Top General Contractors in Chicago

Chicago’s construction market is a study in extremes: 120 million ft² of new development in the last decade, record-high permit values, and—thanks to the 2025 Energy Transformation Code—some of the strictest performance targets between the coasts. Deep foundations plunge through glacial till along the riverfront while century-old lofts on the Near West Side get retrofitted for life-science tenants. Material costs bounce with every tariff headline, and union labour supply will remain tight until apprenticeship cohorts catch up. Add carbon-bonus zoning incentives, minority-work-hour mandates on TIF projects, and insurers that now demand AI-driven site-safety analytics before quoting wrap-ups, and it’s clear that hiring a GC is no longer about lowest bid—it’s about risk transfer and strategic partnership. Use the quick-vet checklist below during your first round of interviews to separate true Tier-1 builders from résumé inflation.

Code & Carbon Mastery
- Two or more projects that beat Chicago’s 2022 EUI baseline by ≥ 10 % and a documented plan for 2025 code tightening.
- Embodied-carbon accounting that can unlock FAR or fee bonuses under new zoning incentives.
Change-Order Discipline
- Historical change-order ratio ≤ 5 % on comparable scopes—validated by cost logs, not marketing decks.
Labour Resilience
- Signed PLA or preferred-sub agreements that guarantee manpower even during peak seasons, plus apprenticeship partnerships feeding the 2026 pipeline.
Prefab & Supply-Chain Strategy
- In-house or allied off-site fabrication capacity for MEP racks, bathroom pods, or façade panels.
- Bulk-buy contracts for steel, copper, and switchgear to blunt price swings and 40-week lead times.
Digital QA/QC & Transparency
- Live dashboards integrating BIM clash detection, DOB Tier-2 reporting, schedule float, and real-time cost escalation.
Safety & Insurance Readiness
- TRIR at least 25 % below national average and AI-camera analytics already accepted by major underwriters.
Community & Equity Commitments
- Verified track record of hitting ≥ 30 % minority work-hour targets and meaningful subcontract awards to local MBEs/WBEs.
Close-Out Performance
- Punch lists cleared prior to substantial completion and turnover packages delivered within 30 days—ask for past close-out logs.

Keep this list handy: two hours of focused due-diligence now can save months of schedule recovery and millions in contingency later.

Construction

Updated on September 26, 2025

Published on March 17, 2025

Businesses marked are featured.

General Contractors in Chicago

Discover the top general contractors in Chicago known for their expertise in commercial, residential, and historic renovations. Whether you need large-scale development or a high-end custom project, these general contractors in Chicago bring innovation, sustainability, and top-tier craftsmanship to every build.

Power Construction

312.596.69608750 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60631

Chicago-headquartered Power Construction delivers complex healthcare, education, commercial and interiors projects across the region, backed by deep preconstruction and construction-management capability from its Bryn Mawr headquarters and Merchandise Mart office. The firm’s portfolio features major hospital and clinic work as well as campus facilities, reflecting a strong command of occupied renovations, infection control, and schedule-sensitive delivery.

Healthcare and Institutional Projects
Commercial Construction
Sustainable and Green Building Practices
Construction Management
Preconstruction Services

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McHugh Construction

(312) 986-8000
1737 South Michigan AvenueChicago, IL 60616

Founded in 1897, McHugh is synonymous with high-rise and concrete excellence in Chicago—serving as the builder on landmarks such as Marina City and contributing to many of the city’s tallest reinforced-concrete towers through its specialized concrete division. The company’s resume spans hospitality, mixed-use, residential, and civic work, pairing historical high-rise expertise with modern delivery methods.

High-Rise and Mixed-Use Development
Hotel and Hospitality Construction
Urban Infrastructure Projects
Concrete and Structural Engineering
Preconstruction and Value Engineering

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Walsh Group

312.563.5400
‍929 West Adams Chicago, Illinois 60607

A fourth-generation, family-owned builder founded in 1898 and headquartered on West Adams, The Walsh Group delivers large infrastructure, transportation, healthcare, and public-facility programs throughout Chicagoland and North America. Its scale and self-perform depth make it a fit for multi-phase, design-build, and heavy civil projects with significant coordination and compliance requirements.

Infrastructure and Transportation Projects
Healthcare Facility Construction
Public and Government Buildings
Design-Build and General Contracting
Heavy Civil Construction

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Novak Construction

773.278.1100
Novak Construction Company3423 N. Drake AvenueChicago, IL 60618

Established in 1980 and based on North Drake Avenue, Novak Construction operates as a national general contractor and construction manager with strong portfolios in retail, industrial, corporate/commercial, and healthcare. The firm’s experience ranges from ground-up developments to complex, schedule-driven renovations for major brands.

Retail and Mixed-Use Developments
Healthcare and Medical Construction
Sustainable Building and LEED Certification
Industrial and Warehouse Facilities
Construction Management Services

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Reed Construction

312-943-8100
600 W. Jackson Blvd.8th FloorChicago, Illinois 60661-5625

Reed Construction is a Chicago GC dating back to 1893, delivering general contracting, design-build, and interiors across healthcare, education, corporate and capital-improvement programs. With a West Loop headquarters on Jackson Boulevard, the firm couples long-running market tenure with current expertise in tenant build-outs and modernization of legacy buildings.

Healthcare and Life Sciences Construction
Educational Facility Development
Corporate Interiors and Office Renovations
Capital Improvement Projects
Design-Build and Preconstruction Services

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Skender Construction

+1 312 781 0265
1330 W Fulton Market Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607

Headquartered in the Fulton Market district, Skender focuses on healthcare, corporate interiors, and new-build projects, emphasizing Lean practices, transparency, and technology-forward delivery. Its Midwest footprint and in-house VDC capabilities support fast, collaborative execution from preconstruction through closeout.

Modular Construction
Healthcare and Medical Facilities
Corporate Interiors and Office Buildouts
Technology Integration in Construction
Sustainable Building Solutions

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Chicago’s project pipeline will top 20 million ft² of new or repositioned space over the next three years, but every square foot must clear stricter energy rules, embodied-carbon incentives, and neighbourhood benefit requirements. Contractors that marry Lean practice with carbon-smart engineering are already moving to the front of bid lists.

Before you sign a pre-con agreement, sit down with contenders and walk through their last five jobs—line-item budgets, procurement timelines, and DOB inspection logs included. Confirm they can lock in long-lead MEP gear, show real-time cost escalation reports, and maintain sub payouts inside 30 days. Two hours of probing questions today can spare months of schedule recovery later.

During active construction, insist on weekly digital dashboards that track safety metrics, trades on site, budget float, and embodied-carbon progress toward zoning bonuses. Firms comfortable sharing that data openly tend to hit their milestones—and hand over spaces with zero back-charge surprises.

Choose wisely and you won’t just get a flashy tower or a flawlessly renovated landmark; you’ll gain a risk-mitigation partner who keeps lenders calm, insurers happy, and community stakeholders engaged—all while delivering a building that performs above code, within budget, and on time in one of North America’s most demanding construction environments.