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July 2026 | Volume 1, Issue 3

SALT LAKE

BUSINESS JOURNAL

Construction Focus

S P O N S O R E D

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WHERE VISION TAKES SHAPE. LET’S BUILD YOURS.

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4 | July 2026 • Construction Focus University of Utah | The West Village Phase 2

At Jacobsen, we never lose sight of the life to be lived inside of what we build. It's why we take care in crafting each detail to perfection. We do it for those who will call your building "home."

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

SALT LAKE

BUSINESS JOURNAL IN FOCUS CONSTRUCTION LISTS

16 Architectural Firms 18 Bonding Agencies 20 Commercial Contractors 22 Development Firms 24 Electrical Contractors 26 Engineering Firms 30 Heavy Equipment Companies & Irrigation 32 Landscape Contractors

34 Project Management Firms Concrete, Asphalt, Sand & 36 Rock, Gravel 38 Structural Steel Firms ARTICLES

9 11

A Tall Order: How the Tallest Building in Utah is Changing the City Skyline Utah Homes by the Numbers The State of Utah Construction: An Industry Leaders Roundtable

Demand Drives Utah 28 Housing Apartment Permits to ThirdHighest Year Ever

and Encouragement 29 Education Form Utah’s NAWIC Mission Materials Market to 37 Construction Hit $1.7 Trillion by 2032 Designing for a 39 CANstruction: cause

the Spencer Fox Eccles 40 Building School of Medicine

Residence Lien Recovery 42 Utah’s Fund: What Happens if the Fund Runs Out?

44 Earn-While-You-Learn: Apprenticeships and Employer Partnerships

Focus

Construction Focus • July 2026 | 5

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

6 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

Publisher

Bryan Scott

Editor-in-Chief Rebecca Olds

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

Editor’s Letter Dear readers, If you don’t live under a rock, it’s pretty obvious that Utah’s construction industry is alive and well.

Design

With summer—and construction season—in full swing, orange cones seem to be everywhere. Roads are being widened, new neighborhoods are taking shape, office buildings are rising, and major projects are being completed across the state. UDOT alone has announced $2.8 billion in transportation projects this year, a figure that underscores just how much investment is flowing into Utah’s infrastructure.

Associate Publisher

But while cranes and concrete often steal the spotlight, the numbers behind Utah’s growth tell an equally compelling story.

Editor

Tom Haraldsen

Stacey LaMont

David Gregersen

Senior Account Executive Dale Dimond

Director of Marketing Mieka Sawatzki

List Development Director Lydia Rice

Editorial Team

Brice Wallace Peri Kinder Becky Ginos Megan Bartholomew Industry Focus Magazines are published yearly by the Salt Lake Business Journal, owned by Loyal Perch Media LLC, 9500 S. 500 West, Suite 205, Sandy, Utah 84070. Periodical Postage paid at Salt Lake City, Utah. Send address changes to the Salt Lake Business Journal at the above address or by email at subscribe@ thecityjournals.com. Subscription rates included with print and digital Salt Lake Business Journal: $95 one year. Submit subscription orders at saltlakebusinessjournal.com. Copyright © 2026 Loyal Perch Media, LLC.

In this issue, you’ll find data showing that home prices in the Salt Lake City area have increased more than 102% over the past decade, adding nearly $291,000 to the median home value. At the same time, buying a home now costs more than twice as much as renting in the metro area, highlighting the affordability challenges many Utah families face. We’re also seeing signs of a housing market still adjusting to higher interest rates. Thousands of Utah homeowners say they feel “locked in” by the historically low mortgage rates they secured in recent years, making them reluctant to move even when their housing needs have changed. Meanwhile, vacation-home demand has cooled dramatically from pandemic-era highs, reflecting broader shifts in consumer confidence and affordability. These statistics tell a story far bigger than construction alone. They speak to population growth, economic development, workforce demands, infrastructure needs and the ongoing challenge of creating enough housing to keep pace with Utah’s success. The projects featured in this magazine represent more than steel, concrete and lumber. They are investments in communities, businesses and the future of the state. Whether it’s a new school, medical facility, roadway, industrial development or housing project, each one helps shape what Utah will look like for generations to come. A big thank you to this issue’s sponsors Big D Construction and Wheeler Cat. We appreciate you and see what you’re doing in the state. Thank you for reading this Construction Focus edition of the Salt Lake Business Journal. We hope the stories and insights inside provide a deeper understanding of one of the industries quite literally building Utah.

Rebecca Olds Editor-in-Chief

Financing that Construction funding made simple, fast & local. • Fast Approval • Local Decisions • Quick to Close • Local Servicing

ILY HERALD DA

cbutah.com

REA

H OICE A

8 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

A Tall Order By Megan Bartholomew The City Journals

When Kensington Investment Co. approached HKS Architects about a new residential project in downtown Salt Lake City, it was clear the pitch was anything but typical. In the end, the developers got more than they bargained for. HKS, interior design team ROAM and partner Jacobsen Construction delivered Astra Tower, which is not only LEED-Gold certified, but also now the tallest high-rise in the city’s skyline. “Efficiency came first, when they approached us,” said Emir Tursic, office director and partner architect at HKS. “The height was never their goal, but when the scale of the building became clear, we took it as an opportunity to set a model of sustainable urban living.” To maximize efficiency, HKS developed what Tursic calls a “performance-based design,” holding the project to standards beyond code requirements and subjecting it to peer review. “The way building codes are written, the requirements are the same for most structures, regardless of scale or building type — all that to say, the required codes are very conservative.” Rather than following those standards prescriptively, the team tailored every major system based on energy-efficient performance goals. “Compared to similar base-code buildings, the tower uses over 40 percent less energy,” Tursic said. “Energy efficiency, water usage and air quality were all huge emphases.” One standout feature is its seismic design. Astra Tower’s performance-based approach achieved a 3 percent drift capacity — one percentage point higher than code requirements. That flexibility reduced construction materials while increasing the building’s seismic resilience. Energy efficiency also shaped the tower’s organization. Divided into low-, mid- and high-rise sections, the building steps down from south to north. “Even though it’s the tallest building in the state, I feel that it’s still fairly contextual within its setting,” Tursic said. Apartment layouts are stacked in efficient vertical columns, streamlining mechanical systems. HKS also leveraged the extra ceiling height in amenity spaces to accommodate plumbing stacks and equipment, reducing the need for mechanical floors throughout the building. Perhaps Astra Tower’s most visible sustainability feature is its focus on air quality. A hospital-grade filtration system cleans outdoor air before delivering it directly to

Astra Tower — the new tallest building in Utah — is changing the city skyline as well as the horizons of construction efficiency. (Jason O’Rear) residential units, while common spaces utilize low-VOC materials. In-unit sensors help residents monitor how their actions affect indoor air quality. On the exterior, the building’s lighting changes color in response to the Air Quality Index, signaling conditions to the broader community. “Air quality is becoming a more and more critical issue,” Tursic said. “By no means is Astra going to solve that alone. But there are a lot of aspirational and educational things that we are doing to hopefully raise awareness, and raise the bar about what sustainable urban living can look like.” ■

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

Construction Focus • July 2026 | 9

Utah Homes by the Numbers

6,634

73%

The number of Utah homeowners who say low mortgage rates have become “golden handcuffs,” according to a survey by real estate platform Calgary Homes. They are among millions of Americans who bought or refinanced homes during the ultra-low-rate era. Seventeen percent of Utah homeowners who want to sell are unwilling to do so because they want to hold onto the lower rate they secured previously. Thirty-five percent of Utah homeowners said they delayed a major life decision to keep their current mortgage rate. The most common delay was moving closer to family, cited by 11 percent of respondents, followed by moving to a more affordable area, downsizing for retirement and upgrading to a larger home. The largest group, 32 percent, said they feel comfortable staying where they are, while 17 percent said they feel lucky to have their current mortgage rate. While 39 percent said their home still suits their needs, others cited reasons for moving: 12 percent said their home is too small, 7 percent said it is too large, 9 percent said it is too expensive to maintain and 8 percent said it needs repairs they would rather avoid. “Low mortgage rates were once seen as a major win for homeowners, but for some, they have become a quiet constraint,” a Calgary Homes spokesperson said. “Many homeowners may be sitting on a great rate, but not necessarily in a home that still works for them.”

The drop in vacation-home demand in the Salt Lake City/Murray metro area between 2021 and 2015, according to SellMyTimeshareNow. That places the metro No. 11 among large U.S. metros for the largest decline in vacation-home demand. Nationally, vacation-home purchases slipped 65.8 percent during that time, falling from 257,549 purchases to just 88,158 nationwide. Because vacation homes are discretionary purchases, the category often acts as a leading economic indicator. Sharp declines in second-home buying may reflect changing consumer confidence, affordability pressures and reduced financial flexibility — even among higher-income households that traditionally drive resort and leisure real estate markets. Florida led the U.S. with more than 38,000 fewer vacation-home purchases, while Nevada, Hawaii and Wyoming saw the sharpest percentage declines. Nevada was down 78.3 percent. Among large metros, Austin, Texas, saw the steepest drop, with vacation-home purchases falling 80.4 percent. The report is available at https://www.sellmytimesharenow.com/blog/cities-where-vacation-home-demanddeclined-most/.

2.1x How much more Salt Lake City homes cost to buy than to rent, according to an analysis by Construction Coverage. The median monthly mortgage payment and property taxes are $3,338 in the metro, while the median monthly rent is $1,592. The result is a premium for buyers in Salt Lake City of 109.7 percent. Among midsize cities (populations between 150,000 and 349,999), Salt Lake City is the 116th-cheapest for buyers out of 126 midsize cities. Nationally, the typical monthly mortgage payment is about 20 percent higher than rent. Only 95 of the 838 cities analyzed are more affordable for buyers than renters. Details are at https://constructioncoverage.com/research/cities-where-its-cheaper-to-buy-vs-rent.

