The Digital Blueprint: How Digital Construction is Changing the Way Dovetail Builds
Co-owner Chad Rollins and Digital Construction Director Ethan Romnor recently discussed how the Digital Construction department came to be, how it’s evolved since, and what excites them about the future of the department at Dovetail.
Augmented Reality has become a staple tool for our teams to view models within the context of the site.
When was the first time you heard the term “Digital Construction?”
CR: The first time I was exposed to ‘digital construction’ was during Wilmott’s Ghost (Serra), when Hola-day Parks, a mechanical subcontractor, ran clash detection on the project.
ER: I don’t think I heard “Digital Construction” until 2021, when the term started catching on more. Before that, it was all just considered “BIM” or “VDC” — even though that didn’t cover half the tools we were using. Like Chad, my first real intro to VDC (Virtual Design and Construction) was back in 2018 on Wilmott’s Ghost, when HP ran the trade coordination. That was my light bulb moment.
Can you roughly create a timeline of how Dovetail’s DC department came to be?
ER: It started in 2018 when Chad and Scott asked me how we could start using a 3D scanner and robotic total station they’d picked up.
We jumped in. I used the total station on several projects to speed up the layout by pulling directly from the designer’s CAD files. The 3D scanner helped us capture accurate existing conditions in the spaces we were building in, which made it much easier to coordinate new design-build scopes. Over time, it shifted from solving one-off issues to building repeatable workflows — each one building on the last. I moved into the role full-time in 2019, and we’ve been building on it with success stories ever since.
Was there a firm or other GC whose work in this field inspired you to implement these services at Dovetail?
CR: Spearhead and Hola-day Parks.
ER: Definitely. Hola-day Parks was the first one that made me stop and think — we could do that. Spearhead gave me another layer of insight, especially around how modeling can truly shape preconstruction planning. What they do is amazing! Skanska’s work, both in Sweden and the U.S., stood out for how deeply they were invested in VDC. Sellen too — the coordination on the Amazon Spheres was just as impressive as the design and engineering.
What was the driving force that made you buy into the efficacy of DC services?
CR: When we can model it as a builder with deep design roots, it’s a win for all. No team can bring a scope to bear without the collective buy-in across all parties. Architect, Engineer, GC, Subcontractor, and Vendor are all equal voices, and stewarding this process through digital construction aims to bring those voices into clarity.
ER: Our role as the GC was the driving force. We’re in the best position to help design transition from paper to something real — and the more foresight we bring while it’s still digital, the more design intent we can preserve.
Chad, as an owner, what drew you to DC being an in-house service Dovetail?
CR: I say this often, ‘It’s hard enough to do when it’s going well.’ To this end, seeing the project and all its connective tissue is essential to the success of the project. Doing this digitally to get closer to a unified approach is an excellent return on investment. Our projects have real complexity that deserves the support of expert modeling to ensure the project can be built as intended. MEP systems are notoriously left as design-build scopes and the net impact on structure and architecture can be significant if not coordinated carefully. MEP is a primary focus and there are countless other opportunities in all projects to leverage the expertise of digital construction.
Ethan, can you walk through your career growth and how you landed as the DC Director at Dovetail?
ER: I graduated during the recession when job openings in urban planning were scarce, so I shifted gears and set out to gain hands-on experience.
I started as a laborer building a house in Bellingham. I walked onto a job site and asked if they needed help. The builder, an enigmatic but affable guy, asked if I knew how to use a worm drive, handed it to me and asked if I could cut a joist. The cut was straight-ish. I got the job!
After that project, I landed a job at an architectural metal shop as a drafter. I took field dimensions, used the forklift to receive deliveries and ground welds, and prepared for installs. Over time, I started managing all the project scopes — pricing, drawing, coordinating — and I learned what it took to see a project through from start to finish. As a subcontractor for Dovetail, I worked with Chad, so I jumped at the opportunity to work with him directly.
When I joined Dovetail, I started as a Project Engineer. I recently realized I was the first Project Engineer. If I weren’t constantly reminded of my age by my young kiddos, I’d be more surprised by how long I’ve been here. My Project Engineer assistance centered around producing construction drawings for the field, a natural evolution from my role in a metal shop. As I grew in the role, I helped refine internal systems, supported teams in standardizing tech use, and had a few projects as a Project Manager. A standout moment was acting as both PM and SUP on a project I helped design. Again, the hands-on experience was invaluable. Later, I returned to Dovetail’s metal shop where I honed my skill in translating complex scopes into clear shop drawings — only communicating what the end user needed.
Once I had the ah-ha moment that Dovetail needed its own Digital Construction Department, Scott and Chad were both supportive and challenged me to find creative ways to help our field teams solve problems with this new set of tools. I am deeply grateful for their trust and encouragement. Chad, in particular, has been my mentor and I couldn’t be luckier.
Along the way, I came to understand that my craft is visual communication: taking complex building information and translating it into concise, usable graphics. Now, as Director of Digital Construction, I get to use my craft in new ways that strengthen how we collaborate and build.
Of all the projects Chad and Ethan have worked on, the floating stair from the Perch Residence stands out. Visually, it marks a clear step toward advanced digital construction graphics. The detailed exploded view exemplifies the level of precision often used in supportive BIM modeling.
Can you talk about the first “big moment” where our DC department made a significant impact on the quality, efficiency, or clash conflict of a project?
