When it opens this fall, the new experience-focused Oak Barrel & Vine retail store will feature a tasting room and special displays for selling spirits and locally made products. The 5390 Westbard Avenue in Bethesda, Maryland is HBW’s second retail build-out for Maryland ABS but the firm’s first run entirely by women.

HBW often talks about the value of having a diverse workforce, yet the Oak Barrel & Vine retail construction services offer visible proof that the firm walks the walk, too. The client, architect, project manager, project coordinator, superintendent, and back-office staff are all women. Go behind the build to see how these women are making an impact on the job.

A Day on the Job

The Oak Barrel & Vine project has shifted into high gear. With just a few weeks left before the September delivery, the interior walls and utilities are in, and the focus is on the defining details, with more than 27 unique finishes. The coordination requires close alignment and communication to track all the moving parts.

First thing in the morning, Senior Project Manager Alexandra Dramby visits the job site, meeting with Superintendent Jess Hipp to discuss the day’s work, while Cynthia Aparicio, the Project Coordinator, is in the office filtering through dozens of emails about the job.

Cynthia notes any action items for Alexandra and forwards emails to Jess, helping simplify and streamline the many questions and updates HBW receives daily from the architect, the client, subcontractors, and other vendors.

“Cynthia’s our major line of support. If she sees an email come through or a response to an RFI, she is funneling it through to the appropriate people and getting the information needed as fast as she can. She helps us recognize and prioritize the most important things so they can be seen and handled first,” explains Alexandra.

Cynthia adds, “I know if Jess calls the office, that means she needs help right now. Our communication flow really helps us sync as a team and look ahead, which helps avoid delays or problems. It takes all of us working together to coordinate the materials and the labor to complete the project on time.”

About the Build

Each Oak Barrel & Vine store is unique, adding a twist to the build-out for HBW. This location features a tasting area with barn doors, brick finishes, lighting that make it feel like an outdoor space, a welcome wall with custom millwork pieces, and wayfinding design elements that help guide customers through the store and to the products they are looking for.

“You don’t often see this many finishes in a 5,000 square foot retail space. The wood paneling and custom-made cabinetry, the fabric on the walls, the wall sconces all will give this project an atmosphere that welcomes buyers in,” says Jess.

The finishes aren’t just decoration. Each part of the design connects to the Maryland community, like the barrel rounds used for one of the walls. They were sourced from local distillers.

“It’s incredibly unique that a liquor store is building retail space so local brands can come in to do tastings of their products. It really gives the community a way to get to know local companies and appreciate what Maryland has to offer,” she adds.

Working Through Challenges

The Oak Barrel & Vine job is the fourth retail location for Maryland ABS, with more store transformations planned for the future. Like other commercial and franchise builds, the work involves third-party vendors selected by the client.

Working with others who might not understand or share HBW’s standards for quality, safety, and communication can pose a challenge.

“Often, it’s up to Jess to communicate and enforce our policies on the job site,” explains Alexandra. “The signage or fixture vendors might need to adjust to our hours and our safety protocols. She has the support of our entire team, helping to make calls and send emails to the companies so they are ready to jump in and do their part.”

“It helps to have the same subs or vendors on repeat builds. We already know they will do great work, and they are connected to our ways of communicating on and off the job site,” says Jess.

Women at Work

Does having an all-female team make a difference? HBW staff agree that every team delivers quality and attention to detail, but the women on the Oak Barrel & Vine project recognize that their team communicates a little differently and operates a little smoother.

“We are being super-efficient and answering back quicker,” observes Cynthia. “We are all pushing for this one a little more than usual because we want to show that it’s not only men working in construction. Women at HBW get the job done too.”

Women make up (26%) of the HBW workforce, more than double the national average of 11%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The firm had its first female manager in 2005, first female superintendent in 2019, and first female vice president in 2023.