102.8% Median home prices in the Salt Lake City/Murray area increased 102.8 percent over the past decade — a gain of $290,557 — according to a Construction Coverage analysis of Zillow and U.S. Census Bureau data. The metro ranks No. 31 among midsize U.S. cities and 180th among the 691 cities included in the analysis. Meanwhile, the national growth was more than 81 percent, outpacing wage growth (47 percent) and reshaping housing affordability nationwide. The Salt Lake City/Murray metro had a 63.8 percent increase in median household income during the analysis period. Idaho saw the largest increase in home prices in the past decade at 137 percent, while Louisiana saw the smallest at 17 percent. Among cities, Pine Hills, Florida, saw a 188 percent increase to lead the U.S. Details are at https://constructioncoverage.com/ research/cities-with-the-largest-home-price-growth-lastdecade.

Construction Focus • July 2026 | 11

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL SP O NSO R E D B Y

The State of Utah Construction An Industry Leaders Roundtable

A Salt Lake Business Journal event hosted at Novva Data Centers in West Jordan Recently, the Business Journal gathered construction industry leaders for a roundtable discussion at the Novva Data Centers location in West Jordan, sponsored by Helix Electric. The discussion was wide-ranging, with topics including the state of the industry and its various sectors, risks for projects, relationships with multiple subcontractors, affordability for young people looking to purchase their first home, obstacles caused by local zoning ordinances, the need for preconstruction activities and the benefits of having preconstruction departments, and how the global geopolitical events are increasing risk in the industry. Video of the full event is at saltlakebusinessjournal.com. Where is the market headed? Industry leaders look at where momentum is building — and where it is slowing. Participants shared insights on sector-by-sector trends shaping Utah’s construction pipeline. Andy Mair: “There definitely is a noticeable scaling back in multifamily. As far as our commercial side, I ➻

PARTICIPANTS (in picture order): Eric Stratford, vice president of project development, R&O Construction Andy Mair, director of project management, Pentalon Construction Steve Coppieters, owner of Stone Gate Homes and president of the Utah Home Builders Association Chad Riches, president of Beacon Commercial Door & Lock Nathan Goodrich (moderator), Utah division manager, Helix Electric Shaun Robbins, preconstruction director over healthcare, Jacobsen Construction John Evans, project director and director of business development, Okland Construction Taylor Scalley, executive vice president of business development, Zwick Construction Victor Fuchs, president and CEO, Helix Electric Rick Higgins, president and CEO, Mountain States Fence Co.

12 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

the corporate office space.” He added that higher education would say we see a little bit of that, too — not dealing in is “still very healthy” in Utah and that sports/entertainment the healthcare or the advanced tech as heavily as some other has been a “really good market.” companies. We do see the pipeline, I guess, scaling back Taylor Scalley: While it might be a “calm before a little bit, and I think it’s more just due to a lot of things the storm,” with some tightening, several major projhappening in the world right now.” ects are upcoming, including Utah City, The Point, the Chad Riches: “It seems like the pipeline in Utah Entertainment District, the Power District and several seems like it’s still a pretty full pipeline. We’re lucky here hospitals. “Each one of those projects brings a little bit in Utah. We’ve got a pretty nice base of a lot of different something different…” industries and areas of construction. … ” He went on to Victor Fuchs: “Outside say that multifamily, once a big of office space, of commercial push, has slowed, but industrial “ We just unveiled an in-house AI space, we see a lot of activity projects are still strong, as well program. This program is amazgoing forward. … But every as hospitality, healthcare, data ing. ... It’s not a human being. but market is very strong.” centers and infrastructure. it’s amazing. I used to go on a Eric Stratford: The retail Shaun Robbins: “Our priwitch hunt to try to get some data, side is bright with many gromary client is Intermountain (Health) and the University of cery/anchor developments. through three, four different sourcUtah. … Intermountain’s got “We’re not seeing the big mall, es, and today just talk to your Station Park-type developseveral large hospitals about phone and within seconds you have ments, with the exception of ready to break ground. The all the information.” maybe down in St. George. University of Utah has their — Victor Fuchs, Helix Electric eye on several large projects They have one there. But a lot of grocery/anchor-type stuff coming up within the next four and smaller-type retail, QSRs (quick service restaurants) or five years up at their campus and then also at other places and some smaller-type box [stores] — that type of stuff.” along the Wasatch Front. So, we don’t see much of a slowMair: More developments in the multifamily market down happening in the healthcare market right now.” are happening in phases. “You definitely saw a big boom John Evans: “The office commercial space is the one there four or five years ago, but two to three years ago, that market where we’ve definitely seen a slowdown in that, and number had reduced dramatically, and so now there’s still there’s definitely fewer opportunities in the office and in

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL the disciplined developers moving forward with projects, hedging the bets that the growth that Utah is going to incur is still going to have capacity for people to need housing.” What happens next? Industry leaders look ahead to the opportunities and obstacles on the horizon. Participants shared their forecasts for the next three to five years, discussing the challenges, opportunities and market forces likely to shape the industry. Rick Higgins: “I think infrastructure is going to be great for us. Data centers are obviously amazing and everything in Utah is just poised (for it).” Steve Coppieters: Mortgage interest rates at 5½ percent “would open up a whole new realm of buyers for single-family detached.” The state is 40,000 homes behind where it needs to be, just to catch up with current needs. “I build for the people who own the companies, for the most part, and they are trying to bring and attract talent to the state and they come here and they can’t find houses. They’re either not available or they are expensive and they’re going to do a $200,000 remodel on a million-dollar house that they just bought. So, our biggest hangup is getting that pipeline flowing because we can’t build up any progression.” Coppieters: “Utah County, it was so crazy with just the residential building, but that’s slowed down a little bit now. And so, they’re starting to spread to other areas. So there’s definitely markets that are still growing…” Scalley: “I think the pipeline is healthy. It’s going to be healthy.” Stratford: “What I’m seeing is the good, sound private-sector developers that know what they’re doing are still making deals and they still have a pipeline. What we’ve seen disappear is the mom-and-pop developers that want to throw their hat in a ring.”

Construction Focus • July 2026 | 13 What’s in the toolbox? Industry leaders discussed the technologies reshaping how projects are estimated, managed and completed. From drones to satellite imagery, technology is changing how contractors gather information, bid jobs and serve customers. One panelist said drone operators can quickly capture project elevations, while roofing teams use satellite imagery to assemble estimates “down to the last shingle.” Fuchs: “We just unveiled an in-house AI program. This program is amazing. … It’s not a human being. but it’s amazing. I used to go on a witch hunt to try to get some data, through three, four different sources, and today just talk to your phone and within seconds you have all the information.” Riches: Our company is able to do some work “so much faster and with a higher level of quality and preciseness that we weren’t able to do before because of some of these tools that are out there. And AI just kind of merges right into that. And you think, well, our headcount is decreasing because of those efficiencies, and it’s actually increasing because our capacity has grown so much. … I can’t imagine what the next 10 years is going to bring to the construction industry.” Scalley: “I recently toured a prefab facility for hospitality like hotels and multifamily. The robots they had put into this whole system were unreal. And they’re transforming how they’re going to be delivering a certain type of product. And if we’re not paying attention, if we’re not constantly looking for those opportunities or someone building smarter, we’re going to get left behind.” How do you build the next generation of talent? Industry leaders discussed the importance of training, education, professional development and replenishing the workforce pipeline. ➻

14 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

Companies shared the ways they are investing in employee growth, from on-the-job training and continuing education to structured programs designed to help workers advance their careers. Fuchs: Helix this year will invest over a million and a half dollars in education for its people. “We’re also investing a lot … with AI because we want to get all of our people onboard with AI, with starting from assistant superintendent and everybody through the office, because I think we’re just going to be much more effective.” Riches: Investing in employees can help address the need for more people in the industry. “It’s been a challenge in the past. It probably continues to be one of our challenges because there’s so much opportunity that if we just had more people that knew what they were doing, we’d have even that much more growth in our own businesses.” Coppieters: “The residential side of construction — I don’t know whether it is commercial-wise — but the residential general contractors are retiring seven to one. For every seven of us that retire, there’s only one coming to replace us.” Evans: “That’s one thing that I think we collectively do as an industry, is help educate that next generation that there are great opportunities in this industry. It can come

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

from work coming up through the trades or it can come from going to college and getting a degree. There are different avenues and different skillsets that are needed in this business, and we need to continue to get that message out there so we can grow that population base that wants to work in this industry.” Riches: “How we integrate technology into that is going to be a big part of it. Things have evolved over the last 20 to 25 years. They’re going to evolve just as drastically or maybe more so in the next 10 years and then the next five years, and it is an exciting industry to be a part of and they’ll be part of some really cool projects.” Robbins: Positions exist where workers can be in an office most of the day. “It’s not [that] you’re out there swinging a hammer. It can be an office job that you go to five days a week and you don’t move from job to job and it’s stable. It’s a great place to be, and I would just hope to attract more people into what we do in pre-construction.” Mair: “The industry is just awesome, just the people that work here on a daily basis and with different companies are just down-to-earth, good people. And that’s what I love about the industry, is just the collaborative work that we all put in together to bring these projects to life. And that’s what makes it exciting.” ■

Construction Focus • July 2026 | 15

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

make life happen

16 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL SALT LAKE

ARCHITECTURAL FIRMS Number of Utah Employees

Number of Interior Designers

Total Gross Revenue 2025

Number of Registered Architects

Utah Gross Revenue 2025

Ranked by Number of Registered Architects

Year Established

BUSINESS JOURNAL

FFKR Architects 730 Paciﬁc Ave. SLC, UT 84104

801-521-6186 ffkr.com

$57.2M $57.2M

157

Architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, planning, 3D visualization, graphic design

