How Big-D uses real-time data to mitigate risk early
- The client
About Big-D Construction
Big-D Construction is a top-ranked commercial contractor headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, with operations across the western United States. The company manages billions in annual construction volume and serves a wide range of industries—from multifamily and industrial to hospitality and higher education.
With a strong emphasis on collaboration and early-stage planning, Big-D’s preconstruction team plays a crucial role in project success. Cory Parks, Director of Preconstruction, has championed the use of ConCntric to improve alignment across stakeholders and reduce risk early in the process.
“Preconstruction is the foundation for a successful project. With ConCntric, we’re setting that foundation stronger than ever.”
Precon Director, Big-D Construction
- ConCntric Impact
The Challenge
Big-D Construction had mastered the art of proactive planning but struggled with disjointed processes, inconsistent workflows, and inefficient risk management in preconstruction. Spreadsheets, manual tracking, and standalone tools slowed them down and created gaps in communication between owners, architects, and project teams.
A few of the standout challenges included:
Preconstruction workflows lacked integration – The team juggled multiple tools that didn’t talk to each other, leading to inconsistencies across teams and projects.
Owners were left to try to make sense of scattered data – Presenting information in a combination of spreadsheets and static reports made it difficult for clients to fully grasp the impact of cost fluctuations, scheduling constraints, and risk factors.
Decentralized risk management approach – While teams made proactive efforts to manage risk, the absence of a centralized and standardized system meant they often had to rebuild processes from scratch. This limited their ability to consistently identify and address risks in real time.
Historical data was difficult to leverage – The team needed a way to use past project data dynamically to improve budgeting and decision-making without hours of manual analysis.
“Preconstruction isn’t just about estimating numbers—it’s about eliminating surprises, building trust, and proactively planning for success.”
Precon Director, Big-D Construction
Big-D’s team knew that to maintain their competitive edge, they needed a modernized preconstruction platform to integrate cost, schedule, and risk into a single source of truth.
The Solution
When Big-D Construction was introduced to ConCntric, it became clear that the platform offered exactly what they had been looking for—a preconstruction-first solution that could consolidate project data, standardize workflows, and provide real-time insights across the entire team.
Big-D immediately saw the value of a web-based, collaborative platform that made it easier for all stakeholders to access, analyze, and act on project data. Instead of relying on static spreadsheets and siloed tools, they could now manage estimates, track risks, and refine schedules—all in one place.
“Numbers on a spreadsheet don’t tell the full story. Owners need to see the impact of their decisions in a way that’s easy to digest. ConCntric makes that possible.”
Precon Director, Big-D Construction
Unified Cost, Schedule & Historical Intelligence
Compare real-time estimates against historical benchmarks, offering deeper cost context and greater budget predictability.
Integrate schedule insights directly into preconstruction workflows, helping teams anticipate and plan for long-lead items early.
Monitor key performance indicators (KPIS) to evaluate team productivity and continuously improve project performance.
Risk Register: Proactive Risk Management
Identify and flag high-impact risks earlier in the process—before they snowballed into costly issues.
Build real-time mitigation strategies that keep projects on track and within budget.
Communicate potential cost and schedule implications in a visual, digestible way—leading to faster decisions and better alignment.
Collaborative Decision-Making Across Teams
Break down communication silos across disciplines by giving all stakeholders real-time access to the same project data.
Speed up alignment and decision-making during the most critical early phases.
Deliver a more transparent, consultative experience for clients—turning precon into a strategic differentiator.
“A great preconstruction process isn’t about avoiding risks—it’s about managing them smartly. ConCntric allows us to tell that story in a way that owners truly understand.”
Precon Director, Big-D Construction
The results
Since implementing ConCntric, Big-D Construction has experienced a fundamental shift in its approach to preconstruction, improving efficiency, client engagement, and project predictability.
Big-D’s team can now present cost breakdowns, schedule adjustments, and risk factors in a way that owners immediately understand. Instead of reviewing spreadsheets, owners now engage in real-time discussions using interactive project data, leading to faster approvals and fewer miscommunications.
“When we walk into a meeting with ConCntric, we’re not just presenting numbers—we’re telling the full project story. And that helps us win more work.”
Precon Director, Big-D Construction
Big-D's standardized and efficient preconstruction process:
Eliminated redundant tasks and improved workflow consistency by shifting to a single, integrated platform.
Estimators can quickly reference past projects, ensuring that real-world data backs decisions.
Teams follow a structured preconstruction framework, reducing variability across projects.
Use the historical benchmarking tool enables faster, more precise project estimates.
With ConCntric’s Risk Register, Big-D has shifted from reacting to issues after they arise to addressing potential challenges early in the process. Risks that might have gone unnoticed in early planning are now immediately flagged and managed. Beyond that, the team can proactively adjust schedules and budgets, preventing costly disruptions. Lastly, workers appreciate having a clear roadmap of risk mitigation strategies.
Beyond internal efficiencies, ConCntric has become a key differentiator in client interviews. With the ability to visually demonstrate real-time insights, risk strategies, and financial forecasts, Big-D has seen stronger client confidence and a higher win rate on competitive bids.
Looking ahead, Big-D Construction continues to leverage ConCntric to refine and optimize precon, ensuring that each project is set up for success before a single shovel hits the ground.
“The ability to integrate cost, scheduling, and risk into one platform makes ConCntric a game-changer in preconstruction because a project’s success isn’t just about costs—it’s about risk, schedule, and collaboration too. ConCntric gives us the full picture.”
Precon Director, Big-D Construction
