Baton Rouge construction roundup: costs rise, firms expand

Baton Rouge, LA, October 8, 2025

News Summary

Rising material costs and federal tariffs have pushed budgets higher across Baton Rouge-area construction projects, forcing contractors and public owners to rework bids and pursue value-engineering. Family-run and regional builders are combining people-first service with modern tools and safety programs, while a large electrical contractor is rapidly expanding into data centers and semiconductor projects nationwide. Workforce development, internships and tighter contingency planning are common responses to a skilled labor shortage. Long-term road improvements funded by a half-cent sales tax continue delivering staged projects, with several completions and many more under construction.

Baton Rouge construction roundup: costs rise, local firms expand, road program advances

The Baton Rouge-area construction scene is juggling rising material costs, community-focused builders keeping a people-first approach, a major contractor expanding nationwide into technology projects, and steady progress on a long-term road program. At the top of the list are inflation and tariffs that have driven up project budgets for local school work, followed by updates from a family-run firm that emphasizes relationships, a regional developer known for resilient housing, and a large electrical contractor moving fast into data centers and chip plants.

Inflation and tariffs driving school project costs higher

Rollover inflation from the pandemic, coupled with federal tariffs on wood and steel, has pushed material costs sharply upward and left contractors and public officials reworking budgets and bids. For government-funded projects that use a bidding process, unexpected material price jumps can mean final costs exceed original estimates. Brownfields Elementary was initially bid at $25.1 million in 2023 and now has a budget of $28.9 million. Likewise, The Baton Rouge Center for Visual and Performing Arts was budgeted at $28.1 million in 2023 and has grown to over $34.4 million.

Project managers report notable increases in wood, cabinets, upholstery and other raw materials. One general contractor said months ago they saw roughly a 25% increase and expect another 10–25% rise. Demolition comparisons show sharp escalation: Banks Elementary demolition was paid at $290,000 in 2021 for similar work; current demolition and remodel costs are expected to exceed $500,000 by completion. Officials say careful planning and scope adjustments are required to manage constrained public budgets.

Wesley Construction: a people-first family legacy with modern steps

A Baton Rouge-based family company that began in 1984 continues to put relationships and craftsmanship first even as it adopts modern tools. The firm started when there were no computers and used paper files, with checks written by hand and business done primarily in person or by telephone; an email address was eventually added for the company. A second-generation leader joined the firm in 2019 after working elsewhere and intentionally learned the company’s old methods before making operational changes.

Today the company has added direct deposit, social media and Procore construction management software while maintaining a one-stop-shop approach to keep clients returning for new construction, renovations and maintenance. The firm has worked in 33 states and just finished a project in Eugene, Oregon. One of the most rewarding projects for the firm has been the renovation of New Orleans’ Roosevelt Hotel, and the company’s contact information is listed as 10182 Patriot Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70816; phone 225.753.5600; website wesleyusa.com.

Grant Ethridge Construction: quality, safety and community focus

A regional builder that began in 2012 focused on multifamily construction before moving into commercial work. The company emphasizes quality, innovation, efficiency and safety across multifamily and commercial divisions. Projects include housing such as Progress Park and Hollywood Acres and restaurant buildouts in Baton Rouge. One apartment project received the first Fortified Gold Multifamily Designation to withstand a Category 3 hurricane and performed well during Category 4 Hurricane Ida in 2021.

The firm assigns a field superintendent and a project manager to each project, holds biweekly owner-architect-contractor meetings, and uses Procore for project management. It has partnered with a safety firm so safety is a daily practice, runs an internship program that trains construction management students into project managers, and supports local causes through race sponsorships and fundraising involvement dedicated to families who have experienced the loss of a child.

MMR Group’s rapid, nationwide expansion into tech and power work

A Baton Rouge-based electrical and instrumentation contractor founded in 1991 has grown from oil and gas roots into a roughly 10,000-person company that works across North America on LNG terminals, hyperscale data centers and semiconductor plants. MMR’s annual revenue grew by 75% in 2024 to more than $2.3 billion (figure provided by the company). The firm has more than two dozen offices and recently opened a regional headquarters in Salt Lake City to oversee major projects in the West.

The company was an electrical contractor on a large LNG export facility in Plaquemines and is overseeing electrical wiring work at a large semiconductor complex on the outskirts of Boise, Idaho. The Boise project is among several mega-projects tied to government subsidies for critical technology and is described as the largest private investment in Idaho history. The company’s leader says the firm will remain privately owned and based in Baton Rouge and notes the company has likely done more electrical work on LNG terminals than almost anyone else in the country.

The firm also recruits heavily from a major state university, has launched a two-year workforce development program to accelerate student readiness, and has made multi-million-dollar donations to support construction management education and athletic recruiting initiatives.

MoveEBR road program: long-term sales tax funding and steady delivery

Voters approved a half-cent sales tax in 2018 to fund 71 road projects, creating the MoveEBR program. The tax took effect on April 1, 2019, and will remain in place until March 31, 2049. Some original projects were split into smaller efforts for a total of 139 projects; to date, 27 MoveEBR projects have been completed. The most recent ribbon-cutting on Aug. 1 opened a new two-lane road from Picardy Avenue to Constantin Boulevard. Several additional MoveEBR projects are under active construction or about to begin.

What this means for local construction markets

Builders and owners are adapting: public projects need tighter contingency planning and contractors are examining value-engineering options with owners and suppliers. Local firms with deep community roots emphasize relationships and a one-stop approach to retain clients, while larger contractors are using oil-and-gas experience to enter power, data center and semiconductor markets nationwide. Workforce development and internships are common responses to a continued shortage of skilled craftspeople and project managers.

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Additional Resources

• Business Report: Wesley Construction embarks on a second generation with a focus on quality, relationships and craftsmanship
• Wikipedia: Construction
• WAFB: Rising construction costs challenge school projects in East Baton Rouge
• Google Search: Baton Rouge school construction rising costs 2025
• Business Report: For the Record — GECs’ hands-on approach results in projects finished on time and on budget
• Google Scholar: construction cost escalation school projects
• 1012 Industry Report: Hut 8 breaks ground on massive data center north of Baton Rouge
• Encyclopedia Britannica: data center
• NOLA.com: Baton Rouge electrical contractor MMR expands into AI, data centers and LNG work
• Google News: MMR Group data centers Baton Rouge

Author: Construction FL News

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