1976

Mike Leishman Senior Principal Architect, President

MHTN Architects 280 S. 400 W., Ste. 250 SLC, UT 84101

801-595-6700 mhtn.com

$23.8M* $23.8M*

131

Architecture, interior design, landscape, master planning & pre-design

1928

Peggy McDonough President

VCBO Architecture 524 S. 600 E. SLC, UT 84102

801-575-8800 vcbo.com

$37M

$36.1M

122

Architecture & interior design

1975

Derek Payne Principal

Method Studio 360 W. Aspen Ave. SLC, UT 84101

801-532-4422 methodstudio.com

$13.7M* $14.1M*

106

Architecture, programming, Becky Hawkins, Joe master planning, interior design, Smith, Kelly Morgan— 2007 branding & environmental Senior Principals & graphics, FF&E Founding Partners

GSBS Architects 375 W. 200 S., Ste. 100 SLC, UT 84106

801-521-8600 gsbs architects.com

Architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, planning & economic development, environmental design, medical programming

Core Archtecture 233 S. Pleasant Grove Blvd., Ste. 105. Pleasant Grove, UT 84062

801-769-3000 corearch.com

Master planning, programming, interiors, design, visualizations, 1988 code consulting, sustainability

NWL Architects 723 Paciﬁc Ave., Ste. 101 SLC, UT 84104

801-355-5959 nwlarchitects.com

$18.2M*

$16M*

Architectural design, programming, interior design, master planning

1952

Christopher Lund President

ajc Architects 703 E. 1700 S. SLC, UT 84105

Commercial, public, private architectural design services that include planning, 1991 programming, design studies, architectural and interior design, rendering and 3D modeling

Jill A. Jones Managing Principal

Company Name Address

$19.7M* $20.2M*

Services Offered

1978

Top Local Executive

Kevin Miller President & CEO

Curtis Miner President & Principal Architect

801-466-8818 ajcarchitects.com

CRSA 175 S. Main St., Ste. 300 SLC, UT 84111

801-355-5915 crsa-us.com

$10.2M* $10.2M*

Architecture & interior design

1975

Roger Hansen President

Design West Architects

801-539-8221 designwest architects.com

$9.5M

$11.7M

Architecture, master planning, interior design, landscape architecture

1982

Blake Wright, Larry Hepworth, Stephen Williams, Adam Zetterquist

801-438-9500 beecher walker.com

$5.9M

Architecture, interior design and Jory Walker, President 1998 master planning Lyle Beecher, CEO

801-746-0456 aeurbia.com

$23.9M $23.9M

Architectural design, structural engineering, interior design services

2004

James M. Williams President

801-463-7108 tsa-usa.com

Architecture and design services focused on healthcare, senior care & higher education

1996

Nathan Murray Design Principal & President

801-521-9111 prescottmuir.com

$5.5M

Architectural services

1976

Jay Lems Partner

801-364-9259 njraarchitects. com

$4.5M

Full architectural services

1977

Selvam Rajavelu President & CEO

10 2200 S. Main St., Ste. 100 SLC, UT 84115

Beecher Walker

11 3115 E. Lion Lane, Ste. 200 Holladay, UT 84121

Phone Web

AE Urbia 909 W. South Jordan Parkway South Jordan, UT 84095

TSA Architects

13 1486 S. 1100 E. SLC, UT 84105

Prescott Muir Architects

14 171 W. Pierpont Ave. SLC, UT 84101

NJRA Architects Inc.

15 5223 S. Ascension Way Murray, UT 84123

*Did not disclose. Please note that some ﬁrms chose not to respond, or failed to respond in time to our inquiries. All rights reserved. Copyright 2026 by Salt Lake Business Journal. The Business Journal strives for accuracy in its list publications. If you see errors or omissions in this list, please contact us at lists@slbusinessjournal.com.

18 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL SALT LAKE

BONDING AGENCIES

BUSINESS JOURNAL Surety Premium Volume 2025

Number of Surety-Only Professionals

Bonded Contract Value

Number of Ofﬁces Nationwide

Year Est.

Ranked by Surety Premium Volume 2025

801-537-7467 holmesmurphy.com

$140M

1919

Josh Loftis SVP, Surety

Moreton & Company 101 S. 200 E., Ste. 300 SLC, UT 84111

801-531-1234 moreton.com

$26.5M

1910

Todd Smith President & CEO

Leavitt Insurance & Central Bonds 746 E. Winchester St., Ste. 120 Murray, UT 84107

801-798-7343 leavitt.com/licb

$8M

$300M

1981

Brett Palmer Co-Owner

Beehive Insurance Agency 4393 S. Riverboat Road, Ste. 200 SLC, UT 84123

801-685-6860 beehive insurance.com

$6.9M

$1.3B

1961

Tyson Perkes President

The Buckner Co. Inc. 5295 S. Commerce Drive, Ste. 300 SLC, UT 84107

801-937-6700 buckner.com

$4M

$600M

1936

Terry Buckner CEO

Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services, LLC 6967 S. River Gate Drive, Ste. 200 SLC, UT 84047

801-924-1400 ajg.com

$3.25M*

$300M*

265

1927

Drew Rendon Client Services Manager Michael Wade Regional EVP

HUB International Salt Lake City 1100 E. 6600 S., Ste. 400 SLC, UT 84121

801-288-1600 hubinternational.com

570+

1948

Brent Bennett EVP, Practice Leader

Universal Business Insurance 9980 S. 300 W., Ste. 320 Sandy, UT 84070

801-984-6100 ubinsurance.com

$600M

1991

Jeff Shields, Owner Kevin Andrews, President

USI Insurance Services LLC 1100 E. 6600 S., Ste. 280 SLC, UT 84121

801-713-4550 usi.com

55*

$700M

200

1994

Katie Wood SVP, Employee Beneﬁts

Company Name Address

Holmes Murphy and Associates 132 S. State St., Ste. 315 SLC, UT 84111

Phone Web

Owner/Managing Principal

20 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL SALT LAKE

COMMERCIAL CONTRACTORS

BUSINESS JOURNAL

Total Gross Revenue 2025

Bonding Capacity

Number of Utah Employees

Big-D Construction Corp. 404 W. 400 S. SLC, UT 84101

801-415-6000 big-d.com

$1.53B

$3.6B

$4B

695

Frank Moss Courthouse Renovation, BYU Arts Building, South Temple Tower Ofﬁce-to-MultiFamily Conversion, St. George City Hall, WPR, Conﬁdential Data Center Campus, Alta View Hospital Multi-Dept Renovation

1967

Cory Moore CEO

Layton Construction Co. 9090 S. Sandy Pkwy. Sandy, UT 84070

801-568-9090 layton construction.com

$930M

$7.8B

$5B

1,080

Kathryn F. Kirk Center for Comprehensive Cancer Care and Women's Cancers at Huntsman Cancer Institute, The Worthington

1953

David S. Layton President & CEO

Jacobsen Construction Co. 5181 W. Amelia Earhart Dr. SLC, UT 84116

801-973-0500 jacobsen construction.com

$850M

$1B

$2B

837

University of Utah Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, Astra Tower, MWR Hotel at Mayﬂower, Smithﬁeld Utah Temple, Primary Children's Hospital Lehi Campus, Salt Lake Temple Major Renovation, One Burton Apartments

1922

Gary Ellis President & CEO

Hogan & Associates Construction Inc. 940 N. 1250 W. Centerville, UT 84014

801-951-7000 hogan construction.com

$450M

$455M

$1B aggregate

344

OTECH High School, Davis County Memorial, The Corner Plaza

1945

Cris Hogan President& CEO

Westland Construction 1411 W. 1250 S., Ste. 200 Orem, UT 84058

801-374-6085 westland construction.com

$388M

$475M

$1.5B

400

Cyprus High School 500,000 SF

1992

Chris Houghton CEO Kyle Houghton President

R&O Construction 933 Wall Ave. Ogden, UT 84404

801-627-1403 randoco.com

$376M

$469M

$1B aggregate $500M single job

176

Roy Innovation Center 2 HAFB $127M

1980

Slade Opheikens President, CEO

Hughes General Contractors 900 N. Redwood Rd. North Salt Lake, UT 84054

801-292-1411 hughesgc.com

$255M

282

Dura-Line Global Logistics Center, SLC Utah

1958

Todd A. Hughes President

Bonneville Builders 8610 Sandy Pkwy., Ste. #210 Sandy, UT 84070

801-263-1406 bonneville builders.com

$201M*

$170M*

48*

Platform 1500, Gabbott's Row, Cascade Springs

1998

John Tebbs Founder

Zwick Construction Co. 434 W. Ascension Way, Ste. 150 SLC, UT 84123

801-484-1746 zwick construction.com

$159M

$300M

Camber, Lewis Landing Industrial Park, Peak JCB, Slate Apartments, Sloane Apartments

1969

Darin C. Zwick President & CEO

KIER Construction 3710 Quincy Ave. Ogden, UT 84403

801-627-1414 kier.org

$152M*

$170M*

$160M

80+

Uniﬁed Fire Station, Central West Apartments, Colony B Apartments, Bookbinder Studios, Greenprint Gateway Apartments

1896

Clint Costley President

Pentalon Construction 4376 S. 700 E., Ste. 100 SLC, UT 84107

801-619-1900 pentalon construction.com

$118.4M

$200M aggregate $100M single

Village Station Apartments, Lotus Republic Apartments, Lotus Riverwalk Apartments, Ridgeview Townhomes, Sequoia Apartments, Renassiance Parking Structure, Ready Made Concrete Ofﬁce Remodel

1993

Carl Tippets President

ICO Construction

801-407-6850 icocompanies. com/construction

$100M

145

2008

Jim Seaberg Chair & CEO

801-268-3584 cameron construction.com

$70.6M*

$30M*

31*

C-Store projects and Mid-box Retail Projects in multiple states

1973

Kevin Cameron President

801-484-5545 paulsen construction.com

$52.7M

$90M*

Murray City Fire Station #81, UTA Daybreak/South Jordan Trax Platform, Sprague Library, Ronald McDonald House Park

1925

John Paulsen President

801-621-6210 staceygc.com

$47.5M*

$70M*

32*

Lifetime Products, Northrop Grumman, HCA Ogden Regional Medical Center, HCA Timpanogos Regional Hospital, Swire Coca-Cola

1962

Scott Dixon President

801-503-3600 steed construction.com

$18M*

$35M*

$30M*

11*

The Olive Mixed Use Condo Project, Challenger Schools, Deseret Industries

1988

Scott A. Steed President & CEO

Company Name Address

12 3401 N. Center St., Ste. 300 Lehi, UT 84043

Cameron Construction

13 573 West Billinis Rd., Ste. 1 SLC, UT 84115

Paulsen Construction

15 3075 S. Specialty Cir. SLC, UT 84115

Stacey Construction

16 6671 S. 2500 E.

