Wier Boerner Allin

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the business development manager at Thrash Commercial Contractors, which does both commercial construction for both public and private entities. I manage client relationships and seek to form new business through connections. I also manage our marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Wier Boerner Allin?

They’ve served as our architectural partners.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We collaborated on constructing a big amphitheater, a 22-million dollar project for the city of Brandon, Florida. Before that, they helped us tackle some renovation projects. They’ve recently invited us to join some more of their private work.

We work with the three principals to establish the contract and kick off the frontend of the work. Then, an architect of theirs usually draws out the plans which we’ll adhere to as the project progresses.

What is the team composition?

Generally, we work with a different team every time. We typically work with the principals in the beginning of each engagement to establish a project direction. We always meet new employees of theirs, but they’re consistent in their quality and delivery.

How did you come to work with Wier Boerner Allin?

Our owner formed a relationship with one of the principals there and gave them a shot with one of our smaller projects.

How much have you invested with them?

Over the past 3 years, we’ve done around 40 million dollars of architectural work together. They’ve made a couple of thousands of dollars during that time.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement has lasted over 8 years and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Wier Boerner Allin champions our reputation, which is something we admire about them. When they get calls from other clients about us, they always speak well of us and do their best to promote what we build. They themselves help us build on the edge of what’s new and what’s possible.

I’d say that they’re one of the most consistent architects we’ve worked with in terms of their transparency and honesty. They’re able to design cool things; their specialty is coming up with creative ways to build normal buildings. They see their role as a contractor as being vital to the success of the project — and not just the means by which it gets accomplished.

How did Wier Boerner Allin perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication channels are excellent. They’re very responsive in the face of urgent questions. They’ll jump on things really quickly to allow us to streamline purchasing decisions; there’s really no lag time with them. They’re available for anybody who’s running their project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Many firms, while being good, will still have the “bad apple” who’s difficult to work with. With them, we’ve never come across a teammate we didn’t like. They only make good hires.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could potentially focus on delivering a more complete set of plans at the very initial stages of a project. They do a great job along the way of bridging the gaps, but we’d love to cover all bases at the beginning.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Every person that you’ll deal with in their company will be top-notch. They’re guaranteed to design something cool while being practical. That combination of characteristics is rare among architects.