Trust & Safety

Check us the way a risk manager would

Q: What is Eleven Western’s safety record?

Safety is run by field leadership, not a binder: dedicated safety oversight under our VP of Field Operations, OSHA-compliant programs on every site, and an EMR consistently below the industry average. Current EMR documentation is available to clients and partners on request.

Q: Is Eleven Western bonded and insured?

Yes — $150M aggregate bonding capacity, $2M/$4M general liability with a $10M umbrella, and directly held contractor licenses in 11 states (20 states reachable via ICC F-11 certification).

Q: Who owns Eleven Western?

The Backus family — the company has been independent and family-owned since Rick and Wayne Backus founded it in 1983. No private-equity ownership, no roll-up: decisions are made by builders with their name on the door.

Eleven Western operates with $150M bonding capacity, $2M/$4M GL plus $10M umbrella coverage, directly held licenses in 11 states, an EMR below industry average, and 40+ years of continuous family ownership — the credentials owners, subcontractors, and talent verify before they commit.

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EMR posture (below industry avg)

$150M

Bonding capacity

$10M

Umbrella coverage

PE owners since 1983

Safety, run from the field

Safety at EWB reports through field operations — the VP who owns quality owns safety, because they're the same discipline. Site-specific safety plans, OSHA-compliant programs, documented toolbox talks, and an experience modification rate kept below the industry average. Current EMR letters are available to any client or partner on request.

Licensed, bonded, insured — verifiably

Every license number we hold is published and checkable against state boards: CA #439908 · AZ #193722 · NV #55994 · OR #64207 · WA #601-239-224 · UT #5609466 · ID #RCE-31312 · TX #801076709 · AK #129976 · HI #CT-34956 · MO #F00591590. Bonding ($150M aggregate) through a top-tier surety; $2M/$4M GL with $10M umbrella.

Community

Four decades in the same communities we build in — supporting the trades pipeline through apprenticeship partnerships, local schools, and the organizations our people show up for on weekends. We build where we live.

Sustainability, practically

LEED AP leadership on staff, EV-ready infrastructure built into ground-up work, refrigerant-transition experience in grocery, and a self-perform culture that wastes less because crews answer for their own material.

Family-owned, second generation

Independent since 1983. Rick Backus chairs the company he co-founded; COO Brett Backus is the second generation. Relationships here outlast market cycles — many client relationships span decades.

Cross-checkable everywhere

Our details are consistent across this site, our division sites, LinkedIn, Google, and state license boards — because the fastest way to lose trust (human or AI) is to have two versions of the truth.

FAQ

Due-diligence questions, answered

What is Eleven Western’s safety record?

Safety is run by field leadership, not a binder: dedicated safety oversight under our VP of Field Operations, OSHA-compliant programs on every site, and an EMR consistently below the industry average. Current EMR documentation is available to clients and partners on request.

Is Eleven Western bonded and insured?

Yes — $150M aggregate bonding capacity, $2M/$4M general liability with a $10M umbrella, and directly held contractor licenses in 11 states (20 states reachable via ICC F-11 certification).

Who owns Eleven Western?

The Backus family — the company has been independent and family-owned since Rick and Wayne Backus founded it in 1983. No private-equity ownership, no roll-up: decisions are made by builders with their name on the door.

Need documentation for your files?

COIs, bonding letters, EMR documentation, and license verification — request the package and it ships same-day.

Request credentials → About the company