Ogden, UT 84405 Steed Construction, Inc.

17 1293 W. 2200 S. SLC, UT 84119

Phone Web

Largest and Most Notable Projects 2025

Devon II, Royce on 9th II, Mountain Point Business Center

Year Established

Utah Gross Revenue 2025

Ranked by Utah Gross Revenue 2025

President/ CEO

Construction Focus • July 2026 | 21

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

P R O U D LY P O W E R I N G P R O J E C T S S I N C E 1986

4X W I N N E R U TA H B E S T O F S TAT E E L E C T R I C A L S E RV I C E S

SALT LAKE CITY

I ST. GEORGE I DENVER I BOISE HuntElectric.com

22 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL SALT LAKE

DEVELOPMENT FIRMS

Company Name Address

Phone Web

Total Sq. Ft. Developed in 2025

Ranked by Total Square Feet Developed in 2025

Notable Projects

Year Established

BUSINESS JOURNAL Owner/Top Local Executive

Woodbury Corp. 2733 E. Parleys Way, Ste. 300 SLC, UT 84109

801-425-7770 woodburycorp.com

1.9M*

University Place, Falcon Hill Aerospace Research Park, Wilmington Gardens, The Meadows, Sandy Park Center, Old Mill Ofﬁce, University of Utah Research Park

1919

E. Taylor Woodbury, CEO Scott Ishop President & CFO

Six Ridge Partners 2800 E. Cottonwood Pkwy., Ste. 475 Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121

801-365-6200 dakotapaciﬁc.com

1.6M*

East 15 Commerce Park (UT), Millennium Edina (MN), 2200 S. Main St, (UT), The Bowers Residences (UT), One Piedmont (CA)

2010

Marc Stanworth CEO

The Boyer Co. 101 S. 200 E., Ste. 200 SLC, UT 84111

801-521-4781 boyercompany.com

1.4M

Millhaus Apartments, The Wheeler Townhomes, XNRGY, Boise Gateway 4, Vivint

1972

Jake Boyer, CEO Nate Boyer, President

The Ritchie Group 1245 Brickyard Road, Ste. 70 SLC, UT 84109

801-433-2200 theritchiegroup.com

1.369M*

The Charles, Le Meridien, Koloa Landing, XR Quadrant I - III

2005

Paul Ritchie Ryan Ritchie Jayson Newitt

PEG Companies 145 W. 200 N., Ste. 100 Provo, UT 84601

801-655-1998 pegcompanies.com

1.32M*

Freedom Commons (Provo, UT), Seven O2 Main Apartments (SLC, UT), Paperbox Lofts (SLC, UT), Courtyard by Marriott (Nanaimo, BC, Canada), The Revival Multifamily (SLC, UT), Moxy Phoenix Downtown, Springhill Suites (Scotsdale, AZ)

2003

Brigg Bunker CEO (Interim) Rachel Asbury, COO

Hamilton Partners 111 E. Broadway, Ste. 111 SLC, UT 84111

801-746-2888 hamiltonpartners.com

1.24M*

Seven Skies Apartments, Lake Park Industrial, Inland Logistics, I-215 Logistics, Cinq & Luma Apartments

1987

Bruce Bingham Managing Partner

ICO Development 3401 N. Center St., Ste. 300 Lehi, UT 84043

801-407-6850 icocompanies.com/ development

607,000

Multi Family: Devon II, Royce on 9th II, ICO Holbrook; Commercial: Mountain Point Business Center

2008

Jim Seaberg Chair, CEO

Roderick Enterprises 1918 E. Murray Holladay Road, Ste. 100 Murray, UT 84117

801-506-5005 roderickrealty.com

360,000

Catalyst Building #4 , Idaho Falls #1 & #2, North Logan BTS, Caldwell BTS, Nephi BTS, Holladay HQ

1967

Michael Roderick President

Cowboy Partners 6440 E. Wasatch Blvd., Ste. 100 SLC, UT 84121

801-424-4400 cowboyproperties.com

Liberty Duet Apartments, Liberty Sky Apartments, Utah Housing Corporation

2001

Daniel Lofgren, CEO

Gardner Co. 201 S. Main St., Ste. 2000 SLC, UT 84111

801-456-4140 gardnercompany.net

Tesla, Adobe Campus, Plurasight, Overstock, Sugarhouse Commons, Mountain America Credit Union Headquarters

1980

Christian Gardner, CEO

Garn Development 748 W. Heritage Park Blvd. Layton, UT 84041

801-776-0232 garndev.com

Nu Skin Enterprises, KSG Distributing, Lehi Tech Apartments

2017

Kevin Garn Michael Christensen Partners

STACK Real Estate 4101 N. Thanksgiving Way, Ste. 300 Lehi, UT 84043

801-768-0500 stackwithus.com

North Slope, Thanksgiving Poimt, Sandy Towers, SoJo Station, Younique Headquarters

2009

Andrew Bybee, CEO

Wasatch Commercial Builders 1820 Printers Row West Valley City, UT 84119

801-961-1002 wasatchcb.com

Milagro Apartments, Springhill Suites, RSL Training Academy, Conservice

2021

Scott Overman President & CEO

Salt Development 155 N. 400 W., Ste. 222 SLC, UT 84103

801-947-4900 saltdev.com

4th West Apartments, Hardware West and East, Salt Lake Crossing

2015

Thomas Vegh, CEO Brian Hobbs, President

Thrive Development 7585 Union Park Ave., Ste. 200 Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121

801-948-8800 thrivecorp.com

Highpoint, The Citizen Apartments, Saratoga Health Center 1 & 2

2015

Steve Broadbent Chas Johnson Partners

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

Construction Focus • July 2026 | 23

Commercial real estate financing that works for you.

GET THE JOB DONE

Loans available for: l Commercial l Industrial l Multifamily l New construction

Get started at macu.com/commercial Insured by NCUA Loans on approved credit. Membership required—based on eligibility.

24 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL SALT LAKE

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS No. of Utah Employees

Experience Modiﬁcation Rate

Bonding Capacity

Utah Gross Revenue 2025

Phone Web

Total Gross Revenue 2025

Company Name Address

Services Offered

Year Established

BUSINESS JOURNAL

Ranked by Total Gross Revenue 2025

President CEO

Commercial, missioncritical, industrial and utility electrical construction; power transmission and substations; 1,774 communications, security and technology infrastructure; prefabrication; automation; and specialty electrical services.

1915

Jim Laub CEO

Cache Valley Electric Co. 875 N. 1000 W. Logan, UT 84321

435-752-6405 cve.com

$1.26B

$812M

$1.5B+

0.72

Helix Electric of Utah 9130 Sandy Pkwy., Ste. B Sandy, UT 84070

801-280-2228 helix electric.com

$400M

$58M

$650M

270

Preconstruction, construction, BIM/engineering, prefabrication

1985

Victor Fuchs CEO

Wilson Electric Services Corp. 905 N. Main St., #C-3 North Salt Lake, UT 84054

801-908-6660 wilson electric.net

$301M

$6.4M

$300M

0.45

Electrical, commercial and industrial, service & maintenance

1968

Wes McClure CEO

GSL Electric 8540 S. Sandy Parkway Sandy, UT 84070

801-565-0088 gslelectric.com

$148.4M $73.2M

$150M aggregate $50M single

0.95

163

Engineering, construction, low-volatage, service

1981

Lance Capell CEO

Taylor Electric Inc. 2650 S. 1030 W. SLC, UT 84119

801-413-1300 taylorelectric.com

$81.2M

$150M

0.67

280

All needs for commercial & industrial construction

1975

Ryan J. Taylor President

Rydalch Electric Inc.—a

801-265-1813 commonwealth electric.com/ rydalchelectric

$45M

$120M aggregate $65M single

0.54

140

Electrical design & construction

1994

Mark Rydalch President

Commonwealth Company

250 W. Plymouth Ave. SLC, UT 84115

Olson Electric Company, LLC 1095 S. 800 E. Orem, UT 84097

801-382-9568 olson electrics.com

$14.5M

$5.5M

0.80

Industrial, mining, instrumental, commercial, utility solar

2020

Jared Olson President

Central Electric Co. Inc. 5330 S. Riley Lane Murray, UT 84107

801-467-5479 centralelectric.com

$5.23M* $5.23M*

0.66

Commercial, industrial, residential service

2010

Peter L. Robbins President

Eagle Electric Inc. 7000 S. Commerce Park Dr. Midvale, UT 84047

801-255-8089 eagle-electricinc.com

$2.4M*

$5M*

0.88

New and remodel commercial electrical

1987

Trent Lovendahl President

1986

Troy Gregory President & CEO

Hunt Electric Inc. 1863 W. Alexander St. SLC, UT 84119

Crux Solutions 2364 B Ave. Ogden, UT 84401

Salmon Electric 1778 W. 1180 S. Woods Cross, UT 84087

801-975-8844 huntelectric.com

385-289-8195 cruxsolutions utah.com 801-292-3444 salmon electric.com

$2.4M*

$500M

0.80

780+

Commercial, industrial, missioncritical, Healthcare & hospitality electrical construction, power transmission, distribution & substations, electrical systems manufacturing, technology infrastructure, EV, controls & automation systems