ER: For me, the first project where we really saw the impact of our work was Scout Lake. It was our first time running a VDC process ourselves, building on what we’d observed on Wilmott’s Ghost. We coordinated the engineering with the lighting layout and the Warmboard system, and the results were immediate. It set our framer up for success, helped us catch gaps in the lighting package, and kept MEP penetrations from compromising the Warmboard. It was proof that we could help preserve design intent and make the build more efficient.
CR: House in the Woods will forever remain a project that utilized digital construction services in a way that was instrumental and essential to the success of the project. It could not have been achieved in the same timeframe without negatively impacting the architecture. It was germane to retaining the highest levels of architectural intent.
Scout Lake was the first VDC Project at Dovetail—Resolving lighting conflicts helped framing adjustments and helped inform the framing layout.
How have Dovetail’s DC services evolved since you first started out?
CR: Ethan and I have worked closely for decades. At the onset of our relationship, he was particularly successful in creating very detailed shop drawings for specific facets of projects that would have traditionally been subcontracted to others. His ability to capture what was intended from a constructability standpoint was magical on projects like City Cabin, Whidbey Island Farmhouse, and many others. Fast forward, securing Total Station for layout and his ongoing ability to effectively model and (simply) communicate complexities in projects so that all parties can work to resolve them is his greatest strength. Using Gamma and other onsite visualization tools is next level in the sense of contextualizing work for the people in the field. Modeling in isolation without always remembering who intends to use this information (people in the field) is a lost cause and misses the mark. The best version is the day a plumber on site, can see, in 3D, the intended sequence of work, all its adjacencies, and how they need to come together to create the whole.
ER: One of the biggest has been what we call photo mapping — basically Google Street View for the jobsite. We capture 360° images as the job progresses, phase by phase with OpenSpace. It’s a simple way to document what’s happening and an even easier way to look back and verify what was there. We’ve also brought augmented reality into the field with GAMMA-AR. It gives our teams the most intuitive way to interact with the coordination model, because they’re seeing it in context, right where the work is happening.
We’ve taken on bigger, more complex projects over time. We’ve also gotten better at talking through the tools we use, how they help, and why they matter.
A fun machining shop drawing of a brass shelf that Ethan and Chad closely collaborated on. Early in their careers working together, they were part of the team responsible for engineering the fabrication of this piece.
Where have you seen the greatest benefits when a project utilizes DC services?
CR: The highest value is a scaled approach with a succinct focus on solving the most obvious need, rather than a blanket approach. In estimating, earthwork take-offs are essential. During preconstruction, a metered and critical look at HVAC distribution is high value as it relates to the primary structure. Integration of MEP systems is often not accounted for in the design process until the builder gets involved and it is an essential touch point and place. When we’re on board early, we bring tremendous value.
ER: When we're plugged in from the start and involved with both our management team and the design team, it makes a big difference. That early involvement means every problem we solve after that is built on work we already know is coordinated and reliable.
While it is common to associate Digital Construction with commercial projects, how do you see it shaping the future of the residential construction industry?
CR: I think we are entering into this at an exciting time and can influence the industry positively.
ER: Digital Construction is often associated with commercial work, but we’ve seen how useful it can be in residential projects too. People tend to think it’s unnecessary, but high-end residential comes with tighter constraints — and the expectations around finishes are often higher than in commercial work. When you’re trying to make full-height windows work alongside structure and systems, having visibility into how everything fits is essential.
As the tools get easier to use and the industry gets more comfortable with them, it’s becoming simpler to bring that same value into residential work.
What do you wish every architect knew about DC services?
CR: I wish every architect knew that this is a service we provide, we have competent staff that can assist with this effort, and it is unique for a firm our size to have this offering. The hard part about this is that there is often a misconception in this industry that once architects and engineers have provided their services, the builders should just build. The reality is that our industry desperately needs to engage in preconstruction services with a progressive stance where the builder’s value is truly on par with the design team’s.
ER: I want every architect to know that, like the rest of Dovetail, we’re low ego, we love good design, and we’re genuinely excited to collaborate with you. When we join the team during schematics, it helps connect design goals to construction needs early — keeping the project moving smoothly.
Pictured left, mechanical routing through a structure. Pictured right, excavation cut and fill diagram. Simple diagrams turn complexity into clarity, keeping all project teams aligned and informed throughout development.
What do you wish every client knew about DC services?
CR: A builder’s expertise during preconstruction is the best money spent, and they should invest in that endeavor. The resources that build high-end residential projects are largely finite with the same people utilizing the same subcontractors; however, Dovetail is unique in how we work with our trade partners and design teams to solidify scopes of work with higher levels of understanding across all parties.
ER: I want every client to know we’ve found that the best way to keep a project on track is to prevent issues before they turn into real costs. Digital Construction isn’t an added layer — it’s the most effective ways we identify problems early to keep them off the site. It’s not extra — it’s how we protect your time, your investment, and what you’ve worked hard to plan for. If that kind of help sounds valuable, it’s worth asking the design team to bring us in early while the plans are still coming together, so we can offer that support.
What excites you most about the future of Digital Construction at Dovetail?
CR: Our firm’s continued ability to invest, teach, and attempt to shift the industry towards adapting these practices as a normal part of project development.
ER: I get excited about people feeling empowered by the tools — when they see how they can use them to solve real problems and make their work easier.