Aloft Reno-Tahoe International Airport
Photo: Vance Fox Photography / Plenium Builders
This past September, a long-serving Nevada construction firm re-branded themselves into Plenium Builders. The mission: expand, diversify, and adapt to the changes in the local and national markets and position the firm to compete in a range of project sizes and scopes in the large-commercial construction arena, while building on the firm’s impressive, 10-year portfolio of luxury residences, hospitality, industrial and light commercial facilities. After six months, we wanted to know how things were going for the team at Plenium Builders.
“Better than I dared to hope for,” says the company’s president, Tobin Basta. “When you take a step like changing a well-established firm’s name at any time, it’s a risk. But during a pandemic, you are really layering on the unknowns. We put together a solid plan, our creative team executed it well, our employees rallied behind one another, and our clients, subcontractors, and design partners gave us unwavering support.”
Basta also addressed the impact of COVID-19 on the company’s operations, stating that there were some initial impacts to project schedules in the second quarter of 2020 but that with the collective effort of the team, there has been very little impact within employee ranks. While the company does not keep track of individual vaccinations, anecdotally the rate of vaccination seems to be on par with the surrounding community. Plenium Builders also maintained zero-lost-time record for all of 2020 — a considerable achievement for employees and the safety team.
Villa Harrah Residence, Zephyr Cove, NV. Photo: Jeff Dow Photography and Motion / Plenium Builders
“The pace of construction picked up very quickly in the third quarter of 2020, returning to normal levels by the end of the year,” says Basta. “What’s at play now is the lingering effect of the initial closures, labor shortages, and production holds,” he continued, citing sharp increases in critical materials like structural steel, metal framing, lumber, and copper pipe as well as increased production lead times for equipment and customized building materials including metal paneling, curtainwalls, carpet, and windows.
To address the uptick in construction starts and Plenium Builders’ healthy backlog, the firm worked recently with a local dealer to expand their truck fleet, implemented an asset management system for tools and equipment, and added 15 new staff members since January — including a project accountant, three new project managers, four superintendents, and five new craft personnel. There is steady, year-over-year growth and the firm is poised to see a 50% jump in volume for 2021, putting them into the $100M-per-year range with projects ranging from $2.5M to $58M already in progress.
HORIBA Reno Technology Center — Plenium Builders has completed multiple laboratory spaces and offices for the R&D team of this scientific instrumentation and semiconductor manufacturer in their Reno, NV, location. Photo: Vance Fox Photography / Plenium Builders
The priority for Plenium Builders into the future? “To continue to serve our clients, to grow, and to focus on improvement. We have a lot to be thankful for, but we can never be satisfied in the construction business — it’s too competitive for that. We have to get better every day!” Basta said, clearly proud of the firm’s record and the strong relationships Plenium Builders’ employees have built in the community.
Projects in progress also include Parklane’s Urban Green, the renovation of Reno’s historic Trinity Episcopal Church, the pool house at Rancharrah, several luxury homes in South Reno, a student housing project with CA Ventures near the University of Nevada, Reno, and a new warehouse for Western Nevada Supply.Upcoming projects include an expansion at the Edgewood Resort in Lake Tahoe, a room renovation at the Tahoe Seasons Resort near Heavenly Ski Area and an industrial warehouse building in the North Valleys. The 2022 outlook is good for the industry and for Plenium Builders, with work picking up in their key markets of education, civic construction, healthcare, and manufacturing.“I am pleased with our progress and overwhelmed by the support from the business community here in our region over the last six months,” says Basta. “I would like to say a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to everyone that helped us make this happen. Plenium Builders is here to serve our clients, to take an active role in this community, and to create opportunities for our employees. This is an exciting time for our company and for Nevada.”
Plenium Builders is a full-service residential and commercial general contractor. The firm combines the expertise and precision craftsmanship of a true builder with the powerhouse resources of a stand-out general contractor. Capabilities include preconstruction, estimating, permit assistance, and logistical planning.
Plenium Builders’ portfolio covers industrial, manufacturing, multi-family housing, student housing, resorts and hospitality, offices, retail, and civic projects ranging from $200,000 to $80,000,000.
Plenium Builders is hiring! Field, supervision, and project management positions are open. Apply at pleniumbuilders.com/careers.
This article was provided and paid for by Plenium Builders. To learn more, contact Tobin Basta, President of Plenium Builders, at tbasta@pleniumbuilders.com.