Commercial, industrial, residential electrical service

2003

David Williams Owner & CEO

$16M

250+

Commercial, industrial, residential electrical service

1992

Chad Salmon Owner

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

Construction Focus • July 2026 | 25

26 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL SALT LAKE

ENGINEERING FIRMS

Company Name Address

Phone Web

No. of Utah Licensed Engineers

No. of Graduate Engineers

Utah Gross Revenue 2025

No. of Utah Employees

Year Established

BUSINESS JOURNAL

Ranked by Number of Licensed Engineers

LYNK Engineers 324 S. State St., Ste. 400 SLC, UT 84111

800-678-7077 lynkengineers. com

$63.7M

245

Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, ﬁre protection & specialty systems design

1982

Chris Kobayashi CEO

Resolut 181 E. 5600 S., Ste. 200 Murray, UT 84107

801-530-3148 resolutgroup. com

134

$42.5M

205

Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, & ﬁre protection engineering, building systems commissioning, controls

1972

Jeffrey Watkins CEO

Ensign Engineering & Land Surveying 45 W. Sego Lily Dr., Ste. 500 Sandy, UT 84070

801-255-0529 ensignutah.com

$30M

165

Civil, structural, surveying, municipal services and aerial technology

1987

Jared Ford President

BHB Consulting Engineers PC 2766 S. Main St. SLC, UT 84115

801-355-5656 bhbstructural. com

Structural design, seismic analysis, seismic evaluations, structural peer reviews, feasibility studies, exterior cladding design, sustainable design, structural drafting, BIM modeling

2002

Chris Hofheins Senior Principal

Carollo Engineers 7090 S. Union Park Ave. Ste. 600 Midvale, UT 84047

801-233-2500 carollo.com

Civil and environmental engineering

1933

Alan Domonoske VP

Reaveley Engineers 515 E. 200 S., Ste. 1200 SLC, UT 84102

801-486-3883 reaveley.com

$11.4M

Client-driven structural engineering solutions

1972

Dorian Adams Senior Principal & President

ARW Engineers 1594 W. Park Cr. Ogden, UT 84404

801-782-6008 arwengineers. com

Structural consulting

1969

Justin Naser President

Dunn Associates Inc. 380 W. 800 S., Ste. 100 SLC, UT 84101

801-575-8877 dunn-se.com

Consulting structural engineers

1995

Tait A. Ketcham President, Principal

McNeil Engineering 8610 Sandy Pkwy., Ste. 200 Sandy, UT 84070

801-255-7700 mcneil engineering.com

$11M

Civil engineering, structural engineering, laser scanning, land surveying, landscape architecture, rooﬁng & paving consulting

1983

Mike Hoffman President

Calder Richards Consulting Structural Engineers 1805 S. Redwood Rd., Ste.102 SLC, UT 84104

801-466-1699 crceng.com

Consulting structural engineering services

2005

Shaun Packer Managing Partner

801-943-5555 pseutah.com

$9.5M*

Design and construction engineering (mechanical, electrical, structural, controls, civil), project management

1991

Brent Maxwell President

1997

Nichole L. Luthi, VP Michael Nadeau President Tyler Baron, VP

Precision Systems Engineering Inc.

10 9805 S. 500 W.

Sandy, UT 84070

Services Offered

Owner/Top Executive

Meridian Engineering Inc. 1628 W. 11010 S., Ste. 102 South Jordan, UT 84095

801-569-1315 meiamerica.com

$7.2M*

Civil design & engineering, aerial (UAV), land survey, LiDAR survey, construction staking & layout, rightof-way design and acquisition, transportation engineering

Reeve & Associates

801-621-3100 reeve-assoc. com

Civil, structural, trafﬁc, land planning, survey, construction management, landscape architecture

1945

Nate Reeve Owner & Principal Engineer

801-746-0456 aeurbia.com

$23.9M

Architectural design, structural engineering, interior design

1992

James M. Williams President

801-713-3000 dominioneng.net

$3M*

Civil engineering, survey, land planning, landscape architecture

1994

Corbin Bennion; Farley Eskelson

801-399-5821 clhae.com

$3.9M*

Professional architecture, mechanical & electrical engineering

1963

Steve Peterson Principal Architect & President

12 5160 S. 1500 W.

Riverdale, UT 84405 AE Urbia

13 909 S. Jordan Pkwy.

South Jordan, UT 84095 Dominion Engineering Associates LLC

14 5684 S. Green St. Murray, UT 84123

CLH—Case Lowe & Hart Inc.

17 2484 Washington Blvd., Ste. 510 Ogden, UT 84401

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

Construction Focus • July 2026 | 27

28 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

(Adobe Stock)

Housing Demand Drives Utah Apartment Permits to Third-Highest Year Ever The number of apartment building permits issued in Utah in 2025 rose to 9,683 units, more than double the number issued in 2024 and the third-highest total on record, according to a new report commissioned by the Rental Housing Association of Utah (RHA Utah). “The state’s high housing prices have boosted demand for rental housing over the past decade, supporting the apartment boom, and will continue to positively impact future demand,” said Paul Smith, executive director of RHA Utah. “Because apartment construction and lease-up typically take more than three years, the 9,683 units receiving building permits in 2025 are expected to reach the rental market in 2028 and 2029.” Weak economic conditions in 2024 led to substantially fewer new apartment communities, with the number of permits authorized for new units falling to the lowest level in nine years. However, permit activity rebounded in 2025, exceeded only by 2021 and 2022. Strong housing demand, including demand for rental units, is supported by Utah’s relatively large population

of young adults. One in three renter householders in Utah is between 25 and 34 years old, and this age group represents a significant share of the state’s population. In 2023, 14.8 percent of Utah residents were ages 25 to 34, ranking fourth-highest among all states. Apartment demand is expected to continue rising as housing prices remain elevated, the association said. The median sales price of a single-family home in Utah in 2025 was $564,000, while the median sales price of a condominium or townhome was $430,000. Young households typically purchase homes priced below the median. At 2025 housing prices, only one in six renters (16 percent) could afford a single-family home priced at 80 percent of the median price, and only one in four renters (25 percent) could afford a condominium or townhome priced at 80 percent of the median price, the report authors said. The Rental Housing Association of Utah is a nonprofit trade association designed to “protect, educate, connect and grow” the rental industry in the state of Utah. RHA represents roughly 3,500 rental operators and more than 160,000 units. ■

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

Construction Focus • July 2026 | 29

Education and Encouragement Form Utah’s NAWIC Mission The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) was founded in 1953 by 16 women working in the construction industry. The founders organized NAWIC to create a support network for women working in a male-dominated field. Today, NAWIC has over 115 chapters, including the Salt Lake City chapter, that provide its members with opportunities for professional development, education, networking, leadership training, public service and more. NAWIC continues the vision of its founding members by advocating for the value and impact of women builders, professionals and tradeswomen in all aspects of the construction industry. For youth, two programs for K-12 outreach to young people. The Block Kids Building Program is a building competition for children in kindergarten through sixth grade to introduce them to construction careers. Participants are asked to create something related to construction out of Building Blocks and other approved materials. Gift cards are awarded to students who place first, second and third. The Design Drafting Competition is a contest designed for senior high school and college-level students. The contest provides recognition to students for creative design, successful problem-solving and craftsmanship in preparing architectural drawings. Cash prizes are awarded to the top three winners. Diversity, equity and inclusion are important parts of Utah’s NAWIC association, so it has a DEI committee to create, support and sustain an inclusive culture. The committee helps promote national events, such as the 71st annual NAWIC Conference set for Aug. 13 in Reno, Nevada.

