Top General Contractors in San Francisco
Building—or even remodeling—in San Francisco is unlike construction anywhere else in the United States. Lots are tight, slopes are extreme, and historic-district rules can prohibit visible structural upgrades even as seismic codes require them. Add sky-high labor costs, the nation’s toughest energy regulations, and a permit process that can stretch six months, and the choice of general contractor becomes the single biggest factor in staying on schedule and on budget. The best firms here do far more than manage subs: they coordinate CEQA reviews, finesse DBI comment cycles, and stage deliveries around street-closure windows so neighbors keep their parking. They also integrate carbon accounting, wildfire-resilient finishes, and Passive-House envelopes—all while protecting ornate millwork or installing state-of-the-art MEP systems.
Quick-Vet Checklist
- License & Insurance
- Confirm active Class-B license (CSLB lookup) and $2 M+ general liability.
- Local Permitting Track Record
- Ask for two recent DBI permit numbers showing first-cycle approval.
- Seismic & Sustainability Expertise
- Request examples of moment-frame retrofits or all-electric, net-zero builds.
- Transparency & Cost Control
- Demand open-book budgeting with real-time change-order logs.
- Warranty & Post-Project Care
- Look for one-year workmanship plus optional home-care plans.
Each contractor below meets every item on this checklist, coupling decades of Bay-Area referrals with the technical depth to deliver San Francisco’s next generation of resilient, low-carbon buildings.
General Contractors in San Francisco
Earthquakes, micro-lots, and zero-carbon mandates make Bay-Area construction uniquely challenging. Compare five elite San Francisco general contractors and learn how their craftsmanship, permitting savvy, and seismic experience transform bold concepts into landmark projects.
+1 415-416-5494
1528 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94123, United States
A family-owned, design-build powerhouse, We Do Construction has grown into one of the Bay Area’s most versatile general contractors by pairing artisan craftsmanship with Silicon-Valley efficiency. The firm’s in-house designers create photorealistic 3-D renderings and value-engineering options before plans ever hit San Francisco’s DBI portal—slashing permit revisions and accelerating groundbreak. Licensed for both Class B (general building) and C-36 (plumbing), their self-perform crews handle framing, rough plumbing, and finish carpentry, keeping schedule and quality under tight control whether converting a Marina garage into an all-electric ADU or executing a full-home gut renovation in Mill Valley. Laser-scanned as-builts, open-book budgets viewable 24/7 through a client portal, and a dedicated post-completion “Home Care” team underscore a culture of transparency and long-term stewardship. Rebate specialists file BayREN and IRA paperwork on the owner’s behalf, while sustainable-build advisers size service panels for future EV chargers, heat-pump HVAC, and rooftop solar—future-proofing each project against tightening carbon mandates. The result: timeless spaces delivered on time, on budget, and ready for San Francisco’s net-zero future.
- Full-home renovations, kitchen & bath makeovers, and custom new builds
- All-electric ADU & garage-conversion specialists (Title 24 & CalGreen compliant)
- Integrated 3-D/BIM design, value engineering, and real-time cost dashboards
- Self-performed framing, rough plumbing, and finish carpentry for schedule control
- BayREN / IRA rebate administration and future-load panel planning for electrification
+1 415-647-1373
60 Dorman Ave, San Francisco, CA 94124, United States
Since 1998, Design Line Construction (DLC) has built a reputation for executing architecturally daring projects—think four-story steel moment frames craned onto a 25-ft Telegraph Hill lot or a cantilevered glass volume overlooking the Presidio. DLC’s “One-Team” process embeds a pre-con manager, estimator, and superintendent from day one, trimming four to six weeks off typical city review cycles. Field crews self-perform concrete, framing, and waterproofing, giving DLC tighter control over quality and sequencing. The firm is WELL and LEED Platinum adept, recently delivering a mass-timber office retrofit that achieved an 80 % embodied-carbon reduction. Cloud-based cost dashboards and biweekly drone progress videos keep owners and architects aligned in real time.
- Ground-up luxury residences & boutique commercial buildings
- Complex hillside foundations & steel moment-frame structures
- LEED, Living Building Challenge, and WELL certification management
- Self-performed concrete, framing, and waterproofing for schedule resilience
- Post-occupancy energy monitoring & warranty service teams
+1 415-563-7550
2151 Union St #1, San Francisco, CA 94123, United States
Upscale Construction blends artisan craftsmanship with Silicon-Valley tech. Their portfolio ranges from Marina District fire rebuilds featuring hand-troweled Venetian plaster to Cow Hollow town-homes wired with KNX-based smart lighting and radiant cooling. Every project begins with a 3-D BIM clash-detection model—even for single-family renovations—preventing costly field conflicts among HVAC, plumbing, and structural steel. Upscale’s dedicated Finish Superintendent oversees only millwork, tile, and hardware, ensuring museum-grade alignment down to 1/32 in. Owners receive password-protected access to daily site photos, schedule milestones, and open-book financials. A standing partnerships with artisan tile setters in North Beach and reclaimed-wood suppliers in Petaluma keeps Upscale’s material palette uniquely Bay-Area.
- Luxury residential remodels & additions (average contract $3 M–$10 M)
- BIM-driven constructability analyses and clash detection
- Smart-home integration (KNX, Lutron, Savant) and low-VOC interior finishes
- Fire-rebuild expertise, including insurance liaison & Title 24 compliance
- Finish-quality program with laser-level QA/QC and 12-month tune-up visit
+1 415-782-3700
55 Francisco St STE 600, San Francisco, CA 94133, United States
A national powerhouse with deep local roots, DPR Construction self-performs concrete, drywall, and MEP scopes—crucial for speed-to-market biotech labs in Mission Bay, OSHPD-3 healthcare remodels, and high-density student-housing towers. DPR’s VDC team pioneers digital twins that integrate commissioning data, allowing facilities staff to monitor systems from day one. On a recent UCSF cancer-center expansion, DPR logged 500,000 trade hours with zero lost-time incidents, thanks to its “Planning for Safe Work” program and onsite prefabrication of MEP racks. Sustainability is core: the firm’s San Francisco office is Net-Zero Energy certified, and project teams routinely achieve LEED Gold or higher without premium cost.
- Ground-up life-science, healthcare, and higher-ed facilities
- Self-performed concrete, drywall, and MEP for schedule control
- Digital-twin deployment and data-rich close-out manuals
- OSHPD compliance, infection-control protocols, and cGMP lab fit-outs
- LEED, Net-Zero Energy, and embodied-carbon tracking services
+1 415-642-1600
344 Connecticut St, San Francisco, CA 94107, United States
Family-run for 40+ years, Podesta Construction focuses on high-touch residential remodeling throughout San Francisco and northern San Mateo counties. Their “Concierge Pre-Con” package walks homeowners through zoning checks, historic-district feedback, and neighbor-notifications before plans hit DBI, avoiding late-stage redesigns. Podesta’s carpenters are lead-safe certified—vital for Edwardian trim restorations—while project managers maintain schedules with Lean pull-planning and weekly Last Planner sessions. A dedicated warranty technician conducts six- and twelve-month walkthroughs, and Podesta’s Home-Care division offers annual gutter, roof, and paint maintenance, extending the life of each renovation.
- Whole-home remodels, kitchen & bath overhauls, basement dig-outs
- Neighbor-notification & DBI navigation for smoother approvals
- Lead-safe practices and historic-millwork replication
- Lean pull-planning for schedule certainty
- Home-Care maintenance plans with annual inspections
