DPE Construction, Inc.

Much like any other industry, the construction industry is one in which ability, knowledge and experience are invaluable. A combination of any two of these factors still leaves an important, crucial element missing. For example, ability and knowledge without experience can lead to mistakes that could have been avoided. DPE Construction, Inc. brings all three of these elements to the table on every project in which it is involved. In addition, DPE is on board through project completion, a trait that has been attractive to clients throughout the Yuma community for more than 25 years.

While these three qualities are important and attractive to clients, it’s DPE’s versatility that makes it the best choice for nearly all types of commercial construction. Whether it’s the more traditional design-bid-build or design-build, DPE offers a variety of services to make the job a successful one.

Three divisions, Engineering, Heavy Civil and Building, provide all the services required for commercial clients. The Heavy Civil Division provides equipment and personnel to handle structural concrete (including flatwork and tilt-up wall construction), underground utilities, sewer and water lines, and water and wastewater plant construction.

The Building Division established in the mid 1990s, is responsible for all commercial building construction including commercial plumbing, steel fabrication and erection, finish carpentry, and is a distributor of Varco Pruden pre-engineered metal buildings.

The Engineering Division provides design services and surveying capabilities for civil engineering requirements for a wide variety of construction projects.

What’s unique about DPE is the method in which the company provides its services. “In addition to being a general contractor, we also work as a subcontractor for many of those services,” adds Chuck Finnila, Building Division Senior Project Manager. “Over the past four years thirty per cent of our contract value has been as a subcontractor. This includes providing tilt-up concrete structures for a 14-Plex Harkins Theater, plumbing services for the new Yuma Palms Mall and structural steel for the ProMed Medical Complex and the Yuma Art Theater and underground utilities for the Yuma Palms Mall.

In-house services keep costs low

By performing much of their work in-house, DPE keeps costs as low as possible for clients. “We’re cost-effective because we do a large proportion of the work in-house thus eliminating a large portion of overhead and profit costs that most companies have to pass on due to the use of others for those services. Because of that flexibility we can give owners more value for less cost.” Finnila says.

Including DPE in the process during the concept phase of the project makes the most of the company’s ability to save money for the client. This provides for an opportunity for DPE to be an integral part of the process of value engineering and in turn maximizing the value of the client’s dollar. While that process is best done before construction begins, it is something that can be done throughout the project because of the unique flexibility offered by DPE whenever needed.

Utilizing DPE as your Construction Firm offers high rewards because of the different skill sets of the key staff members. “We’re unique because as the owner and president I am a registered professional civil engineer and can provide the engineering expertise required in every project,” said Don Peterson the Owner. “The Vice President and General Manager, Jim Allen has over 15 years in underground work and is our resident expert in structural concrete. Our Safety Director Bill Cheatham brings a unique perspective to the table with his past experience as the Dean of Facilities Planning and Management for Arizona Western College. Together, we have good ideas where people can trim costs, and not lose quality, while maintaining a safe working environment.”

The company’s versatility is most evident when it comes to delivery methods. Clients prefer a variety of approaches to their project, DPE has adapted its services to accommodate the client’s preference. “The majority of our work is done within a design-bid-build framework. When we are called upon to participate in a design-build project, we try to focus on using architects with whom we have had an historically close working relationship. A recent example is the successful design-build team utilized on the Peterson Office Complex which houses Yuma Community Bank. The same team was recently selected by the Yuma County Library District for two new branch libraries.

A similar design-build concept was utilized in Somerton, Arizona with a nonprofit organization and the City administration for a design-build project encompassing offices for the nonprofit’s use.  The future tenants were invited to participate at the start of the conceptual phase and were intimately involved until occupancy. It is extremely important to DPE that buy-in by all parties is achieved throughout the process.

“We’re in the process of pursuing a similar concept in Somerton, Arizona with a nonprofit organization and the city administration for a design-build of a center for the city’s administrative offices and offices for the nonprofit. The future tenants were invited to participate at the start of the conceptual phase and will be intimately involved until occupancy . It is extremely important to us that we have buy-in throughout the process” stated Cheatham.

Fulfilling the needs of many clients

DPE has played a big part in the explosive development of Yuma. “We’ve been in business continuously for 27 years, and know the community very well,” Don Peterson says. “We work not only with private enterprises but also within a variety of other business sectors, including local state and federal governmental agencies and the Cocopah and Quechan Indian Nations. Currently we are working on projects at the Yuma Marine Corps Air Station, on the Quechan Indian reservation, along with several City and County projects. “The past few years has been an exciting time for us,” he adds. “We participated in the construction of the new mall here in Yuma by performing work as the plumbing subcontractor for the primary general contractor, construction of free-standing buildings, new mall roadways and we provided the tilt-up concrete for the new multiplex Harkins theater.” 

Other projects completed by the company in the area include the City of Somerton’s Public Safety Facility which houses the police and fire departments and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center in Carver Park. The community center boasts a design that employs innovative uses of steel and arches; a design ideally suited for Pacific Steel formerly DPE Steel.

It’s that ability to fabricate and install metal and pre-engineered buildings that was also utilized on the Yuma International Airport hangars project. As the area’s top distributor of Varco Pruden pre-engineered metal buildings, DPE erected four hangars at the airport for civilian aviation clients at a cost considerably lower than the projected budget estimate.

Ability, knowledge, experience. DPE Construction, Inc. has been an invaluable partner in Yuma’s development. As a result of these three characteristics and its versatility, the company has the capability to handle almost any project. Its leadership is an essential component for clients who want to get the job done, and get it done right.