It is also working on Construction Inclusion Week, which will be held in October. The Professional Development and Education Committee provides resources for sharing educational programs and related projects to educate members about different areas of the construction industry. It also works with emerging professionals to help the chapter attract, retain and bring value to the women new to the association and the construction industry. The NAWIC Founders’ Scholarship Foundation (NFSF) assists in providing the construction industry with trained employees through higher education. The construction industry encompasses almost every professional discipline, including trades, project management, administrative, legal, financial, insurance and business owner. Award amounts range from $500 to $2,500. The PD&E committee is involved in: Educating schools, members and the general community on scholarship opportunities. Working with the board on involvement and donation to the scholarship fund. The goal is to provide two scholarships a year. One will be covered by sponsorship, the other from chapter funds. NEF certifications NEF provides education courses and certification to educate members and the community on NEF training materials, resources and certifications. PD&E looks at the chapter purchasing construction dictionaries and/or tests as an incentive for awards, ways and means or raffle items. There are currently over 6,000 members of the NAWIC across the country. ■

30 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

Wheeler Machinery Co. 4901 W. 2100 S. SLC, UT 84120

801-436-3672 wheeler cat.com 801-972-4000 arnold machinery cme.com

375

Total Gross Revenue 2025

Phone Web

Utah Gross Revenue 2025

Company Name Address

Number of Utah Employees

Ranked by Number of Utah Employees

Services Offered Sales, rentals, parts, repair & maintenance services, technology solutions

SALT LAKE

BUSINESS JOURNAL

Equipment Offered

Area Serviced

Cat machines & generators, Utah & parts of compaction equipment, Nevada aerial lifts, trailers, light & Wyoming construction equipment

Year Established

HEAVY EQUIPMENT COMPANIES

1951

Local Executive Bryan Campbell President

New and used Volvo wheel loaders, Utah, Eastern construction equipment, crawler and zero-tail-swing Oregon, construction equipment excavators, articulated Southern Idaho, 1929 rentals, construction haulers, Sandvik drills, Nevada equipment repair, K-Tec pull scrapers. and Arizona maintenance and parts

Jared Johnson Branch Manager

Chris Opie Branch Manager

Ryan May President

Arnold Machinery Company 2975 W. 2100 S. SLC, UT 84119

Herc Rentals 5052 W. 2400 S. Bldg. A SLC, UT 84120

801-981-9454 herc rentals.com

105

$4.4B

Rentals, sales, parts, service, training

Northern and Lifts, earthmoving equipment, Central Utah, loaders, excavators, forklifts, Southern Idaho, telehandlers, dump trucks, Southwestern 1961 compactors, generators, Wyoming, pumps, trenchers, welders, Northern water trucks, and more. Nevada

Century Equipment Co. Inc. 4343 Century Drive SLC, UT 84123

801-262-5761 centuryeq.com

Rentals, parts, service

CASE: backhoes, skid Utah, Colorado, steers, excavators, dozers, Wyoming, 1969 mini excavators, motor New Mexico, graders Tennessee

ICM Solutions LLC 4055 S. 500 W. Murray, UT 84123

800-779-4450 icm solutions.com

Products, parts & service, site design, rentals

Crushers, screens, stackers, conveyors

2020

Scott Gardner President

RDO Equipment 612 Conﬂuence Ave. Murray, UT 84123

801-262-0066 rdoequipment. com

Equipment, rentals, John Deere construction & Utah & Rocky 1963 sales & service, parts, compact equipment, Wirtgen Mountain region shop & ﬁeld service road-building equipment

Tim Stokes General Manager

Rasmussen Equipment Co. 3333 W. 2100 S. SLC, UT 84119

801-978-2830 raseq.com

46*

Equipment sales, rental, service, parts & supplies

Heavy construction equipment, small construction equipment, wire rope & chain

Intermountain West

1947

Randy Gallegos President

Bonneville Equipment Co. 9330 S. 300 W. Sandy, UT 84070

801-566-8891 bec1.com

Kubota sales, service, parts & rentals

Full line elite Kubota dealer

Utah

1995

Scott Pruyt General Manager

Howe Rental and Sales 4235 S. 500 W. SLC, UT 84123

801-463-7997 howe rentals.com

$9M

Intermountain area

1953

Rafael Garzarelli CEO

Herc Rentals (Southern Utah) 10 4319 S. River Rd. St. George, UT 84790

435-674-2994 HE-equipment. com

Rentals, sales, parts, service, training

Aerial lifts, earth-moving equipment, dump trucks, loaders, excavators, forklifts, Southern Utah tele-handlers, generators, pumps, trenchers, welders, water trucks, and more.

1961

Mark Bond District Sales Manager

Mammoth Machinery 11 205 S. 1200 W. North Salt Lake, UT 84054

801-295-3302 mammoth machinery.com

Rentals, sales, service & repairs

Dozers, graders, excavators, scrapers, loaders, articulated trucks, compactors, rollers, and air compressors.

Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada

2010

Ken Allen Owner

877-881-2718 peakjcb.com

JCB heavy equipment sales, service & rentals

JCB compact, mid-range, heavy equipment

Utah & Idaho

2015

Rod Miller General Manager

Northern and Aerial lifts, earth-moving Central Utah, equipment, dump trucks, Southern Idaho, loaders, excavators, forklifts, Southwest 1961 tele-handlers, generators, Wyoming, pumps, trenchers, welders, Northern water trucks, and more. Nevada

Mark Bond District Sales Manager

Peak JCB 4527 W. 2100 S.

12 West Valley City, UT 84120

Herc Rentals (Northern Utah) 13 1723 W. 1350 S. Ogden, UT 84401

385-405-7200 HE-equipment. com

193

23*

17*

$4.4B

Rental and sales of Construction equipment, construction equipment high reach, dirt, generators & supplies

Rentals, sales, parts, service, training

Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California, Idaho

NEED EQUIPMENT? ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Forklifts Aerial equipment Generators Mini excavators Welders Compressors Compaction equipment Skid loaders Backhoes Dump trailers

Large Selection TOOLS – EQUIPMENT SUPPLIES – SERVICE

24 HR EMERGENCY SERVICE

(801) 463-7997

4235 South 500 West Salt Lake City, UT 84123 www.howerentals.com Locally Veteran owned and operated since 1953

32 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

LANDSCAPE & IRRIGATION CONTRACTORS

Phone Web

Bonding Capacity

Heavy Equipment Fleet Size

Sinc Constructors Co. 1299 W. 75 N. Centerville, UT 84014

801-898-4448 sincconstructors.com

125

$40M*

$3M

West Quarter, Astra Tower, SLCC Juniper Campus

2011

Mike Sowby CEO

MD Property Services 947 S. 500 E., Ste. 100 American Fork, UT 84003

801-763-0272 mdpropertyinc.com

$1M-$5M

$3M

Edge Homes, Key Bank, Petterson Construction

1991

Michael Gray CEO

TerraWorks Inc. 609 S. 4050 W. SLC, UT 84104

801-693-1308 terraworks landscapingutah. com

$1M-$5M

$3M

SLC Hotel, Layton Court remodel, Merit Medical xeriscaping

2001

Paul Sannar Founder

Great Western Landscape 3706 W. 500 S. SLC, UT 84104

801-978-2226 greatwestern landscape.com

Orem UT LDS Temple, 650 Main Street, SLC, Glacier Hills School

1997

Brandan Worthen President & Operations Manager

Stratton Landscape Group 754 W. 700 S. Pleasant Grove, UT 84062

1967

Zack Stratton CEO

Kendall Lawnscapes 2550 N. Fort Ln., Unit 1 Layton, UT 84041

Star Landscape 935 N. Main St. North Salt Lake, UT 84054

RBI Inc. 12712 S. 125 E. Draper, UT 84020

Waterscape Landscaping 5909 S. Stratler St. Murray, UT 84107

Upcoming Notable Projects

Year Established

Company Name Address

Value of Current Landscape Construction

BUSINESS JOURNAL

Number of Utah Full-Time Employees

Ranked by Number of Full-time Utah Employees

SALT LAKE

Top Local Executive

LDS Church History Building, Sorenson Molecular Biology Building, Mountain Point Medical Center, Brigham Young Park

<$1M

Gentile Station Development

2013

Kyler Kendall Owner

801-294-7227 starlandscape.com

15-20

1980

Tommy Carter Alan Noall Jason Noall Co-Owners

801-553-0500 N/A

$1M-$5M

$6M

Midvalley BRT, Arrowhead Sports Park (Salem, UT)

2004

Robin Ralphs President

Stout Ofﬁce Building, Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District Building, Petersen Farms Asissted Living, Covington Senior Living

2019

Tad Hansen Landscape Architect

801-785-8011 strattonandbratt.com

801-458-8989 kendalllawnscapes. com

801-298-0369 waterscape landscaping.com

Elevating the Industry SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

Construction Focus • July 2026 | 33

through landscaping—

in the sky

and on the ground.

Inspiring

• Building

• Creating

(801) 898-4448

34 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL SALT LAKE

PROJECT MANAGEMENT FIRMS

Project Control, Inc. 445 N. 2000 W., Ste. 7 Springville, UT 84663

JLL 111 S. Main St., Ste. 300 SLC, UT 84111

Construction Management Consultants 406 W. South Jordan Pkwy. Ste. 440 South Jordan, UT 84095

Construction Control Corp. 307 W. 200 S., Ste. 4006 SLC, UT 84101

801-262-9315 pci1980.com

801-456-9510 jll.com/en-us/ locations/saltlake-city

801-201-0119 cmcUT.com

801-578-1201 cccutah.com

27*

$5.1M*

$5.7M*

Number of Utah Employees

Total Gross Revenue 2025

Utah Gross Revenue 2025

No. of Certiﬁed UT Construction Managers

Phone Web

No. of Utah Projects 2025

Company Name Address

Services Offered

Year Established

BUSINESS JOURNAL

Ranked by Number of Utah Projects 2025

Top Local Executive

Project Control specializes in managing total project development for construction projects, with three primary goals: time, cost, and quality controls

1980

Ryan Johnson Owner

Development management, design and construction management, capital and cost management, multimarket delivery, relocation management, consulting & feasibility

2007

Wick Udy Vice Chairman

Project, program, design, development, relocation & construction management, owner's rep., estimating, scheduling, cost segregation & feasibility studies, bank inspections, FF&E procurement, entitlements, pre-construction, risk management, cost control

2004

Jeff Davis President

Construction management & owner's representative services, cost consulting & estimating, scheduling, value engineering, cost segregation studies, construction cost auditing, program management, preconstruction services

1984

Kris Larson President & CEO

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

Construction Focus • July 2026 | 35

“YOU BUILD YOUR BUSINESS … WE’LL BUILD YOUR BUILDING.”

