Garling Construction began in 1971 as a father-and-son operation. Orville and Dennis Garling performed residential and retail construction until 1980. The company incorporated in 1978 and then began statewide light commercial work in 1980. Two other family members, Barbara Garling and David Petersen, joined the team to make the business stronger. In the next 15 years, Garling Construction, Inc. grew with additions of a lumberyard in 1988 and a second office in Cedar Rapids in 1994.