service offering and geography.
• Eldredge Construction & Building: Maine-based general contractor performing commercial, multi-family, and custom residential construction. Comparable regional footprint and customer base in the Maine market.

Regional players

• Naik Group: Northeast construction and real estate firm with multi-family and affordable housing development capabilities. Comparable project types but with a developer-integrated model rather than pure CM.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/portland-builders-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/portlandbuilders_inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Portland Builders Inc