In a roaring development cycle, size is an edge. The construction company with a monster lineup of staff, resources, equipment, and experience nearly always has a jump snaring attractive projects – benefiting from economies of scale and fatter profit potential. Smaller players generally have to find niches and exploit them rather than compete against larger contractors.
But in lean times, the equation appears more balanced. Big projects in the $100 million-plus range are rarer and firms of all sizes end up in a scrum for smaller projects. And in that setting, being small – or at least being able to “play small” – can offer advantage, say construction management executives in the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut markets.