With lots of ground left to cover, the commercial construction team points to shared company-wide values as the key to continued success on the job. The client already knows that HBW will deliver an incredible product – the first Oak Barrel & Vine was delivered without a punch list – and the team believes they are on track to do the same for this location.

When you’ve been in construction for over 50 years, every project includes familiar elements. But even the familiar feels new and exciting when your next project is something you have yet to do in more than two decades.

As HBW Construction kicked off a base building project in the Anacostia waterfront area of Washington, D.C., late last year, we couldn’t help but marvel at just how long it had been since we had done a base build – the shell and core, the primary structure, the whole shebang. About 20 years ago, the company turned its focus to interior build-outs. Though many of our projects continued to include the same elements of building demolition and construction, this project marks the HBW base build relaunch.

Marion Barry Ave.

We were brought into the Good Hope Road project (the historic area now renamed Marion Barry Avenue) to build a respite housing project. The 22,000-square-foot building will feature (medical offices) on the first floor, with three floors of communal studio apartments above.

The project started by demolishing the row homes on the land and quickly progressed to work on the first and second-floor decks. The building will have a synthetic stucco exterior and surface parking in the back.

The foundation has been a challenge in this build. The soil in the area, dredged from the Anacostia River decades ago, required very deep footers to reach bedrock and special concrete work. Fortunately, our concrete sub was great to work with, and our team was able to adjust to this new reality and move forward.

Marion Barry Ave. project before start of construction

Rendering of Marion Barry Ave. project upon completion

HBW on the Job

With a speedy schedule and so much to learn from the project, we have three superintendents assigned to the build. Don Johnson, who has been with HBW for over 10 years, brings his dirt work experience and has been instrumental in our interior build-outs. Phillip Sun has a background in base building construction, so he oversees everything on site.

And, since the job is such a good learning opportunity, we will rotate in a third superintendent to serve as quality assurance and gain base build experience.

Our approach on any construction job is to establish good relationships, and Marion Barry Ave is no exception. Before we started, our superintendents walked the very populated neighborhood. They introduced themselves to all surrounding business owners and explained that it’s a tight site and we have to get some big equipment in there, so they knew what to expect. Seven months into the project, we haven’t had any issues with neighbors or inspectors.

Gaining Experience, Using Experience

The Marion Barry Ave project allows HBW to draw on one of our strong niche areas of expertise: Healthcare. We have extensive healthcare construction experience with dozens of hospital, medical, and veterinary projects on the books in the past few years. Healthcare construction involves a unique type of infrastructure to accommodate specialized equipment and purpose-built spaces, combined with finishes that enhance patient comfort.

Several recent projects have involved the ground-up construction experience that we hope to expand on. In combination with our retail and office interior markets, HBW crews are well-poised for the renewal and replacement projects that are being planned for the DMV region. We are looking at several new opportunities in the next year that will leverage our blend of experience, including converting an office building into a hotel.

The More Things Change…

The secret to our success at HBW has been our communication and organization. We like to say our pragmatic, professional approach is what drives our success. And we hear from clients that the level of attention we bring to our interior work sets us apart from other contractors – a good sign for winning more ground-up projects.

Phil Scott set the tone for this project. He said, “I don’t want us to come out of this being adequate or average. I want everybody involved to have the best construction experience they’ve ever had.” We still have a ways to go, but we’re doing it!

Though it’s been 20 years since we took on a full base build, HBW is in a position to deliver a superior product because of our recent experience. Our people, our processes, our knowledge, and our on-the-job capabilities are all there, ready to be applied to a market sector that is all about brand-new beginnings.

Demo is typically the first step in our office fit-outs, but for the building at 1333 H Street, we needed to start with new interior walls. That’s because the building would be occupied while we worked on filling in a four-story atrium on its upper floors. Isolating the active construction areas with temporary walls allowed us to keep disruptions and construction debris separate from office areas.

