Why Richmond Construction Companies Need a PR Strategy—and What's at Stake If They Don't
Virginia's construction industry has never been more active nor more complex to navigate. From Richmond's urban transformation to a statewide economic development surge fueled by data centers, logistics hubs, and infrastructure investment, construction firms across the Commonwealth are busier than they've been in decades.
All of this growth creates visibility, but visibility without strategy creates risk.
For construction companies in the Richmond region, having a strong public relations (PR) and communications foundation is both the best offense and defense during a time of tremendous economic growth. In this article, we’ll explain why—and dive into what the most forward-thinking firms in the industry are doing about it.
Learn More About How Spry PR Works with Construction Firms in Richmond
Virginia's Construction Boom Is Real, and the Pressure Is On!
The numbers make the case plainly. Construction now contributes $38 billion to Virginia's economy, representing 5% of the state's total GDP — and the industry is growing. Between August 2024 and August 2025, Virginia added 12,700 construction jobs, a 5.8% year-over-year increase that ranked among the strongest in the nation.
In the Richmond region specifically, development momentum is accelerating on multiple fronts. For example, Sauer Properties released a master plan for a 2 million-square-foot mixed-use development between Broad Street and North Allen Avenue. The Diamond District, anchored by a new Flying Squirrels stadium and surrounded by planned mixed-income housing, commercial space, and retail, represents one of the most significant public-private redevelopment efforts in Richmond's recent history. Amazon's 2.7 million-square-foot robotics fulfillment center, now the largest building in Central Virginia, opened in Henrico County as part of a collaboration that created more than 1,100 regional jobs.
So, what does this activity means for construction firms? Well, to put it simply: More projects, more public attention (and scrutiny), more stakeholder relationships to manage, and more at stake when something goes wrong.
Your Reputation Isn't Just About Your Clients Anymore
Construction companies have historically measured their reputation by client satisfaction and project delivery. That's still necessary, of course, but it no longer covers all of your bases.
Today, a construction firm's reputation is shaped by a much broader set of stakeholders:
Communities that live and work adjacent to active project sites want transparency, early communication, and to feel heard
Local and state government officials make decisions about permits, zoning, and economic development partnerships based partly on who they trust and who they know
Investors and lenders evaluate risk through the lens of a firm's leadership stability, track record, and public standing
Prospective and current employees are paying attention to how firms represent themselves, especially in an era when workforce scarcity has made employer reputation a competitive advantage
A PR strategy for a Virginia construction firm is not about press releases; instead, it's about proactively shaping what each of these audiences believes about your company—in good and bad scenarios. The firms that wait until they need PR to think about PR will always be playing catch-up.
The Workforce Crisis is a PR Problem, and PR is Part of the Solution
Of all the pressures facing Virginia's construction companies right now, the skilled workforce shortage is perhaps the most immediate and the most consequential.
The statistics are stark. Nationally, 92% of construction firms report difficulty finding qualified workers, according to the Associated General Contractors of America's 2025 Workforce Survey. The industry needs to attract an estimated 439,000 additional workers in 2025 alone, on top of normal hiring, just to keep pace with demand. And over the next decade, the industry will need 1.9 million new workers to offset retirements and replace those leaving the field.
Virginia is not insulated from this. The AGC's 2025 survey found that contractors in Virginia were among those most likely to report workforce disruptions, with project delays directly tied to labor shortages. Meanwhile, the construction workforce is aging, and only a narrow pipeline of young workers is entering the field.
Locally, this challenge is also present and pressing. In June 2026, the Richmond Ed Fund, a nonprofit that helps fund initiatives within Richmond Public Schools, was awarded an $8m grant by Bloomberg Philanthropies. The money will go toward a new program, RVA Builds, with the goal of aiding 500 Richmond students in completing paid, work-based experiences in skilled trades over the next three school years.
The money, interest, and future workforce is there—but how can you use a communications strategy to make these factors work for your construction firm?
The Power of a Solid Employer Brand
An employer brand is how a company presents itself to prospective and current employees. ‘Employer brand’ as a concept isn’t relegated to Silicon Valley startups; it applies with equal validity to the construction industry. The firms best positioned to win the talent competition in Virginia are telling better stories about career advancement, training investments, the meaning of building something that lasts, and what it's like to work with them.
PR is a key player in that story. Media coverage of a firm's apprenticeship program, a profile of a foreman who started as a laborer and moved into project management, a campaign targeting technical and trade school students in the Richmond region—these are not marketing luxuries. They are recruiting tools with a measurable return.
Measurable how? Consider this example: Replacing a skilled construction worker can cost up to 50% of their annual salary. Reducing turnover by strengthening employer brand is a quantifiable financial advantage.
Virginia's Economic Development Pipeline Rewards the Companies That Are Well-Known
Virginia's investment in economic development is substantial and growing. The state spent $4.1 billion on economic development incentive programs between FY2014 and FY2023 — and that infrastructure, combined with major projects like the Port of Virginia's deepwater expansion and the ongoing influx of data center and logistics investment, has positioned Virginia as one of the most active business attraction markets in the country.
For construction firms, this means a sustained and growing pipeline of public and private work. But it also means increased competition for marquee projects and a procurement environment where reputation, relationships, and public standing increasingly influence who gets invited to the table.
Richmond, in particular, is drawing attention as one of the top secondary commercial real estate markets in the Mid-Atlantic, with analysts pointing to its affordability, entitlement processes, and population inflow from Northern Virginia, DC, and the Carolinas as structural advantages.
The Virginia Enterprise Zone program, which the City of Richmond participates in, provides investment grants specifically for eligible commercial, industrial, and mixed-use construction projects. These opportunities attract developers and project owners who need construction partners with credibility and good community standing.
Brand awareness and media presence are not separate from business development in this environment. They are an active part of it. A construction firm that regularly appears in Richmond BizSense, in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, in Virginia Business Magazine, and in relevant trade publications has a different starting position in a competitive bid conversation than one that doesn't.
What the Right PR Partner Looks Like for a Richmond Construction Firm
The most important thing to understand about PR for construction companies is that it requires genuine industry knowledge. A PR partner who doesn't understand entitlement risk, subcontractor relationships, prevailing wage dynamics, or how project announcements interact with community sentiment will not serve a construction client well.
At Spry PR, we bring both. We are a Richmond-based public relations agency with specialized experience in the built environment, manufacturing, and complex B2B industries—and we work across the full stakeholder landscape that construction firms face.
That means:
Proactive media relationships with Richmond's local and regional business press, before you need them
Strategic reputation counsel that considers clients, communities, employees, investors, and government officials
Employer brand programs designed to move the needle on recruiting and retention in a competitive labor market
Thought leadership that positions your principals as voices in Richmond's economic conversation
Crisis-ready infrastructure so that when something goes sideways—and in construction, something always does—you're not starting from zero
Virginia's construction sector is at an inflection point. The opportunity is significant. The complexity is real. And the firms that invest in how they are perceived—by the full range of people who matter—will have a meaningful competitive advantage over those that don't.
Ready to build your reputation?
Spry PR works with Richmond-area construction companies that are ready to think strategically about their public standing. We'd welcome a conversation.
