Pre-Con Construction of Florida Emphasizes Transparency, Relationship Building

Michael Huff has worked in several areas of construction, but he’s found the one job he likes the most – construction management – at Pre-Con Construction of Florida. 

Started in 1990 by Dewey Turbeville as Pre-Con Construction, the company now includes several businesses, including the one Huff became president of in June 2018. 

The construction management firm specializes in providing general contracting, construction management and design/build to commercial, institutional and industrial projects. It works with clients during every phase of a project: from a preliminary evaluation of the project, to scheduling and permitting it, to close-out and warranty management.  

Pre-Con Construction’s Philosophy

The company philosophy is simple, Huff said: “We provide quality project management at a fair price.” 

They do that by paying attention to overhead costs and project details, communicating with all team members, and working with quality subcontractors. 

Also ensuring a safe work environment is high on the list of importance. He said he once wrote a safety handbook for a company, and he makes sure his superintendents follow it. “It’s not about getting it done, it’s about going home to your family. We have a zero-tolerance policy.” 

Building Genuine Relationships

In addition to providing quality project management at a fair price, Huff said the company “always tries to help owners find ways to get what they want at a more reasonable price.” 

He believes good relationships potentially lead to repeat business. “If I can’t use a person as a reference when I’m done, then I’ve failed. I spend a lot of time working with my customers, helping them with design, helping them figure out what they really want. They may get to a point where they say, that’s too much, I’m going elsewhere. That happens. When I do get the project, it’s worth it. I get repeat clients because of that.”  

“Honesty and transparency form the basis for relationships. In construction, we believe you’re buying not just a building, rather an ongoing relationship with your builder. When you meet with the people who will build your facility, you should leave with a sense of trust, honesty and integrity.” 

Michael Huff on Pre-Con Construction of Florida via LinkedIn

Huff said that “lack of communication in construction is what causes most of the problems. Construction is such a different business than anything else people do. We have our own Florida Statutes that govern accounting. Marketing is different. You don’t understand it unless you’re involved in it. It takes a lot of time to educate owners and what they expect so they can understand how projects should succeed.”  

Huff’s Background

Huff has worked on and off with Dewey Turbeville, who owns the Pre-Con family of businesses. Turbeville maintains a fleet of cranes, trucks, trailers, lifts and other equipment required to support the construction effort. 

“He does pre-cast erection, parking garages. I’ve done all that with him,” Huff said.  

Huff has tackled a variety of jobs in the construction industry, starting as a project manager in 1995. He then went to work with Turbeville as vice president of Pre-Con Construction, before becoming construction project manager for TriMar Construction for six years. 

For the next three years he worked as the construction manager for Central Beef in Webster, where he did “contracting work for the owner and was learning the beef business,” he said. Eventually he returned as construction manager for Pre-Con Construction of Tampa for a year, building projects around the Southeast. 

He then became senior project manager for A.D. Morgan Corp., where he oversaw the construction of Polk State College’s Center for Public Safety. 

The Birth of Pre-Con Construction of Florida

After a short stint with Miller Construction Management, Huff again returned to partner with Turbeville in 2018.

The two had been talking about starting a construction company, so they rebranded Pre-Con Construction of Tampa to make it more of a statewide company. Pre-Con Construction of Florida was then born with Huff as president.  

Huff once again was pursuing what he liked most — the construction management side of the business.  

“You’re up front with owners, all your costs are transparent,” he said. “You’re building relationships, and I love having those great relationships with owners.” 

Those relationships are still paying off. For instance, he said, A.D. Morgan still asks him to manage projects in Polk County. Two recently completed ones are Garner and Kathleen elementaries. He’s now working for the company as construction manager for Polk State College’s new nursing facility being built in Haines City. 

Huff said one of his favorite projects has been the addition and renovation of My Pets Animal Hospital in Lakeland. “It was a unique project, working with animals. I worked on an addition to the elephant containment area at Lowry Park Zoo and had to put in an elephant water fountain. I always get to learn new things.” 

Pre-Con Construction of Florida has also worked on parking garages, theme parks, cold storage, restaurants and more. 

Giving Back

Huff, a graduate of Leadership Lakeland Class 34, serves on the board of the Lakeland Rotary Club and is active with Lakeland Business Leaders. 

He encourages his employees to get involved. “We deliver boxes for VISTE (Volunteers in Service to the Elderly). We have information in our safety manual to ensure we are aware of and can spot human trafficking, what we need to watch for. We’re in a unique position to see what’s going on in neighborhoods. That also includes labor trafficking.” 

Huff has also been involved with Flight to Honor, which provides veterans with the opportunity to fly to Washington, D.C., to be honored and visit several memorials. He was team leader on the last mission. 

The company also donates to organizations like Camp Fire Sunshine Central Florida and the Pace Center for Girls.