The work on H Street took just five months but required construction innovation around scheduling. We had to get eight street closure permits for the window removal, steel beam installation and concrete pours, which was completed over several weekends. Located in a tight area in D.C. close to the White House, we could only close the street on Saturdays. This left us working fast to minimize tenant disruptions but also having to add time to the schedule to accommodate weekend work.

Start with an A-Team

At HBW, the best teams are those where colleagues complement each other, and there’s a strong bond.

Senior Superintendent Bobby Smith explains about having a dream team on the H Street project: “Anthony and I started at HBW around the same time and have worked together as a team for about seven years. We often come up with the game plans for our projects together. He handles the schedules, and I distribute the information to everyone in the field. A lot of our success is our ability to communicate with one another – and the larger team. Nothing is happening on a job site that we haven’t talked about ten times before it happens.”

Adopt a creative construction mindset

The unique construction challenges at H Street required innovation to keep things moving. When we decided to bring in the steel beams, we knew we would need to work one floor at a time. Maneuvering beams weighing 5,000 pounds into the center of an office, however, required special handling. The best option turned out to be pulling windows and moving the beams through the offices into the old atrium space and then hoisting them into place.

Another time, we were all set to pump concrete on a snowy Saturday morning. The building was empty, the road had been closed, and everyone was headed to the job site when the cement plant called to say they were closing due to the weather. It took some quick thinking and a persuasive phone call, but we pumped concrete that day.

By staying focused on our commitment to the client and doing each job right, we don’t get too caught up in plans that must change or let egos get involved in considering solutions.

Prioritize communication

Great communication is cultural at HBW. We know that every project will have some challenges and delays. Our attitude is the quicker and more effectively we communicate issues to our entire team, whether it’s subcontractors, architects, or clients, the quicker we can work towards a solution and move past it. Since we work in the office and in the field, we can’t count on being face-to-face. We have to be intentional about communication. It helps that everyone is on the same page about it, and new hires quickly learn to communicate like pros.

Draw from a depth of experience

There’s not always a model for doing things right when doing new things. For H Street, we drew some inspiration from an amenity center project we did a year ago. Scale-wise, there’s no comparison, but that project also required bringing steel beams and a massive staircase into an enclosed lobby through a doorway. It went so well we decided to use the same company for the beams on H Street.

The depth and diversity of experience we have at HBW means there’s always someone who has done something similar or has a proven approach. It makes us exceptionally well-suited for unique construction projects like the H Street infill.

Today, the H Street building has an additional 2,500 square feet per floor. This unique building project did give us reason to pause, but ultimately, teamwork, communication, and creativity helped us build success.
 

By any measure, ZOOZ is a restaurateur’s dream. The waterside cocktail garden was conceived as an upscale destination for before or after dinner, with hanging greenery and florals setting the scene while bartenders mix and pour drinks table-side. When it opens in March, ZOOZ will be the second D.C. project for brothers Joseph, Kamal, and Anthony Azzouz, but the first with HBW helping to bring their dream to life.

Our commercial construction resume has included a growing number of independent, owner-operator projects in the past few years, including Cafe Unido, Apex Vets, and the New Story School in Virginia Beach. These projects require the same effort and attention to detail as other interior build-outs and renovations, but the owner’s level of investment and involvement tends to make HBW team members feel more passionate about them. 

Sr. Project Manager Alexandra Dramby explains, “When you have the actual owner on site almost every day, you see their excitement over every little detail, and those feelings transfer to us. I think it makes us even more motivated to make them happy and get this space open for them on time. This is their baby.”

Phil Harvey, Superintendent, adds, “Our construction teams don’t always get the opportunity to talk with project owners and hear their stories and visions for their new space. When we do, every installation integral to the design brings us a step closer to giving them their dream.”

The ZOOZ vision
The ZOOZ owners already have one restaurant, Urban Roast, that was recently recognized as the best brunch in DC. They are now setting their sights on achieving similar recognition for ZOOZ, and they’ve made it clear to our team that they want to be known as the best for it, too. That level of emotional investment translates to caring deeply about everything, from workmanship to materials. And that makes HBW an ideal partner because we use a highly personalized and collaborative approach to establish lasting relationships with our clients.

