Chalk Line Group frames and finishes commercial interiors for general contractors across the Lowcountry. Metal framing, drywall, ceilings, and specialty panels, led by an owner who has worked commercial drywall in Charleston since 2017, from the field to the PM chair to running preconstruction.
Austin Edens has worked commercial drywall and metal framing in Charleston since 2017. He started in the field, ran projects as a PM, Senior PM, and Project Executive, and most recently led preconstruction as a Vice President before founding Chalk Line Group.
That path means he understands how work is physically built and how it has to be selected, priced, contracted, staffed, and managed to finish well. He knows manpower, sequencing, and material flow from the field. From operations he knows cost-to-complete forecasting, change management, and owning the outcome. Preconstruction taught him to scope a job completely and price it so it can actually be built for that number.
He also helped scale a startup specialty contractor more than tenfold in annual revenue while keeping margins strong. Chalk Line Group is built on the same disciplines: selective pursuit, accurate preconstruction, clear communication, and dependable field execution.
Since 2017In Charleston commercial drywall and metal framing
10×+Revenue growth he helped lead at a startup specialty contractor
1 callThe owner bids your job and stays on it through closeout
Organized the way your bid form is. One sub for the whole interior package, from the first chalk line to the last ceiling tile.
FramingSTRUCTURE & LAYOUT
01 71 23
LayoutField layout from the architectural plans and RCP, coordinated with MEP before a stud goes up.
05 40 00
Exterior framingCold-formed metal framing for exterior walls and soffits.
09 22 16
Interior framingNon-structural partitions, rated and shaft wall assemblies, bulkheads, and in-wall blocking.
07 21 00
InsulationBatt and acoustic insulation in wall and ceiling assemblies.
DrywallBOARD & FINISH
09 29 00
HangGypsum board, moisture- and abuse-resistant board, and fire-rated assemblies built to the listed design.
09 29 00
FinishTape and finish to the specified level, Level 4 through Level 5.
CeilingsGRID, TILE & SPECIALTY
09 51 00
ACT grid & tileSuspension systems and acoustical tile, coordinated with lights, diffusers, and sprinkler heads.
09 54 00
Specialty ceilingsWood, metal, and specialty ceiling panels and clouds.
SpecialtyWALLS & PANELS
09 77 00
Specialty wall panelsAcoustic and decorative wall panel systems.
06 64 00
FRPFiberglass reinforced panels, furnished and installed.
Sheet A-3 Markets
Where we build
We work for general contractors on commercial, healthcare, and industrial projects in the Charleston region, including Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties.
Market 01
Healthcare
Clinics, medical office buildings, and work inside occupied facilities, where dust, noise, and schedule matter as much as the walls.
ICRA-aware work practices
Rated partitions and shaft walls
Phased and after-hours sequencing
Market 02
Commercial
Office, retail, hospitality, and tenant fit-outs where finish quality is what the owner sees on day one.
Tenant improvements and buildouts
Level 5 finish where specified
Specialty ceilings and feature walls
Market 03
Industrial
Manufacturing plants and industrial facilities, including offices, break rooms, and support spaces inside the plant.
In-plant offices and support spaces
Abuse-resistant board and FRP
Work around active operations
Sheet A-4 Sequence
How we run a job
The same four steps on every project, so your superintendent always knows where we stand.
Step 01
Plan
Detailed takeoff, scope clarifications, and a lump-sum number broken out the way your bid form needs it.
Step 02
Coordinate
Submittals, schedule, and above-ceiling coordination with MEP. Every wall snapped and checked before material is staged.
Step 03
Build
Framing, board, and finish to the rated design and specified finish level, ready for each inspection on time.
Step 04
Deliver
Ceilings and specialty panels, then a punch list closed out without reminders and a clean turnover.
Sheet A-5 Commitments
What you can expect from us
These are practices we track every month, not slogans.
Preconstruction
Complete scope, honest numbers
Full takeoffs, a complete scope review, and realistic labor assumptions on every bid, with risks and clarifications called out up front, before they show up as change orders.
Relationships
One owner, accountable
You deal with the person who priced your job. Every GC relationship has a named owner at Chalk Line, and that person answers the phone.
Execution
Problems surfaced early
Monthly cost-to-complete forecasts on active projects and labor tracked against the estimate by activity. Your team hears about schedule and cost issues early, not at closeout.
Financial strength
Here for the whole job
We take on work at a pace our working capital supports, with a rolling 13-week cash forecast behind it. Your project won't be one too many for us.
Sheet A-6 Prequalification
Ready for your vendor list
We'll send a complete prequalification package for your files. Ask for it with your bid invite or any time before award.
