Carl Buchanan started working in the construction industry as a teenager. He worked for such companies as W.B. Dillard Construction, Inc. and J.A Jones Construction. In his late twenties, Carl seperated from J.A. Jones Construction due to chronic seizures from which he had suffered since being a teenager. After leaving J.A. Jones, Carl was able to travel to UNC-Chapel Hill, where medical consultants were able to identify the cause of the seizures, and they were able to prescribe medication that would control them from returning.

While seeking treatment for his medical issues, Carl made a decision to seek work that would allow him flexibility in the event his medical issues were to return. His decision was to start his own business, and in 1969, he negotiated a $2,000 business loan with Ralph Gregory, who owned Ready-Mix Concrete. Buchanan Concrete Contracting Company was formed, and provided services of concrete construction, including sidewalks, curbs, walls, steps, and slabs on grade. The company quickly gained a reputation for being dependable, hardworking, and a provider of quality services.

The success the company enjoyed in the concrete construction market throughout the 1970's allowed expansion into additional service markets such as excavation, bridge construction, and hardscape construction in the early 1980's. During this time, the company built bridges for the national forest service, built roadways for the national forest service, and constructed several hardscape projects, including Pack Square Sidewalk Improvements and memorial Joyner Plaza.

As the company continued to grow through the 1980's under leadership from its founder, his three young sons continued to grow as well. As the boys became young men they started working with their dad and were excited to get a chance to spend time on the jobs. The boys worked every summer, and Carl found himself focusing on projects that he could use to train the boys in the trade he had started the business on, which was concrete construction. During the 1990's, the company's focus returned to the concrete construction industry and by 1994 the two oldest boys Mark and Carl Jr. were full-time employees.

By the year 2000, the youngest son Christopher had also joined the company full-time. With all three sons in the mix, the company started to grow once again. In 2001, the company purchased their first curb machine. It was an instant success, and soon the three boys found themselves traveling across the state of North Carolina to construct projects. In a similar fashion to the success of the 1970's, the company once again was expanding into additional service markets because of the success experienced within the concrete construction field. By 2005 the company had returned to a position of offering a wide range of site construction services, including excavation, utilities, and concrete construction. By 2008, the company had expanded even further, offering building construction and design/build services to its customers.