When the owners first walked the space, located on the first level of a condominium building, they made significant changes to the layout for space optimization. With the decision-makers standing right there, we could talk through those changes quickly, shifting the dimensions of the back-of-house areas, the bar, and the dining space without impacting the grand opening date of March 8th.

Building for dreamers
HBW’s approach when working directly with a restaurant’s independent owner is slightly different from working with a construction manager from a big restaurant group. From a project management approach, there needs to be more communication about the schedule and the different phases of the construction process. Day-to-day communication remains key as the owners walk the space, reviewing the progress that’s been made and watching the work. Someone who does construction full-time already knows how the work will flow and what to expect, but for those going through the process for the first or second time ever, everything is new.

As HBW approaches the end of the ZOOZ build, great communication means the team spends time with the owners each day to review the interior design materials that have arrived and make any final adjustments. A significant part of that is explaining the impact of making changes on the fly, from costs to labor to scheduling.

“A few weeks ago, the owners added a new ceiling finish. Instead of paint, it’s going to be a specialty wall covering. We explained the lead time and the requirement for a 10-day install period once it arrived,” says Phil. 

Alex adds, “That’s when our experience really comes into play. We’re very aware that in restaurant construction, the opening date is critical. Any delays have big financial consequences. But we also understand that restaurants come with a lot of changes. We have to move quickly with sketches and dimensions, come up with suggestions for products that can achieve their vision, and look at lead times and schedule impacts. Often, that means we have to get creative.”

To manage the new ceiling work, HBW devised a plan using swing shifts. As the ceiling work wraps up in the afternoon, the ceramic tile team starts their install. The two efforts keep crews out of each other’s way and save time on the project.

Leveraging on-the-job experience
Building unique projects under an owners’ watchful eye isn’t for every construction contractor. HBW experience in the restaurant and retail sector is the key to so many successful outcomes. 

When the pandemic put a damper on office construction, our team leveraged knowledge and skill in corporate interiors to grow restaurant and retail into one of its largest market sectors. The knowledge of individual team members has been a factor in that growth, too. 

Alex and Phil both joined HBW with restaurant experience in hand. They have teamed up for a handful of projects after first working on a Lidl grocery store together. They credit their working relationship and flow of communication in handling the fast pace and many changes involved in restaurant construction. Other staff members’ niche experience contributes to HBW’s capabilities, including knowledge of high-end finishes and utilities needed for restaurant equipment and diner comfort.

Sharing the dream
Commercial construction allows HBW to have a hand in every business we build space for. At the end of the day, the quality of our work is something we are proud of, and it feels extra special when we can see that the owners are proud of it, too.

ZOOZ is the kind of place we would want to visit whether we built it or not – but since we are involved, we’re motivated to give our best effort. It’s going to be incredible to go there and see the Azzouz brothers living out their dream.

When complete, Apex Vets will house 24-hour emergency care, multiple specialties, and many purpose-built spaces with state-of-the-art equipment. The project is the vision of Dr. Ben Donati, whose enthusiasm has infected the entire HBW Construction team, inspiring three unique influences on the construction: the owner’s involvement, HBW relationships, and our team’s personal dedication to bringing this vision to life.

An owner’s impact on the construction process

The rise of veterinary service build-outs in the mid-Atlantic follows a trend seen across the country. The pets that many people got during the pandemic for companionship and comfort now need daycare, grooming, medical care, and playtime. 

When we were asked to bid on the contract through the architect, we were optimistic that our experience and our connections to the area would get us through to the interview round. They did, and soon we met Dr. Donati, who also has strong ties to the area having graduated from the University of Maryland, and his partner, a retiring veterinary surgeon who had built three veterinary hospitals in Texas and who has more than 30 years of experience in the industry.

