Q&D Construction is a Reno-based general contractor founded in 1964, working across Nevada, California and the Intermountain West. The firm self-performs concrete, structural steel erection and carpentry, and takes work through hard bid, design-build and CM-at-risk. Its portfolio runs to aviation terminals, healthcare, higher education, gaming and hospitality, public works and heavy civil. Q&D holds the Central Hall package at Spokane International Airport as a joint venture with Garco Construction under a CM/GC contract, a $195 million consolidated baggage claim and security checkpoint tying together all three of the airport’s concourses. The firm has stayed regionally focused rather than chasing national expansion, which is unusual for a builder of its age and size.
The first contract, in 1964, was a kitchen remodel. Norm Dianda is said to have sketched it on napkins over dinner and sealed it with a handshake, then worked out of a garage with a borrowed truck.
What followed was a series of deliberate group additions rather than general growth. Heavy/Civil came in 1983 for earthmoving, pad and utility work alongside developers and public agencies. A specialised concrete-structures team was formed inside that group in 1999 for building foundations and roadwork. The Aviation Group grew out of a 2008 partnership at Reno-Tahoe International Airport, where Construction Management at Risk delivered more than $70 million of work inside an operating terminal; the group now supplies badged, protocol-trained craft labour at airports around the country. Specialty Services launched in 2015 with demolition, flat, wall, hand and deep sawing, core drilling, interior excavation, saw and seal, grooving and grinding, and concrete rehabilitation including bridge deck preparation and polymer deck repairs. The Energy Group followed in 2017 for pipelines and generation facilities. The Mining Group is MSHA-certified and supports mine operations, expansion and repairs.
Ownership broadened in February 2018, when Lance Semenko, Jeff Bean, Duane Boreham, Toby Basta and Kevin Linderman joined Chris and Mike Dianda as owners. Semenko is CEO. The company holds Nevada contractor licence NCL 8197A&B and works from headquarters at 1050 S. 21st Street in Sparks.
The local project list reads as a tour of Reno: the Virginia Street Bridge, Golden Eagle Regional Park, the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center, the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum, Bishop Manogue Catholic High School and the Outlets at Legends. Current work includes the Lemmon Drive Diverging Diamond Interchange, Truckee Meadows data centers, the Glacier Park International Airport terminal expansion, CEMEX Paiute Pit reclamation and the Debbie Smith CTE High School.
Named clients span NDOT, the City of Reno, the City of Sparks, RTC Washoe, Tesla, the University of Nevada Reno, Truckee Meadows Water Authority, the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, NV Energy and Southwest Gas.
Specialty Services works both direct to owners and as a subcontractor to other general contractors, which is worth knowing if you are a GC needing sawing or selective demolition rather than a full builder.
