Joseph H. Neumann President 1957 - 1962	James J. Neumann President 1962 - 1994	Philip J. Neumann President 1994 - Current

History & Philosophy | Universal Contracting Corporation

Universal Contracting Corporation, headquartered in Cincinnati since its inception in 1957, is a premier Cincinnati General Contractor for the entire Southwestern Ohio region who has grown into a single source contractor providing preplanning - from project estimating and budgeting to project completion.

During the late 1950's and early 1960's, Cincinnati experienced major suburban growth resulting in a large influx of church, school, and commercial construction in both the private and public sectors. This allowed Universal to break into Construction Services and we quickly established ourselves as a key player.

In addition to it's new work emerging in suburban Greater Cincinnati, Universal expanded into the Industrial field, in both new construction and industrial plant renovation. Beginning with the Formica Corporation, next Hilton Davis Chemical Company, and later with the General Electric Aircraft Engine Division, Universal established itself as a leader in Cincinnati. Universal also performed a more modest amount of work at several substantial Cincinnati-based and nationally based industrial companies.

Today, Universal Contracting Corporation is an aggressive, medium-sized construction design firm operating exclusively in the Greater Cincinnati area.

Our single source philosophy has enabled this Cincinnati General Contractor to boast that since 1985, over 90% of the projects constructed by Universal Contracting were done for repeat owners. A testimony to the satisfaction enjoyed by our clients. Our knowledge of the tough jobs, the ones in high-density locations, the ones that call for intensive supervision, is your assurance of a quality, on-time completion date. We know the labor market, the building costs, and the unique qualities in our slice of middle America - we know how to build here specifically for you.

Universal firmly believes in the partnering approach to building construction or commercial remodeling and what works best for you - the customer. We also extend this partnering to the trade contractors we work with on our projects. Construction Contractors work best when they work outside of any "preconceived vacuum." We view trade contractors as an integral part of the team who bring knowledge and resources to the partnership to benefit the entire team. Through our extensive experience, we can advise you on a format that best suits your project - bid, Construction Management, Design Build, lump sum, or plus guaranteed maximum.

The best method for coordinating various trade contractors is to first plan the work, monitor the progress, and make changes when needed. Universal accomplishes this by preparing the project schedule and having weekly foreman meetings held on-site with the various trade contractors to fine-tune the schedule. Construction is a dynamic process, and the lines of communication must be kept open for the vision to become a reality, so Universal, as one of the top Cincinnati construction builders, is the best choice for coordinating your next project.

Since 1957, Universal has established a reputation for excellence in project management and workmanship as well as a leader in ethics and professionalism. The number of the firm's members chosen to serve by their peers in local industry related organizations reaffirms this statement. Universal's staff includes both professional consultants and experienced tradesmen. This natural combination provides clients with outstanding cost control, scheduling, quality control, and overall project administration. Universal's experience includes both competitive bids through the general contracting method and negotiated projects through the CM process. Each project undertaken is assigned a project team with the best resources to effectively manage the challenges and needs of each client. They will use their experience and resources to help administer your project smoothly and successfully.

Universal Contracting Corporation has maintained a strong commitment to work in harmony with all members of the building team - the owners, architects, and engineers. We view each member as an important player in our partnership approach and this is how we complete our projects in the shortest possible time and within budget! We are a state-of-the-art general contractor with tremendous single source capabilities capable of completing a project we will both be proud of. Your project is too important to settle for anything other than a company whose track record proves they can provide uncommon service… a company with old-fashioned values… a company that does what it says it will do for you.