Apex Vets is the first construction project for Dr. Donati, and he approaches it like a student, wanting to learn our process, know our people, and be on-site almost daily. Many times, when you have an owner coming to the site, it’s because of a problem or delay. In this case, it’s the opposite. Dr. Donati comes and works out of the site because he’s interested in every aspect of the construction and loves watching the building process go according to plan. He quickly made friends with Superintendent, Hector Ventura, and Sr. Project Manager, Alexandra Dramby, and other HBW staff and subcontractors on site.  

Hector reflects, “It goes without saying that we are committed to every project but having Dr. Donati so involved has made this project feel personal. Hearing him imagine what it will be like, and even his day-to-day progress of getting the right equipment and hiring the right doctors, is exciting and brings a greater purpose to our work. The long hours and long weeks don’t feel like work because we are helping build his dream.”

Dr. Donati agrees, “Soon, this won’t be about construction anymore – it will be about medicine. Hector and Alex helped bridge the gap as we moved from paper-pushing to framing to completion.”

When the Apex Vets construction project hit a few early challenges, Dr. Donati’s engagement helped resolve things quickly. We were initially asked to shave $500,000 off the budget, and we were actually able to get costs down by value engineering the project and changing some specs. Dr. Donati helped us understand why some design decisions were important for veterinary care but also areas where costs could be cut.

On the scheduling side, Sr. Project Manager Alexandra “Alex” Dramby was forecasting and planning nearly a year in advance while the country was still struggling with supply chain issues. She identified long-lead items and built the schedule around their delivery, slotting in permits and electrical and mechanical tasks so the project could get started on time. In fact, Alex predicted that Apex Vets would be ready on October 20th of this year. Dr. Donati has so much confidence in this date, even with an understanding of how common delays in construction can be, that he planned his wedding for that same weekend. The long days and extra weekend work is all so we can make both of Dr. Donati’s special days a reality.

Building relationships into the construction process

We’ve written before about the unique culture of HBW Construction and the value placed on building relationships, from leadership out to the field. Those relationships have had a huge impact on the Apex Vets project. 

The scale of the build and the precise schedule has put pressure on others involved with the project. The design team, for example, is located in Boston, too far away for frequent site visits. We’ve had to rely on email and pictures, and video to help them visualize design change requests. The distance requires additional communication – but it came from an unexpected place – the subcontractors! As each sub started combing through the drawings, they identified potential red flags and brought them to Alex’s attention. Having a close and trusted relationship with our subs helped us avoid future delays.

Electricity is a vital part of the Apex Vets build, and the specialized equipment, MRI, CT, & X-Ray machines, require electricity upon delivery. Knowing this, we got the ball rolling last December. Pepco set schedules and time frames for work, but since our MRI delivery date was so critical, Alex took the extra step to get higher-ups at Pepco on the phone to help them see this as an important project with real people behind it, not just the next box on their checklist. 

Going above and beyond

Does a project matter more when it’s being built in your hometown? You bet it does! We’ve both felt a special connection to this project. Dr. Donati said, “HBW’s local reputation stood out to me, and it was important to them too. It’s clear that this is not just another project. They are building our business into their community.” 

From a personal perspective, we really leaned in to gain additional veterinary expertise. Though we have extensive experience in medical builds, learning the intricacies required for Apex Vets has been exciting, from installing a dog exercise yard to considering the needs of intubating a cat in an ICU. 

This is a project that demands 110%. If we had the mindset that 40 hours a week was plenty, and just hitting the checkmarks was enough, then the construction of Apex Vets wouldn’t be where it is today. 

“This morning as I was getting ready to leave my house at dawn, I saw that Alex had sent three emails out already to make sure the day went smoothly,” said Hector.

“I almost feel like it’s the norm to go above and beyond to deliver a home run of a project and meet the client’s expectations,” replied Alex.

