Answers Before
You Break Ground

Earlier than most owners think. The most important decisions on any commercial project — site selection, deal structure, conceptual budget, building program, schedule realism — get made before a single drawing is committed. Woolsey works with owners and developers in those earliest stages, often well before there is an architect, so the project that gets designed is the project that can actually be built on time and on budget.

The first review is complimentary for projects we are well-suited to. We walk the site or review the deal documents, model a realistic construction cost range, flag the risks we see in entitlement, infrastructure, or operational fit, and tell you honestly whether the numbers work. If the project moves into a paid preconstruction engagement, that work is scoped and quoted separately.

Commercial construction costs vary widely based on project type, site, finish level, mechanical and structural complexity, and regulatory environment. We do not publish per-square-foot ranges because they are misleading without project-specific context, and they get owners into trouble. During preconstruction we develop a real cost model tied to your actual program and site — and we tell you what we see, even when it is not what the pro forma assumed.

A typical mid-sized commercial project runs 18 to 30 months from first conversation to certificate of occupancy: 3 to 9 months of preconstruction (feasibility through permitted drawings), 12 to 18 months of construction, and 1 to 3 months for commissioning and opening. Larger or phased projects (multi-building resorts, mixed-use campuses) run longer. We share a realistic schedule with you during preconstruction and update it monthly.

We have delivered all three. Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) is the most common structure for our commercial clients because it caps the owner's exposure while preserving transparency on actual costs. Lump sum can work when scope is fully defined and risk is well understood. Cost-plus is sometimes appropriate on highly bespoke or fast-track projects. We discuss the trade-offs with you during preconstruction and recommend the structure that best fits the project.

Honestly, in writing, and as early as possible. Every change order from us comes with a clear scope description, a unit-cost breakdown, a schedule impact statement, and a recommendation. We do not bury change orders in monthly billings. If a change is owner-driven and avoidable, we say so. If it is the result of an unforeseen condition or a design coordination gap, we explain that too. Owners who hire us tend to value the directness more than the price on any single change.

Design-build is a project delivery method where one firm holds the contract for both design and construction, instead of the owner managing separate contracts with an architect and a general contractor. For owners, the practical advantages are speed (design and construction overlap), cost predictability (the builder sizes the budget against the actual drawings as they are made), and accountability (one point of responsibility instead of finger-pointing between architect and contractor). Most of our commercial work is delivered design-build.

We track market pricing on the major commodities (concrete, steel, mechanical equipment, lumber) throughout preconstruction and update the GMP accordingly before it is locked. After GMP, the contractual cap protects the owner from market swings within scope. If scope changes after GMP, we handle that as a documented change order. We do not surprise owners.

Permitting is part of preconstruction, not an afterthought. We meet with the city or county jurisdiction early to map the actual review path, identify any rezoning, variance, or site-development requirements, and flag the timing they add to the schedule. Our team manages submittals, responds to comments, coordinates with the design team, and accompanies inspectors on site. We do not let permit timelines surprise owners.

We have a deep bench of qualified subcontractors across every trade we self-perform or coordinate, and we have backup options for the critical-path trades. When a subcontractor slips, our project managers escalate immediately, develop a recovery plan with options ranked by impact on schedule and cost, present it to the owner with our recommendation, and execute. We do not wait for a problem to become a crisis before raising it.

Every Woolsey project carries a one-year general construction warranty as standard, with manufacturer warranties passed through on major systems and equipment, and longer warranties on specific assemblies (roof, structural, mechanical) per the project documents. We stand behind our work after the warranty period as well — if a Woolsey-built project has an issue that traces back to our work, we make it right. That has been part of the family standard since long before the company carried our name.

Woolsey is headquartered in New Braunfels, Texas with a second office in Fredericksburg. Our primary service area includes New Braunfels, San Antonio, Boerne, Fredericksburg, Canyon Lake, Bulverde, San Marcos, Buda, Kyle, Wimberley, and Dripping Springs, with completed work across Comal, Bexar, Hays, Travis, Kendall, and Gillespie counties. That said, the cities and counties we list are not the limits of where we build. Woolsey takes on selective projects in Texas and beyond when the project is right. If you are considering a commercial or residential project anywhere, call us to discuss your specific location and scope.

No. Texas is home and where most of our portfolio lives, but Woolsey is not a Texas-only firm. We take on selective projects in Texas and beyond when the project is right, the partnership makes sense, and the work fits what we are built to do. The areas listed on our site are where we have recent and active work, not the limits of where we will build. If you have a project elsewhere, tell us about it and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right team for the job.

Yes, but selectively. While commercial construction is our primary focus, we partner with a small number of clients each year who are looking for a highly personal, detail-driven custom home experience. Our residential projects feature the same attention to detail, material quality, and project management that defines our commercial work. We do not build homes for everyone, but when the vision is clear and the standards are uncompromising, we build something that lasts generations.

The first step is simple: call us at (830) 317-1717 or email Eli, Glenn, or Mason directly. For commercial projects, we will schedule a complimentary deal evaluation where we discuss your project concept, site, and timeline. We will provide preliminary feasibility insights and help you understand what is possible. For custom home projects, we will schedule a consultation to discuss your vision, your land (or help you find the right property), and what you want to build. There is no obligation to proceed beyond the initial conversation.