Construction Services


Construction services are at the heart of what Whipple offers. We achieve quality assurance and cost control by continually monitoring the financial, scheduling and operational performance of the project. Our Construction Services tablet is composed of four unique components.

1 - Project Management: There are two distinct functions of project management: the tools used and the execution of the work.

1a - Resources: At Whipple we use a multitude of tools to execute your work in the most efficient and effective manner. These include:

  • Scheduling: We use the latest in scheduling software by Microsoft Project. These easily edited and interpreted schedules are updated regularly to reflect ongoing progress. We typically manage on the basis of a short-term, two-week look ahead schedule.
  • Accounting: We use Timberline accounting package to record and collate all costs related to the project. By using this state-of-the-art system, we can accurately identify costs and predict cash flows, so allowing you to make rational decisions.
  • Proprietary tools: Through our many years in business, we have developed a suite of internally generated proprietary systems for making our jobs run more efficiently, particularly since the advent of the electronic age. These streamlined tools we have developed include systems for Submittal logging, Requests for Information logging, Change Order Management and Project Cost Management.

1b - Tasks: In managing your project, there are three primary tasks which must be performed to serve you properly.

  • Safety Management. The only way to perform a successful project is to begin with a safety plan for the workers as well as the work site itself. Statistics tell us that construction workers are 30 percent more likely to have an accident than all workers in the private sector. We pride ourselves on our safe work sites and have been recognized for our exemplary record many times. Whipple provides a rigorous safety regime for its employees and we insist upon the same for our subcontractors. All of our foremen and superintendents have been through OSHA 10-hour or OSHA 30-hour safety training courses.

    Our favorable workers compensation modification factor for year ending 2004 is .81 as compared to the industry average of 1.0. Our time spent managing safety gives you, the client, lower hourly labor costs and the peace of mind that comes from knowing you have hired a thorough and judicious contractor.

  • Record Keeping. The fine art of documentation is critical to the construction process. By keeping accurate records, we create a history of the work that allows the parties to evaluate cost and schedule issues based on the earlier predictions and current status of the project. Whipple manages the documentation of projects through several methods:
    • Superintendents Daily Reports – Includes weather, job conditions and a brief summary of the overall project on a daily basis.
    • Subcontractor Daily Force Reports – These reports document personnel strength, materials received and work put in place.
    • Schedule – A master job schedule is maintained, and smaller, more micro-oriented two-week look ahead schedules are continually evaluated on a daily basis to account for the ever-changing work site.
    • Digital photography – We maintain a comprehensive photo log as the project progresses. These records have proven most helpful in answering questions that come up and for documenting construction techniques that may prove invaluable for future alterations, even years down the road.
    • Safety checklist – Each day Whipple conducts mini-safety audits as well as weekly inspections. These audits are used as a proactive tool to keep all parties on the worksite in line with the safety requirements of the project.
    • Logs – Material submittals, requests for information, change proposals and requisitions are all logged and organized so the parties may view the status of these items at a moment’s notice.
    • As-Built Drawings – These drawings are updated regularly throughout the life of the project to reflect actual conditions and show precisely how the building is put together. These will be an invaluable asset to you as your needs change in the future.
  • Accounting and Cost Forecasting. Record keeping is not an end in itself. Rather, it is the vehicle whereby we analyze our performance versus budgets and the current status of cost and completion. We understand the importance of full and accurate accounting and cost reporting. At Whipple, however, project management is not just about dollars and cents; it’s about controlling a project by sharing appropriate information with the construction team.
    • Timberline. For financial accounting we use the premier system for our industry available on the market today. We have developed several uniquely formatted reports to allow an easy review of the project costs at a glance. Timberline accounts actual man-hours, rates and true invoice amounts, thereby creating a trustworthy financial representation of the project.
    • Cost Reporting. Whipple’s cost reporting has helped owners make informed decisions for nearly a century. We have systems in place that allow the accurate projection of costs and forecast of total job costs on an ongoing basis throughout the project. Typically, we provide clients with monthly cost updates and projections with the monthly requisition. These updates are an extremely useful tool for the client in managing progress and cash flows and in making decisions.

2 - Self Performance: At Whipple, construction service is largely about self-performing major aspects of the work. It is a matter of tradition and pride to us. In this age of specialization most contractors are moving away from maintaining their own workforce. Whipple embraces self-performance. We often rely on our self-performance to tackle the more difficult and challenging tasks. We routinely perform many different phases of work, including all types of rough and finish carpentry, concrete, fine woodwork and cabinetry, metal stud and drywall work, specialty epoxy consolidation and replication work, doors, windows and hardware.

Whipple’s expert craftsmanship spans the spectrum from the historic to the modern, from the routine to the intricate. Beyond our own desire to self-perform, these capabilities have even greater implications for the success of your project:

  • Our self-performance sets benchmarks for quality, safety and worksite conduct for every trade on the project.
  • Our self-performance controls workmanship because of our excellent tradesmen and our very experienced job Superintendents.
  • Our self-performance controls schedule. We know our crew’s capabilities and can maximize output relative to the time constraints of the client. By controlling time, we are situated to control the cost for optimal performance.

3 - Subcontractors: Construction today is about systems specialization in areas such as heating, ventilation, power wiring and communications. Today’s strict building codes and improving technologies require the optimal performance of your building. To achieve this, it is essential to select the correct subcontractor to perform such specialty work. We understand the importance of this and we will ensure the proper selection of specialty subcontractors based upon their experience, workmanship, understanding of the project and, of course, their price.

At Whipple, subcontractors are a part of our seasoned team. We provide leadership and vision, they provide expertise and experience. We treat our subcontractors as an important part of our team, and they receive from us the respect they deserve as the experts we hired to help us through some challenging portion of our work. In short, you will find our subcontractors are an extension of ourselves.

4 - Project Turnover: Throughout the execution and management of your project we continue to assess the progress of work on every level. By monitoring the many different enterprises that come together on your project site, we can avert problems and delays. Site logistics are continually monitored and altered to suit changing site conditions. Scope changes requested by the client are quickly and smoothly implemented. If one element of the project is out of phase with the overall schedule, we can easily adjust the pace of that operation to maintain constant progress and achieve the desired time of completion.

The last thing we measure is something that cannot be quantified, but to us it's one of the very important aspects of the project--your "satisfaction factor." We don't want to complete a project that you find merely adequate. We want to give that deep sense of satisfaction that comes from knowing that the finished project is a thing of beauty, quality and value. At Whipple, we're not done until you're satisfied with our work.

Such is the Whipple experience. Along the way there may be changes due to unforeseen challenges, there may be adjustments in details. All are handled without stalling progress. As your project grows, so does the trust between us. And when your project is complete you will understand why so much of what we do is repeat business.

In the end, the secret of our success is simple. We build trust.