That feeling is shared by all involved in Apex Vets. HBW Construction held a Safety Appreciation Day recently and brought in lunch, handed out HBW and Apex Vets-branded shirts, and raffled off prizes to the subcontractors who have been doing such a good job for us. We spend more time here with these people on any given week than at home, and we really want them to understand how they fit into the big picture and are appreciated. 

People kind of do a double-take when you do something nice for them, but we hope that our efforts spread kindness and that our crews pay it forward. Everyone is looking forward to the last big milestones of this project – the installation of a giant MRI machine at the end of August and the final delivery date in October that turned out to be one heck of a wedding gift for the owner and his family. We expect Dr. Donati’s pups, Franklin and Winston, will be equally pleased.   

To learn more about our unique approach visit the Project Management page on our website.

Handling emergencies is part of the job, but it’s a largely preventable part. At HBW, we always prefer seeing our customers during preventative maintenance visits rather than on emergency calls. Decades of experience have proven to our Services Division that preventative maintenance can save the day – and your budget.

If you’re a property manager or owner, consider the five ways preventative maintenance benefits your property operations.

1. Manage Costs

Property managers and owners keep an eye on the books at all times, so know that scheduled maintenance visits are always cheaper than emergency repairs. Having HBW trades out to help maintain all aspects of your property, from critical systems like HVAC, plumbing, and electricity, to the structure itself with concrete, roofing, or drywall, can control costs and inform future needs – so you can anticipate and budget accordingly. Our skilled craftsmen can watch or fix the small stuff before they turn into big problems. 

2. Extend Use and Increase Value

If you want to protect your investment and extend the lifespan of your property, preventative maintenance is the way to go. We can attest to properties that look brand new despite being decades old and systems that operate perfectly well beyond their lifespan. Our tailored programs account for your specific use and environment to prevent excessive wear and tear and the need for early replacements.

3. On Your Time 

Until there’s a crystal ball that lets you see when you’ll have a breakdown or need repairs, the next best thing is the HBW Services team. Our experienced crew schedules service on your time, avoiding emergencies, downtime, and tenant disruptions. 

We’ve found that preventative maintenance can also help properties avoid supply chain woes by anticipating when parts or materials will be needed and procuring them ahead of time or just in time. Imagine tearing out an aging electrical panel only to find that a new one won’t be available for 6 weeks or promising to replace light fixtures but not being able to get matching ones because of delivery delays.

4. Optimize Operations 

A well-maintained property is an efficient property, saving on utility costs – and management headaches! It’s also safer and more environmentally responsible. 

If you have a leaky refrigerant line, you could call any HVAC company to get the system refilled twice a year, but you’d still be polluting the environment while the unit performance degrades and eats up your electric bill. HBW’s preventative maintenance plan would identify the leak during a system cleaning and check-up and get it fixed properly, saving repeat visits, refrigerant costs, electricity usage, and the hassle of it all.

5. Satisfy Tenants

Keep tenants happy and healthy with preventative maintenance. Everyone will appreciate the commitment to quality and attention to detail that HBW brings to a property. Our team can act as an outsourced maintenance department or supplement your team, reducing your outstanding to-do list, providing consultative and diagnostic services, and fulfilling tenant requests for improvements or changes. 

We stay on top of trending needs. Our Service team responded quickly to properties that needed air cleaning systems or physical barriers during the pandemic.

Preventative maintenance works best when combined with a comprehensive approach to property management. HBW Services division brings the same professionalism and experience to maintenance projects (even small ones) that we use for construction.

We often hear that clients consider HBW Services to be their most valuable on-demand resource because we are a one-stop resource for all property needs. The range of services we cover is extensive, from one-time service calls to preventative maintenance programs and small maintenance tasks and finish work to complex HVAC and electrical projects. Our skilled team of Project Managers, Estimators, Carpenters, Technicians, Foremen, and Certified Electricians have extensive experience, offering you the convenience of expert diagnosis and a quick resolution. Most importantly, because of HBW Construction’s large footprint in the region, our teams are nearby, often at a service call in the next town over or doing a build-out in a neighboring building. And for those problems that can’t wait, our Emergency Services are available 24/7.

