The Buck Stops Here
Axiom Construction Services Group cuts no corners in getting the job done right
For Axiom Construction Services Group, LLC (Axiom), a project isn’t just a business transaction that ends with a job’s completion. “We stand behind our work long after we’re done,” says Deib Mougrabi, who is Director of Field Operations and Co-Founder of the company along with Bill Wiemer.
When a local fire station began to experience a leak eight years after it was built, it didn’t matter that the project was completed by the former employer of Deib and Bill. The two got in touch with the subcontractor who originally performed the work and had him make the repair at the subcontractor’s expense.
“We had maintained a good relationship with the fire department over the years. The fire chief had our personal phone numbers and gave us a call. Once we figured out what was wrong, we went back to the subcontractor and had him repair what he had installed incorrectly,” Deib says.
That level of integrity has driven Axiom’s rapid growth over the years, according to Bill. “When Deib and I formed this company in 2010, we had no idea it would grow to this level,” he says. In just 10 years, the business has grown from taking on small $100,000 projects to managing large municipal projects across Southeastern Michigan valued at $50 million or more.
Headquartered in Whitmore Lake, Michigan, the firm provides general contracting and construction management services on projects for public entities, including fire stations, educational facilities, police stations, correctional facilities, health care systems and libraries. Additional services include feasibility studies, design-build, planning and budget development.
“We have built our reputation on doing what’s right. The buck stops at our desk,” Bill says. “In all the years that Deib and I have worked together, we have never failed to deliver a project under budget and ahead of schedule.”
Where It Began
Deib and Bill met years before Axiom’s start. The two worked for a prominent local architectural firm, managing its construction management division. “Together, we managed over $70 million worth of work for school districts, fire stations, community centers and police stations,” Deib says.
Though the two ended up in the same industry, they had very different beginnings. “I was born into the construction industry. I took my first ride on a bulldozer when I was just 4 years old,” Bill says. “I knew I could make money in this business, and I could support a family.”
In his early years, Bill worked for his dad’s construction company, training in a variety of positions—from laborer to cement finisher to carpenter. Later, Bill served as a cost consultant for clients such as Chrysler and Ford. “Each year, the plants would be updated to accommodate the new car models. I’d manage the construction services and cost controls needed for those changeovers,” he says.
After a three-year tenure in the U.S. Marine Corps, Bill put himself through night school at Lawrence Technological University, eventually becoming a civil engineer. “I found that where I really excelled was project management and estimating,” he says.
While Bill was born into construction, Deib came into the industry through his love for architecture. “After serving in the military for several years, I began studying architecture at Henry Ford College,” he says. “I soon realized that I didn’t have the patience to be an architect and transitioned into construction management.” As a carpenter, Deib found that he liked working with his hands. “I loved being on a project site. During school I trained in a variety of disciplines, including carpentry, glass and glazing, and roofing,” he says.
Deib’s attention to detail catapulted him up the career ladder. “I landed a job with a developer, sweeping floors. Within six months, management moved me to the service department, giving me a 12-inch stack of service work that had been ignored. I cleared up that entire stack within two months. My boss was so impressed, I became a post-project superintendent, conducting walk-throughs with homeowners and identifying service work that needed to be completed before a home’s closing,” he says.
When Deib was just 26 years old, he became site superintendent on an $8 million commercial project for the architectural firm where he eventually met Bill. “When I started that job, they handed me the construction documents and the spec book. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I spent a lot of long days, nights and weekends looking over drawings and reading specs,” Deib says.
About halfway through that project, Bill joined the same firm, heading up the new construction management division. “I helped Deib have a better understanding of institutional work and to foresee and resolve problems before they arise,” Bill says. The two enjoyed working together and continued to produce successful projects until December 2009, when Deib and Bill—along with the rest of the employees—found themselves out of a job when the architectural firm went out of business.
“We cried in our beer for a few months,” Bill recalls. “But Deib and I kept in constant contact with one another and finally decided that when you’re at the bottom of the barrel, the only way to look is up.” The two subsequently formed Axiom. “We decided on the name Axiom, as it means a statement or proposition that requires no proof as the truth is self-evident,” Bill adds. In the beginning, the two tried incorporating a few other partners. “None would or could make a time or financial commitment so—being confident in our abilities but still a bit nervous—we dove in by ourselves,” he notes.
Growing Bonding Confidence
While the two were well attuned to working with municipal entities, the bond process took some getting used to at first. “A bond is essentially an insurance policy,” Deib explains. “When you do public work, you have to be bonded if the project is over $50,000.” Though the bond ensures completion of a job, the bond company expects to be repaid, according to Bill. “In order to be bonded, we—and our wives—had to sign a guarantee. If something goes wrong, the bond company can take your home, your boat, your car. Deib and I had always drawn a paycheck and never had to worry about bonding. It was a little daunting at first.”
In Axiom’s first year in business, the company was bonded for just $250,000. But with each successfully completed job, Axiom’s bond maximum increased. “In 2020, we are bonded for $12 million. It’s testament to how seriously we take our work,” Deib says.
