East Bay Construction Co., Inc.
Founded On Core Values And Performing At The Highest Level Of Workmanship, Quality And Dependability.

By Tammy Boone

Bill Ayers was an entrepreneur from the beginning. He became self-employed from an early age with a passion in landscape development. More than 25 years ago—through junior high and high school—he began working in the landscape industry. One of his first projects in landscaping, when he was just out of high school, was the California highway 101/280/680 interchange project. At that time he was also employed by a prominent developer and was promoted rapidly through the ranks to Director of Offsite Construction.

“Learning the development industry for all phases of construction was priceless as I started East Bay Construction,” Bill explains. “I knew my true calling and passion was landscape development. Because I had the opportunity to be in the position as a Director of Offsite Construction, I knew what was expected from the landscape companies who work with developers and general contractors.” 

Bill gained contacts and friends in the building industry over the years and he says the company still does business with many of the people he formally worked with before East Bay Construction Co., Inc. was started.

Installation of mainline, lateral line and wires at the Bayport residental development in Alameda, CA.

Bill started East Bay Construction because he wanted to get back to his true calling, landscape development. In the early days of the company, Bill would handle all the administrative tasks like payroll, estimating, accounts receivable, accounts payable and still managed to go out to the field and tackle several jobs. He not only managed the jobs but he was the one right next to his crews installing and working until the project was complete.

Bill feels modest about the growth of the company, starting off with five employees and now employing more than 350 people. Those original five employees are still with Bill to this day. He feels that all of his employees have been instilled with the workmanship quality and service, which East Bay Construction was founded on.

“I don’t really like the word ‘Boss’,” he says. “My door is always open for questions and suggestions. We really are like a big family.”

Despite its size, East Bay Construction is known in the industry for putting together a full project from start to finish. This includes preparing the infrastructure for the landscape, creating and constructing the surfaces and providing ongoing maintenance.

“We really are a one-stop shop,” Bill says. “And, we do excellent work.”

Bill feels that offering a client an assortment of services to enhance landscape projects has allowed the company to grow. The company has also grown through referrals and repeat business from satisfied clients.

East Bay Construction  projects involve some of the following: finish grading and drainage, irrigation, landscape construction, concrete and interlocking pavers, walls and structures, erosion control and hydro seed, maintenance, street sweeping, landscape maintenance, pesticide and herbicide applications.

	(Above, Left & Right) East Bay Construction employees use a Kobelco compact excavator to induct mainline, lateral line and wires.

Although East Bay owns a fleet of equipment, Bill says that the two Kobelco compact excavators the company purchased from Tri-West Tractor are in constant demand with his 45 job foremen. The two excavators are being used at two separate projects currently. One is being used to dig drain lines at a residential development in Alameda. The second machine is being used to cut the sub-grade for the concrete work at a multi-family sub-division project in the East Bay.

East Bay uses its Kobelco compact excavators for all types of excavation, including preparing for concrete placement, digging drain lines, planting 24-inch to 62-inch box trees, and installing irrigation main lines. The Kobelco machine is a “zero tail swing” compact excavator. Standard equipment on the excavator includes single and bi-directional auxiliary hydraulics and a pattern control changer. The excavators use Yanmar engines. In addition to its Kobelco compact equipment, East Bay has Bobcats. Ditch Witch Trenchers and Mini Track Loaders.

The company can be working on 50 or more projects in the Greater Bay Area at any one time. Their specialty is private and city parks, streetscapes, and large production home sites for new construction. Many of the parks they complete include athletic fields for baseball or soccer. When the company installs baseball fields, they are not only responsible for the field, but for all the site equipment like the dugout, bleachers and bathrooms. Bill thinks that each job has its own character.  “I enjoy driving past one of our park sites and seeing families and little league games,” he says. “It’s nice to know that people are enjoying the space that we created.”

(Above Left, L to R) Pedro Vieira, Project Coordinator,  Jesus Villagomez, General Superintendent and Mateo Almanza, Foreman Trainee, East Bay Construction Co., Inc. (Above Right) Nelson Miramontes on a Kobleco compact excavator.

The company has six area General Superintendents and two Project Coordinators in the Greater Bay Area who report to the Directors of Field Operations.

“All though I miss running my equipment and working out in production” he says. “To this day I take every opportunity I get to go out and interact with the foremen and field personnel.”

“I do think this is an advantage for me with my employees,” he continues. “Because I can run all the equipment and put pipe in the ground, I think they respect me and know I’m not just some guy who started a landscape company.”

One of the biggest things that sets his company apart, Bill says, is his philosophy of business. “My philosophy is: Founded on core values and performing at the highest level of workmanship, quality and dependability,” Bill says. “Our reputation is everything, so if there’s a problem, I’m all over it.”

Trenching for a drain system prior to the installation of 36”box trees.

Bill’s acting role as President allows him to develop and continue to grow the business. He recently opened up a Stockton office to help the company extend their reach in the Central Valley. East Bay Construction’s biggest challenge in the future is its growth rate. The key to manageable growth lies in helping every client to feel like they are East Bay’s only client, Bill explains. This means having the proper staff and enough manpower to make a strong showing on each job.

It also means having all the right equipment in order to get the work done in a timely way. East Bay Construction has surpassed all of its company goals and will continue to grow and prosper in the future. Cc