Gary Loos, president and CEO of Colt Construction Ltd., says safety, quality, cost and speed have made his company successful as a commercial general contractor that specializes in custom, high-end residential and commercial construction.

Many executives go to great lengths to ensure that their general contracting firm's work meets the company's lofty quality standards. But Gary Loos, president and CEO of Colt Construction Ltd. in Surrey, British Columbia, says he has a more hands-on approach to quality assurance.

Loos says he continues to work in the field as he helps his employees with the self-performed carpentry and concrete work. He figures as long as his children are grown and his wife is the office manager, the company can now be his main focus.

“My pride is in the product, and I have never lowered my standards,” Loos says. “I feel that if I'm out there working side-by-side with my men, then I lead by example. Everyone shares and feels my passion, and they feel we are equal. I want everyone to feel like they've done it.”

Colt is a general contractor that specializes in commercial construction, especially of Chevron Canada Ltd. retail developments and White Spot, which is a restaurant chain on the west coast of Canada.

Although the company has moved away from residential construction for the most part, Loos says Colt is also working on a multimillion-dollar single-family home in West Vancouver, British Columbia, that will take two years to complete.

Safety, Quality, Cost and Speed
According to Loos, four factors distinguish Colt's work from that of competitors in the area: its safety record, quality of work, cost and the speed of Colt's delivery.

For safety purposes, Loos makes sure all workers look out for each other via the buddy system at work sites. He takes pride in the safety record of his company, which he says is the first thing owners consider when choosing a general contractor.

“That area I know I am the leader in,” Loos says. Loos also tries to make his focus on safety something to look forward to instead of dreading. He hosts weekly safety meetings every Tuesday, and for the last seven years he has dubbed the meetings Hot Dog Tuesdays. That's because Loos cooks up hot dogs at site offices and serves the franks as employees discuss safety issues.

Client Kudos
Chevron has commended Colt for its efforts in cost cutting as its general contractor for retail developments in Canada.

For its retail development in Cranbrook, British Columbia, in 2002 Chevron praised Colt for the travel arrangements it organized for the excavation crew.

The company contracted the use of a private aircraft to minimize reliance on commercial travel, which, according to Chevron, resulted in significant savings to the project costs and made for more flexible arrangements for Colt's employees. Chevron rewarded Colt with $5,000.

Chevron also rewarded Colt in 2000 when the company turned around a service station project in Port Alberni, British Columbia, in 30 days, which set a record for the construction of a Chevron station. For that project, Chevron gave Colt a Special Contractor Recognition award of $10,000.

“Chevron Canada and Colt Construction are an excellent example of how strong, supportive relationships can deliver excellent results,” Chevron says.

Owners are not the only business partners that experience quick deliveries from Colt, Loos says.

The company has built a loyal subcontractor base by paying subcontractors in full on invoices vs. holding a percentage while waiting out liens from owners that can take as long as 30, 60 or 90 days.

“No one has ever put a lien on me in 28 years of business,” Loos says. “And it is not my money. It is my guys that put [the project] together, so I've got to pay my guys.”

New Competition
Loos says the Vancouver, British Columbia, market is short of capable workers, which has made it difficult for Colt to take on larger projects.

“There are some very tempting projects out there but you need to be prepared to double your staff, and it is not that easy,” he says. “I'm very particular, and the only people I've ever hired are through referrals. If people want to work for us, they come to us.

“When I need to pick up more people, it is the toughest thing out there.”

Colt does have an advantage over newer contractors in the labor department, however, because it has a pool of subcontractors that are loyal to the company.

“Other people don't have a pool and our history,” he says. “We have the freedom to choose what we want, and we can take it because we have the people.”

Future Vision
Until he needs new customers and subcontractors, Loos says he is happy exactly where Colt is these days.

He also says he doesn't see any reason to slow down any time soon.

“I don't see any reason to retire 'til the day I die,” he says. “I never have to make a phone call to look for work. For now, I'm at a pretty happy place in my life, and I'm happy with our customers and the people we work with every day.”