Dedication to Quality Work
Deib and Bill take their work so seriously that others have tried to poach the duo—from their own company.
“Bill and Deib are out on the job site each and every day,” says, Karie Mougrabi, who serves as Office Administrator and manages accounting for the firm. “Clients and client representatives will see how hard they’re working and try to get them to come work for their own companies. And, of course, Deib and Bill have to tell them that they are actually Axiom’s owners.”
“We have no problem picking up a broom and sweeping,” Deib says. “Owners are surprised to see us out there getting our hands dirty. No one person in this company is above another person. We all work hard.”
“We have built our reputation on doing what’s right. The buck stops at our desk. In all the years that Deib and I have worked together, we have never failed to deliver a project under budget and ahead of schedule.” Bill Wiemer, Co-Founder, Axiom Construction Services Group, LLC
Rapid Growth
Balancing the demanding workload was challenging for the duo in Axiom’s early years. “In our first year, we did $350,000 worth of work. By our second year in 2012, we had $3 million, and in 2013, we had $4.2 million worth of work. By 2014, we were up to $7.3 million,” Deib says.
In 2013, Axiom was managing 17 projects. “We’d drive from one project to the next,” Bill says. “We were on the road at 6 a.m. By 6 p.m., we’d meet at the office to discuss our game plan for the next day. Then we’d bring home our laptops to work on billing and payables until midnight. That’s how Karie got roped into helping.”
Then a stay-at-home mom, Karie began to come into the office to take on bookkeeping duties. By the time Bill retired in October 2015, Karie was managing insurance policies and bonding certificates.
“Later on, we added an additional employee just for submittals,” Deib says. He explains that with a public works project, the architect must review and approve all materials before installation. “From toilet partitions to glass and glazing to light fixtures, anything that’s in a building must be submitted to the architect. It’s a full-time job.”
Today, though Axiom averages $6 million to $7 million in annual work, project sizes are much larger than in those early years. Now, the company manages nine or 10 projects each year. In 10 years, Axiom has gone from two employees officed out of a 200-square-foot space to an 8,000-square-foot headquarters for its six employees. Although retired, Bill is always available when needed. “Deib knows I’m just a phone call away,” he says.
Proactive Problem-Solvers
Bill and Deib consider their experience working for an architectural firm to be an advantage for the company. “We worked for an architectural firm that had a construction division, which is rare. It allowed us to see the industry from both sides of the fence. We know how architects think and how they work,” Deib says. “Plus, when we’d have a problem, we didn’t have to wait. We’d walk right down the hall to get an answer.”
The business continues to be efficient in finding solutions to potential roadblocks. “We’re problem-solvers,” Bill says. “As the construction manager and general contractor, we’re going to ask the difficult questions. But we’re also going to provide two or three different solutions. That’s what helps us get jobs done on time and on schedule. Plus, it helps us form great working relationships with our clients, architects and subcontractors.”
Commitment to the Trades
One of Axiom’s favorite projects is a 23,488-square-foot recreational center. The $3 million project involved the renovation of the gymnasium, as well as removal of the facility’s walls and existing foundation. “We had to shore and scaffold the existing roofing system while we rebuilt the walls and added a new foundation, all while the existing building was occupied and operational,” Deib says.
Another project took Deib back to school, literally. “We renovated the pool at my alma mater in Dearborn Heights. I kept running into my teachers, who were frankly surprised I was still alive,” Deib jokes. “I struggled in school, so it was great for them to see that I was doing well and that I own my own business.”
Both Deib and Bill have an unwavering commitment to children and to promoting the trades. “We encourage young adults to look into our field and to work on our job sites,” Bill says. The company even takes time to talk with students about the practical applications of math and science. Axiom rebuilt two chemistry labs at the Washtenaw International High School & Middle Academy in Ypsilanti, which is a school for high-achieving students, according to Bill. “I’d hear kids talking about Einstein’s theory of relativity in the hallways,” he says. “I gave lectures to both the science and math classes there while on site.”
In addition to promoting the trades and talking with students, the company also lends its support to local sports teams and sponsors families in need at Christmas.
Earning Respect
Deib and Bill believe that when mistakes happen, it’s what you do afterward that makes the difference.
“At Defer Elementary School in Grosse Pointe Park, we had a subcontractor who was a nightmare from hell,” Bill says. “The students were coming back to school in the fall and the administration was worried about getting the bathroom renovation done. We terminated the contractor, paid them in full and retained a new contractor to make all corrections necessary. After school had resumed, we worked each night until 4 a.m., tearing down walls one at a time and rebuilding each wall the next night. We made sure the area was spotless and safe for children to use every morning.” Bill adds that all of the corrections were accomplished at Axiom’s expense.
The school district’s facilities director was so impressed with Axiom’s integrity that the company has gone on to do five additional projects for the district. “We honor what we say we’re going to do, and we stand behind our work. It’s how we do business at Axiom,” Deib says.