Owners or tenants who engage the services of Construction Management Consultants (CMC) will spend their time building their business while putting the day-to-day details of managing the design and construction into the hands of experienced professionals. We specialize in providing owner’s rep services for all types of Commercial projects, including ground-up, tenant improvements, and remodels. Our services include: City approvals and permits Bidding and contracts Site selection Pre-construction Construction administration Relocation and start-up Cost segregation studies FF&E design and procurement

801-709-1990 406 W. SOUTH JORDAN PARKWAY, SUITE 440 SOUTH JORDAN, UT 84095 WWW.CMCUT.COM

36 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL SALT LAKE

ROCK, CONCRETE, ASPHALT, SAND & GRAVEL

Company Name Address

Phone Web

Clyde Companies 730 N. 1500 W. Orem, UT 84057

801-802-6900 clydeinc.com

6,000+

311

479

102

$1.6B

Staker Parson Materials & Construction 2350 S. 1900 W. Ogden, UT 84401

801-731-1111 stakerparson. com

2,268

218

679

220

Sinc Constructors Co. 1299 W. 75 N. Centerville, UT 84014

801-898-4448 sinc constructors. com

100

Total Gross Revenue 2025

Utah Gross Revenue 2025

Number of Belly-Dump Trucks

Number of Concrete Mixers

Number of Dump Trucks

No. of Utah Employees

Ranked by Number of Utah Employees

Types of Products & Services

Year Established

BUSINESS JOURNAL Owner/Top Ofﬁcial

$2.4B

Earthwork, aggregates, asphalt, concrete, paving & preservation

1926

Jeremy Hafen President

Sand, gravel, concrete, asphalt, paving services

1952

Scott Parson CEO

$5.6M

Bulk materials; topsoil and engineered soil

2011

Mike Sowby CEO

1948

Dan Thomas President

1980

Scott Hughes CEO

American Stone 4040 S. 300 W. Murray, UT 84107

801-262-4300 american-stone. com

Landscape rock, thin stone veneer, full bedstone. Manufactured stone, porcelain pavers, water feature supplies

Lakeview Rock Products Inc. 900 N. Redwood Rd. North Salt Lake, UT 84054

801-292-7161 lakeviewrock. com

$29M

Sand, gravel, hot-mix asphalt

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

Construction Focus • July 2026 | 37

Construction Materials Market to Hit $1.7 Trillion by 2032 Growing urbanization and a desire for environmentally friendly construction materials and sustainable building practices are factors expected to drive demand for construction materials in the next few years. A report by Allied Market Research, a market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP of Wilmington, Delaware, indicates that the global construction materials market is expected to reach $1.7 trillion by 2032, far above the $1.2 trillion level of 2022. The market is predicted to increase at a 3.8 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during that time, with the key driver being strong infrastructure investment by both governments and private players. From a region standpoint, Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate global revenue, already at nearly 50 percent in 2022 and a regional CAGR of 4 percent. North America also is expected to account for much of the regional usage. The construction materials market in the U.S. was valued at $145 billion in 2024 and is estimated to reach $196.1 billion by 2032, expanding at a CAGR of 4 percent from 2023 to 2032. Helping boost the North American figure is the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for transportation, energy and water infrastructure projects planned over several years, the report says. Growing demand for green, LEED-compliant materials and intelligent building solutions is raising the quality threshold across both residential and commercial sectors. The U.S. activity is led by the southern part of the nation, which accounts for 40 percent of the North American share amid population in-migration and year-round construction conditions. Among forces at work globally are demographic trends associated with rapid urbanization of countries, population expansion in many developing markets, government initiatives to modernize infrastructure around the world, and growing demand for sustainable energy-efficient construction. “Although growth is solid, the market does have some meaningful headwinds to address,” AMR said. “Cost inflation of raw materials — especially steel, cement and

timber — has continued to squeeze project margins. To add to an already tense situation, the Russia-Ukraine war exacerbated global supply chains, causing key raw materials becoming limited on export as well as regional pricing across Europe skyrocketing. And on the equipment side of things, a growing demand for sustainable LEED-certified materials and green concrete is providing plenty of growth opportunities to adventurous players in [the] space with respect to recycled aggregates.” Among other elements of the report: • Aggregates — consisting of sand, gravel and crushed stone — in 2022 held the largest share in terms of revenue with nearly two-fifths market share of global construction materials sales. Cement is the fastest-growing material segment, attributed to heavy investments in infrastructure and housing programs across developing nations. • In 2022, approximately 49 percent of the global construction materials consumption was from market revenue from residential segments, aided by steady housing demand, initiatives by government on affordable houses, and developments in smart homes along with green construction. • The commercial segment — consisting of office complexes, retail spaces, data centers and hospitality assets — is expected to be the fastest-growing, with a CAGR of 4.1 percent due to corporate expansion activity coupled with continuous need for large facilities that can accommodate AI-ready data center infrastructure. • Global AI in construction market is predicted to grow from $6 billion this year, at a CAGR of 24.8 percent until reaching $35.5 billion by 2034, according to a report conducted by research firm Genius. • Among new technology uses are design optimization, self-healing and “smart” concrete, thermochromic glass, a 3D printing shift from pilot to commercial scalability, building information modeling, AI-powered project management, real-time digital twins of construction sites, use of autonomous robots for construction, and aerial mapping with drones. n

38 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL SALT LAKE

STRUCTURAL STEEL FIRMS

Notable Projects

SME Steel Contractors Inc. 5801 W. Wells Park Rd. West Jordan, UT 84081

801-280-0711 smesteel.com

$63.7M

$557.9M

SL Bees Baseball Stadium, Delta Center NHL Renovations, American Airlines LAX T4&5 Modernization Program, Salt Lake City International Airport—Terminal Redevelopment Program

JT Steel 9550 S. Hawley Park Rd. West Jordan, UT 84081

801-280-3520 jtsteel.com

$40M

1992

Landon Moyes President & CEO

Black Desert Resort, Grand Hyatt at Deer Valley

Structural & miscellaneous steel fabrication

1983

Jerry Taylor, CEO Rick Papworth General Manager

Heavy & complex industrial fabrications

1976

Jim Merrill President

Industrial & commercial fabrication

1995

Jeff Wright Owner

Heavy industrial steel fabrication, ASME tanks, API tanks, exhaust stacks, alloy steel fabrication, industrial coatings

1969

Mike Housley President

1961

Jesse Harmon Operations Manager

Structural Steel & Plate Fabrication 125 W. 500 N. North Salt Lake, UT 84054

801-292-8484 ssandpf.com

$30M

Blue Star Steel 3692 W. 500 S. SLC, UT 84104

801-908-8302 bluestar steel.com

$12M

Pabco Gypsum (CA), Big West Oil (UT), NV Gold Turquoise Ridge (NV)

$20M*

(2) Power plant heat exhaust stacks (Texas), manufacturing facility (Mesquite); (2) power plant heat exhaust stacks (California); duct/chutes fabrication & replacement (Nevada); wildlife observatory (Hawaii)

Petersen Inc. 1527 N. 2000 W. Ogden, UT 84404

435-673-4856 stgeorge steel.com

801-732-2000 petersen inc.com

Tech-Steel Inc. Building D2, Freeport Center Clearﬁeld, UT 84016

801-328-2543 tech-steel.com

Steel Encounters 525 E. 300 S. SLC, UT 84102

801-478-8100 steel encounters. com

$5M*

Owner/ Top Executive

564

St. George Steel, LLC. 1301 E. 700 N. St. George Utah 84780

Services Offered

Structural steel fabrication and erection, full division 5

Bulk handling plant for Morton Salt, rock fall protection shield at Kennecott, SO2 drying tower for Newmont, thiocon reactor platform at Chevron reﬁnery

No. of Utah Employees

Phone Web

Total Gross Sales 2025

Company Name Address

Utah Gross Sales 2025

Ranked by Utah Gross Sales 2025

Year Established

BUSINESS JOURNAL

$123M*

Nuclear gloveboxes and containers, mining equipment, aerospace and defense products

475*

Manufacturing, fabrication, precision machining, piping, ﬁeld services, design engineering, warehousing/ distribution

Orem, Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; Fairbourne Station ofﬁce tower, West Valley City, Utah

68*

Steel fabrication, joist & deck supply, coatings

1964

Steve Rowley Joist & Deck Division Manager

Astra Tower, Hyatt Regency, Utah State Capitol Building, Adobe Utah Campus, Daybreak Field, Asher Adams Hotel, City Creek Retail Center

199

Glazing & cladding systems, steel joist and metal deck, facades

1985

Brad Hardy President, COO

Construction Focus • July 2026 | 39

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

Designing for a Cause By Rebecca Olds | The City Journals Towering monuments, patriotic symbols and creative feats of engineering may look like public art, but the eight sculptures featured in this year’s CANstruction Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County competition are built entirely from canned food destined for Utah families in need. CANstruction is an international design-build event that challenges architects, engineers, contractors and other industry professionals to create large-scale sculptures from canned food, which is later donated to local food banks. All cans of food that make up the words of art will be donated to the Utah Food Bank to help local families in the state. The goal is to raise $25,000 worth of cans donated. In recognition of America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, participating teams incorporated patriotic imagery and Americana-inspired designs into their structures. Teams included members from Architectural Nexus, BHB Structural, Calder Richards Structural Engineers, Demand More Supply, Dunn Associates, Inc., GSBS Architects, HOK, Incline Architects, KPFF, Layton Construction, MHTN Architects, Mortenson, Okland Construction, Rand Construction, Reaveley Engineers, Resolut, Roppe, Silverleaf Partners, Stantec, TSA Architects, Trim Art, Wallboard Specialties, Wasatch Advocates for Livable Communities and Workspace Elements. Sculptures can be found across Salt Lake County at county facilities. Community members can help determine this year’s winners by voting for their favorite sculptures through August. Awards will be presented in categories including Best Original Design, Best Meal, Structural Ingenuity, Best Use of Labels and Most Cans. Utah Chapter of the American Institute of Architects aiautah.org ■

“Fueling the Future: 250 Years of American Can-Do” made by a team including Layton Construction, Dunn Associates, Inc. and Architectural Nexus. The sculpture is made up of 5,900 cans. (Courtesy Dunn Associates, Inc.)

