TCM Full Mechanical & Plumbing contractor, Portland, Oregon

We Are Mechanical Contractors

We create critical systems that support living, breathing environments. In order to build such complex systems, we have to build and install other things, like ductwork, piping, teamwork and trust. We work hard, but we also work smart. We use state-of-the-art technology, and we know exactly how our efforts integrate with the entire project. We emphasize integrity and accountability in everything we do. The result is work we all can be proud of.

We Think Ahead

We anticipate a client’s needs and act accordingly. We embrace new technology and design for safety with new approaches to the job. We design and build with the life-cycle of the building in mind. We take what we learn on each project and apply it to the next, so we’re constantly improving.

Our work on the Facebook Data Center is a perfect example.

Taking the User’s Perspective

We listen to the client to understand their needs—both spoken and unspoken. Then we

look for opportunities to make installations better for the people who work and live with them. The result is a space that is easier to clean and maintain, less hazardous, and better-looking. In other words, it’s easier to live with.

Building Information Modeling (BIM)

We collaborate with other contractors on the team to visualize every detail of a project before we start building, shipping and installing. As the saying goes, “The smallest detail in the model is always the one that gets in the way.” We make sure they don’t get in the way.

Just-in-Time Delivery

We ensure that the right people and materials are in the right place at the right time. We also prefabricate things as much as possible. This reduces double-handling and improves efficiency.

Remote Challenges

Adaptability is important in remote locations, where materials can be scarce and sites are less accessible. On these sites, it’s never as easy as running out to get something that’s been overlooked. Delivery takes more time, which requires even more foresight. We plan for the items needed and manage the small details so we are effective and efficient no matter where the jobsite is.

Pull Planning

Projects are becoming more complex and accelerated, and the industry is moving from push to pull planning. This shift requires high levels of collaboration, communication and commitment. From the early design-build/design-assist discussions with our first planners (owner, architect and GC) to the daily interactions on the projects with our last planners (foremen), we bring technical knowledge and facilitate the process to bring value to the project.

Project: Facebook Data Center PRN 2 and PRN 4

Location: Prineville, OR

Contractor: DPR/Fortis Construction

Mechanical Services: Full Mechanical, Plumbing

We Are Transparent

Our door is always open to our clients. Whether it’s a question about the estimate, schedule, installation, equipment or commissioning, we share information openly and completely. When you are honest, you have nothing to hide.

Our transparency helped reduce project-tracking costs for the owner and simplified the process for all involved. This turned CLSB from a complex, demanding, urgent project into an efficient and cost-effective structure.

Building Trust

This project began as a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) contracting process, which can be an effective—though labor-intensive—way to make sure that costs don’t go above a pre-determined figure. After an internal audit, the owner confirmed that we had given them a thoroughly qualified and substantiated price for the highest level of work, and they opted for a lump sum instead of going through the motions and cost of a GMP contract.

The Right Team

Price aside, one reason why we originally were awarded this project was because we assembled a very specific team with the right technical experience. From eight months of pre-construction, through the construction phase, we kept our word by keeping the team intact. We provided target-based design and pricing, and our team drove the design to align with the with the owner’s budget.

Cost Effective

We gave the owner the absolute highest performance and value. Expensive isn’t necessarily better, and inexpensive isn’t always cost-effective.

Project: CLSB and Skourtes Tower

Location: Portland, OR

Contractor: JE Dunn Construction

Mechanical Services: Dry Mechanical

We Build Things Right

For any given project, there are just a few ways to build it right, and countless ways to build it wrong. We work hard to find the right way, every time.

Kaiser had very rigorous QA/QC standards, and we’re proud to have risen to the occasion and exceeded expectations.

Controlling Quality

The owner’s standards for this project were similar to California OSHPD requirements. Given the extremely demanding QA/QC process, we evaluated these standards to make sure we fully understood them, and then we developed a site-specific QA/QC plan and executed it daily.

Broad Perspective

This project had very high expectations and building standards, which might lead some contractors to think only of their own responsibilities. We did the opposite. We focused on the specific demands of our own work as well as the impact it had on other trades throughout the project.

Stop and Think

In certain circumstances, it became clear that the production schedule was getting in the way of the quality of the construction. In these cases, we didn’t hesitate to stop work in the name of quality. We will build it right rather than try to get away with just building it.

Project: Kaiser West Medical Center, CUP

Location: Hillsboro, OR

Contractor: Andersen Construction Co.

Mechanical Services: Dry HVAC Mechanical

We Are Proud of Our Work

Plain and simple. We’re proud of our work, and we stand by it. From the office to the field, we’re a team of people who sincerely care. We’re always available throughout the life-cycle of the building. One of the reasons we’ve been voted one of the “Best Places to Work” in 2019 and 2020 is becuase people like to work here and that they get to be part of something they’re proud of.

The Evergreen Space Museum and Wings and Waves Water Park was an opportunity to take part in the making of a landmark.

Comfort in Crowds

The water park was a special project. We often work to create systems that make people comfortable, but we usually don’t get the chance to make a large space comfortable for a lot of people who are wearing swimsuits. This required multiple systems to work in unison, and we collaborated with the general contractor and engineers to streamline the ongoing operation easy.

Soaring Heights

The museum was an unusual challenge because the ceiling is extremely high, and, simply, there are very few spaces with such high interior elevations and exposed ductwork. Safety at that height was a priority during construction. At the same time, we had to make sure that the result was both impeccable and attractive.

Finishing Touches

We worked closely with the architects to help them fully appreciate what they were getting from each design choice. Every faucet and sink is a deliberate decision, and we helped ensure that they created the right experience for visitors. We also collaborated with the owner’s team to meet and exceed the highly stringent Smithsonian specifications to keep the museum’s overall humidity and temperature within strict tolerances in order to preserve all of the artifacts.

Pride-Worthy

At the end of the day, we look back at a project like this—monumental, highly visible, heavily trafficked—and feel the satisfaction of a job well done. Many of the systems we built and installed are within view of large crowds of people, and that doesn’t happen all the time. Probably most important is the fact that a lot of families visit and enjoy this space, and our work contributes to their enjoyment.

Project: Evergreen Air Museum, Evergreen Waterpark

Location: McMinnville, OR

Contractor: Hoffman Construction, Co.

Mechanical Services: Full Mechanical, Plumbing