Business View Magazine - July 2023

90 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 7 with a limited number of additional projects supporting clients in California and Arizona. However, Webster says management is open to expansion if and when it makes sense. That expansion might not require opening offices in other states. But he says that demand in and around Nevada remains high with a growing population. JD Stairs President, Bob Gabour, believes that one reason the company might expand is because of the growing interest nationally in the structural framing of houses. This is an area where the company has demonstrated strong expertise, with an estimated 25 percent of the firm revenue in 2022 coming from these framing projects. That type of work includes designing columns and beams as well as other high-end structural projects. Says Gabour, “With the work we have done recently in this area, the structural side of our business has really opened up. We have long had a strong (share) of the local architectural works, but we are confident this is a segment of our business that will keep growing.” Growth despite COVID, labor shortages, and other industry challenges The COVID pandemic was not an obstacle for JD Stairs as much as it was for some industries because of the investments made in housing at the time. However, the labor shortage and inflation have hurt the company’s margins. The cost of some materials has grown exponentially over the last three years, although they are stabilizing. Wage increases have also made it difficult to always find the most qualified candidates. Insurance costs have also doubled over the last five years. “The labor force has always been a challenge in Las Vegas,” Gabour says. Still, JD Stairs grew revenue moderately in 2020 and by around 20 percent in both 2021 and 2022, Gabour says. Creating that trust with builders and architects has been among the biggest reasons for their continued success. “They feel comfortable letting us build for both architectural and structural projects,” Gabour adds.