Participants: Architectural Nexus, BHB Structural, Calder Richards Structural Engineers, Demand More Supply, Dunn Associates, Inc., GSBS Architects, HOK, Incline Architects, KPFF, Layton Construction, MHTN Architects, Mortenson, Okland Construction, Rand Construction, Reaveley Engineers, Resolut, Roppe, Silverleaf Partners, Stantec, TSA Architects, Trim Art, Wallboard Specialties, Wasatch Advocates for Livable Communities and Workspace Elements.

40 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

The Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, located at the University of Utah, was completed in early 2026 by Jacobsen Construction and Steel Encounters. (Courtesy of Steel Encounters)

Building the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine

The University of Utah’s new Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, completed in early 2026, adds more than 211,000 square feet of academic and research space to the U of U Health campus, but delivering the $185 million facility required years of planning, utility relocation and complex site engineering. The eight-story facility includes classrooms, laboratories, simulation centers and collaborative learning spaces designed to expand medical education capacity and support up to 500 medical students. “This innovative new building will be the cornerstone of our U of U Health campus, embodying the extraordinary and generous legacy of the Eccles family and their foundations, a legacy that has enriched the University of Utah for over 70 years,” said Taylor Randall, president of the University of Utah. “The Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine will propel the U forward, as a world-class integrated academic medical institution.” Construction began in October 2022 and concluded in early 2026 following a complex, multi-year effort involving Jacobsen Construction and 78 subcontractors. Several unique construction challenges were presented throughout the course of construction. For example, project

teams spent nearly a year relocating and rerouting utilities serving the surrounding hospital campus, requiring careful coordination to avoid disrupting ongoing healthcare operations. The building is part of the University’s goal for carbon neutrality by 2050 and is built according to “rigorous sustainability standards,” like energy efficiency, preservation of water resources and air quality, use of sustainable materials, drought-resistant landscaping and more. The site itself added another layer of complexity. Built on a 40-foot slope, the facility required creative engineering and architectural solutions to integrate the structure into the existing terrain while maintaining connectivity with neighboring medical facilities. Those conditions demanded close coordination among dozens of trade partners throughout the project. On large healthcare and institutional developments, contractors are often required to adapt as unforeseen challenges emerge and schedules evolve. Several trade partners assumed responsibilities beyond their original scope to help maintain project momentum. Steel Encounters, for example, was originally contracted to install architectural metal panels, but also ended up completing portions of the glazing installation during construction. ■

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

Construction Focus • July 2026 | 41

BUILDING SUCCESSFUL PARTNERS & EMPLOYEE-OWNERS S I N C E 1 9 8 5

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42 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

Utah’s Residence Lien Recovery Fund What Happens if the Fund Runs Out? By Jason Robinson | Shareholder at Babcock, Scott and Babcock PC A recent notice on Utah’s Residence Lien Recovery Fund page raises a serious issue for homeowners, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and construction lawyers alike: Available funds are “extremely limited or may be unavailable,” and it may be “highly unlikely” that resources will be available to satisfy new claims. That warning prompts an obvious question: What happens if the Residence Lien Recovery Fund effectively runs out of money? The answer may have significant consequences for the balance that Utah law tries to strike between protecting homeowners and preserving payment remedies for those who improve residential property. The role of the Residence Lien Recovery Fund Utah’s Residence Lien Recovery Fund was designed to function as part of the broader statutory framework governing residential construction disputes. In general terms, the fund has served as a mechanism intended to protect qualifying homeowners from the full impact of construction-related payment disputes, while also providing a source of recovery in certain circumstances involving unpaid claimants. In that sense, the fund has been part of the legislative compromise underlying Utah’s residential construction lien scheme. But that compromise becomes more difficult to evaluate if the fund remains authorized by statute while lacking the money necessary to pay claims. If the fund is empty, is the protection still real? That is the first major question. If a homeowner complies with the statutory requirements associated with the Residence Lien Recovery Fund, but the fund itself has no meaningful money available, can it still fairly be said that the homeowner has the protection that the statute was designed to provide? From a practical standpoint, an unfunded remedy may be no remedy at all. That does not necessarily mean the statute disappears. But it does raise the possibility that courts, litigants and policymakers may begin confronting the gap between the statutory structure on paper and the actual protection available in practice.

What about mechanic’s lien claimants? The second major question is just as important: If the fund is unavailable, what happens to lien claimants? Utah’s residential lien framework has historically involved a careful relationship between owner protections and claimant remedies. If one side of that framework becomes functionally unavailable because the fund is exhausted, lien claimants may argue that the legal and equitable balance has changed. That could lead to important litigation questions, including: • Whether homeowners should continue to receive the same level of statutory protection when the substitute fund remedy is unavailable. • Whether unpaid contractors, subcontractors or suppliers may press for broader mechanic’s lien recourse. • Whether courts will interpret the statutory scheme differently in light of an empty or depleted fund. • Whether the Legislature will need to revisit the structure altogether. A statutory remedy vs. a practical remedy This may ultimately become a distinction between a remedy that still exists in the statute and one that still exists in the real world. For years, parties in residential construction disputes may have assumed that the Residence Lien Recovery Fund remained a meaningful part of the legal landscape. If new claims can no longer realistically be paid, that assumption may no longer hold. And when a key part of a statutory framework becomes unavailable in practice, litigation often follows. Why this matters now For homeowners, the issue is obvious: They may assume there is a state-backed layer of protection that may no longer be reliably available. For contractors, subcontractors and suppliers, the issue is equally significant: If the fund is no longer functioning as intended, the practical importance of mechanic’s lien rights may increase. For attorneys and courts, this may become a developing area of statutory interpretation and policy tension.

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

Construction Focus • July 2026 | 43

Conclusion Utah’s Residence Lien Recovery Fund may be approaching a critical point. If the fund is no longer able to satisfy new claims, the question is no longer merely administrative. It becomes structural. Will homeowners still be protected in any meaningful sense? Will lien claimants face a remedy gap? Or will courts and the Legislature be forced to reexamine how Utah’s residential lien system is supposed to work when the fund is no longer funded? Those are no longer theoretical questions. They may be the next major questions in Utah construction law. n

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44 | July 2026 • Construction Focus

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

Earn-While-You-Learn

Apprenticeships and Employer Partnerships By Sherry Rauch | Director of Marketing and Communications Davis Technical College As Utah continues to grow, demand for skilled electricians and plumbers grows as well. From residential construction to large-scale commercial projects, these trades play a vital role in building and maintaining the state’s infrastructure. HOW APPRENTICESHIPS WORK Plumbing and electrical apprentices work full-time for an employer while attending evening classes, combining real-world experience with structured instruction. It’s not easy. To become a licensed journeyman in either plumbing or electrical, individuals must complete 8,000 hours of on-the-job training, along with 576 hours of classroom instruction for electricians and 720 hours for plumbers. This takes four years and prepares students for the state journeyman exams. On the job, entry-level plumbing apprentices begin with foundational tasks—such as cutting pipe and maintaining job-site cleanliness—while working alongside a journeyman, gradually taking on more responsibilities. In the classroom, they study plumbing systems, safety practices, and code. Craig Randall, Davis Technical College (Davis Tech) Plumbing Apprenticeship Lead, states, “This approach works extremely well, strengthening confidence as students earn income along the way rather than waiting until after graduation to be hired.” Similarly, an electrical apprentice directly assists a Journeyman Electrician during the day. In the evening classroom, they learn in depth about code, theory, and what they need to pass their journeyman exam. These apprentices typically earn between $16 and $22 per hour in their first year, with incremental increases as they develop new skills. After their program and passing the journeyman exam, they make approximately double that at $38-45 an hour. PARTNERSHIP BENEFITS For employers, apprenticeships provide a reliable talent pipeline. “We have great relationships with our employers,” says Randall. When they are in need of employees, they’ll call us to find students seeking employment, and if a student enters our program without a job, we can refer them to these companies. It’s a win-win.”

Also, employers contribute to curriculum development to ensure that training reflects real-world demands. This collaboration is guided through Occupational Advisory Committees (OACs), where industry leaders review curriculum at least once a year and provide direct input on skills, expectations, and emerging needs. Employers are not only looking for technical ability, but also strong professional habits. In a recent Davis Tech OAC meeting, there was a consensus that colleges should increase training on the importance of soft skills—things like professionalism, clear communication, and mastering basic competencies such as reading a tape measure and staying focused on the job without distractions, such as a phone. This advisement was noted and added to a few areas in the instructional materials. Across Utah, apprenticeship opportunities are expanding, and technical college construction programs continue to grow. Davis Tech trained 703 electricians and 324

Construction Focus • July 2026 | 45

SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL

plumbers last year—their enrollment is up 60% over the last five years. Continued expansion of programs like these is critical to addressing the state’s skilled labor shortage and building a sustainable workforce for the future. The “earn while you learn” model creates value across the board. Students gain meaningful employment and a clear career path, while employers invest in the next generation of skilled professionals. By aligning education with industry needs, Utah’s workforce is becoming stronger. “We work with some amazing employers throughout the state,” emphasized Shawn Swapp, Davis Tech Director of Construction programs. “Most of what an apprentice learns is on the job site. Davis Tech helps polish their education by adding a deeper understanding of plumbing and electrical codes, theory, and a variety of lab activities. These collaborations make such a huge difference for our students!” ■

Training on electrical board in the Electrician Apprenticeship lab Competition. (Photos courtesy of Davis Technical College)

CAREER READY

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Construction Focus | Salt Lake Business Journal | July 2026