Meet with one of our project managers to integrate preventative maintenance into your property management operations. Visit the HBW Services page to learn more. 

HBW Construction built two of the newest Chopt locations in the DC-Metro area, adding the chain to a growing list of restaurant construction clients who rely on our unique formula of people, processes, and relationships. Construction on these types of projects isn’t cookie-cutter or routine, and that’s where HBW shines.

Scheduling: A sprint to the finish line

The Chopt locations in Arlington feature custom millwork and beautiful ceramic tile throughout the space. The look is nothing like what you’d find at a standard tile store – it was custom ordered from suppliers out of state and internationally. The story of sourcing and installing supplies like this illustrates a common challenge with restaurant construction: it’s a race against the clock.

While most of our builds start with a schedule developed by HBW’s experienced team in collaboration with subcontractors and suppliers, restaurant build timelines are typically based on the end point – when the restaurant needs to open to start bringing in income. Marketing materials, grand opening events, and even hiring employees all require precise delivery. But specialty building suppliers often work on their own schedules, adding challenges to the construction processes.

HBW strategically builds a project schedule that minimizes time spent in the field and juggles the requirements of each trade partner. We sequence the schedule in a way that enables all trades to work together effectively, including coordinating access to the space, which is often relatively compact and surrounded by other active retail businesses.

Uniquely, restaurant projects require coordination with multiple outside vendors, including kitchen equipment, refrigeration contractors, IT and security vendors, interior and exterior signage vendors, decorators, and more, creating a construction timeline that is often a sprint from beginning to end. HBW takes ownership of managing these vendors and handling any issues or delays with an eye toward the project completion date.

The process becomes even more seamless with each repeated project, and as our ability to anticipate challenges grows with every build. Our superintendents consistently apply what they’ve learned, like how to manage delays for tile in Customs or extensive slab drilling for plumbing installation, to the next schedule. Franchises and chains are also constantly evolving their design, so while projects might be similar, each one remains unique.

The A team

HBW has a reputation for having passionate people on our team. For restaurant construction projects like Chopt, having the right people in each role is critical. These builds demand exceptional attention to detail in order to create a consistent brand look and feel. Being passionate about a project means everyone at HBW takes responsibility to make sure the client is happy, from those on-site to those back in the office.

Our client relationships are not one-and-done. We invest in each connection so we can keep doing work for them – keeping things on schedule, on budget, and handling the inevitable hiccups. We count on our superintendents to use their experience and judgment in the field to make quick decisions and resolve issues before they turn into major problems. It’s also their job to keep the client in the loop and manage expectations.

Relationships with our subcontractors are also important since they often play a major role in our projects. HBW works with an experienced and dedicated team of subcontractors who are held to a high caliber of work. We ensure they are motivated to complete projects on time and within budget. In fact, 90 percent of them have worked with HBW for at least five years, reflecting our emphasis on repeat business.

“Communication is the cornerstone of construction”

Chopt Creative Salads is based in New York, so they counted on HBW to be their eyes and ears on the job sites throughout the process and to manage the day-to-day relationship with the landlord and nearby tenants. That trust is what distinguishes HBW from others. In fact, one of the partners we met through Chopt recently reached out to us to bid on another project – he knows we’ll do the job to his high standards.

Trust is built with communication – and results. We’ve excelled in restaurant construction because we understand that these projects require more touches than other kinds of builds. Managing all the variables under a time crunch, and keeping our clients in the loop while we do it, takes effort and skill.

We encourage you to see HBW’s work for yourself. Visit the Chopt Arlington locations in Ballston and Rosslyn. Each build pops; they’re beautiful restaurants and we are proud to be a part of their growth story.

To learn more about HBW’s experience in restaurant construction, visit Market Sectors on our website.