What Ghilotti Construction Company does

Ghilotti Construction Company (GCC) is a private, 100% employee-owned general engineering contractor (ESOP since November 2022) headquartered in Santa Rosa, California, operating across 13 Northern California counties from an eight-office regional network that includes Vallejo, Sacramento (two locations), Oakland, Santa Clara, San Rafael, and Ukiah. Founded in 1914 by Italian immigrant James Ghilotti as a stone and concrete business, the firm today self-performs heavy civil construction across four service lines: Transportation Infrastructure (highways, roadways, airports, transit, bike paths), Site Development (grading, excavating, paving), Underground Utilities (sewer, water, storm drains, joint trench, processed waste systems), and Structures (bridges, retaining walls, box culverts, foundations), plus 24/7 emergency response work.

Revenue is generated primarily through competitive bidding on public-sector contracts (notably Caltrans, county, and municipal agencies) and direct negotiation on private developer and tech-campus engagements. Named projects include a $78.8 million US-101 Petaluma widening for Caltrans (2023), a $21.9 million South Bayfront Pedestrian Bicycle Bridge for the City of Emeryville (2021), an $18 million Wohler Road Bridge Seismic Retrofit for Sonoma County, a $12.3 million North Marin Aqueduct Relocation for North Marin Water District, and a $70 million multi-phase Lagoon Valley residential development for Triad Lagoon Valley. Private sector logos include Apple and Facebook/Meta campus work.

Technology adoption is meaningful for a regional heavy civil firm: GPS-equipped drones paired with Pix4D photogrammetry for site mapping, HCSS E360 project management software, AgTek Digital Takeoff, AutoCAD/Civil3D, Starlink satellite internet at job sites, Samsara in-vehicle camera systems, AI-assisted estimating and operations tooling, and GPS equipment tracking across more than 550 pieces of equipment. The company is not venture-backed, has no public ticker, and does not disclose revenue; it ranks #385 on ENR's Top 400 Contractors (ninth consecutive year), #27 among Largest Greater Bay Area General Contractors (San Francisco Business Times, May 2024), and #32 in the North Bay Biz Top 500 (August 2024).

Name

Ghilotti Construction Company

Legal name

Ghilotti Construction Company, Inc.

Website

https://ghilotti.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1914

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Ghilotti Construction Company is a 100% employee-owned (ESOP) general engineering contractor founded in 1914, self-performing heavy civil construction — transportation, site development, underground utilities, and structures — across 13 Northern California counties for public agencies and private developers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Heavy Civil Construction

NAICS

Site Preparation Contractors (23891), Utility System Construction (2371)

SIC

Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors (1600), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Self-Performing General Contractors (IMAFAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Trenching & Utility Excavation (IMAFAKAD), Commercial General Contracting (New Build) (IMAFAAAA)

Keywords

• Heavy civil construction
• Site development services
• Transportation infrastructure
• Underground utility construction
• Structural construction services

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Rosa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. General Engineering Construction Services: Revenue is generated through construction project contracts for site development, transportation infrastructure, underground utilities, and structural projects for public agencies and private developers across Northern California.
2. Emergency Response Services: Provides rapid emergency response construction services, likely on a project contract basis.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ghilotti Construction Company is a 100% employee-owned general engineering contractor providing heavy civil construction services across 13 Northern California counties. The company self-performs grading, excavating, paving, underground utility installation, and structural concrete work for public agencies (state, county, municipal) and private developers. Core service lines include transportation infrastructure, site development, underground utilities, and structural construction, delivered with in-house craft labor and a fleet of 550+ GPS-tracked pieces of equipment.

Product overview

Ghilotti Construction Company (GCC) is a general engineering contractor offering a comprehensive suite of heavy civil construction services across 13 Northern California counties. The company's core offerings are organized into four main service areas: Transportation Infrastructure (highways, roadways, airports, transit systems, bike paths), Site Development (total site preparation including grading, excavating, paving, utilities), Underground Utilities (sewer, water, storm drains, joint trench, processed waste systems), and Structural Construction (bridges, retaining walls, box culverts, foundations). GCC differentiates through self-perform capabilities, maintaining skilled craft professionals to execute grading, excavating, paving, concrete work, demolition, and soil stabilization directly. The company also offers rapid emergency response services. Services are delivered using advanced technologies including GPS-equipped drones, digital blueprint software, geospatial technology, and real-time operations management systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Transportation Infrastructure Services Comprehensive transportation infrastructure services including highways, roadways, airports, transit systems, emergency response initiatives, and bike path developments for public agencies across Northern California.
• Site Development Services Total site preparation services including grading, excavating, paving, storm drains, water and sewer lines, soil stabilization, site and structural concrete, and bridge construction for residential, commercial, and municipal projects.
• Underground Utility Services Complete underground utility construction, installation, and maintenance services including sewer lines, pump stations, processed waste systems, joint trench, water lines, storm drains, drainage systems, and fire lanes.
• Structural Construction Services Structural work including bridge-building, retaining walls, box culverts, and foundation work delivered with over a century of expertise to high quality and durability standards.
• Emergency Response Services Rapid 24/7 emergency response construction services for urgent infrastructure needs and critical situations requiring immediate action across Northern California.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nine consecutive years ranked among ENR Top 400 Contractors in the Nation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CaltranscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2026Attended 5th Annual Caltrans DBE-SB Summit at Fresno Convention Center. The summit connects Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBEs) with prime contractors for public works projects.
• Associated Schools of Construction (ASC)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum Level Sponsor of ASC Student Competition Regions 6 & 7 Student Competition and Construction Management Conference. GCC staff serve as judges and mentors for student construction competitions.
• North Coast Builders ExchangeminorOthersIndustry association supporting heavy civil construction sector in Northern California.
• United ContractorsminorOthersIndustry association for construction contractors in the region.
• Marin Builders AssociationminorOthersLocal industry association supporting construction professionals in Marin County.
• Northern California Engineering Contractors Association (NCECA)coreOthersMajor supporter of NCECA. CEO Richard Ghilotti inducted into NCECA Hall of Fame with Hermsmeyer Hall of Fame Award. Company maintains active involvement in the association.
• Redwood Empire Food BankminorOthersAnnual food drive partnerships and employee volunteerism at the food bank warehouse in Santa Rosa.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Granite Construction: One of the largest publicly traded heavy civil and materials producers in the U.S., headquartered in Watsonville, California. Competes with Ghilotti on transportation infrastructure, site development, and underground utility projects across California and beyond, but at a much larger national scale.
• Flatiron Construction: Major North American heavy civil contractor and HOCHTIEF subsidiary delivering transportation, water, and underground infrastructure projects. A broader incumbent that competes on large Caltrans and municipal projects in California.

Direct peers

• Teichert Construction: Family-owned general engineering contractor headquartered in Sacramento, California, with a comparable Northern California footprint and similar mix of site development, transportation, and underground utility services. Closely comparable in scale, self-perform philosophy, and regional customer base.
• DeSilva Gates Construction: Bay Area-based heavy civil and site development contractor serving public agencies and private developers across the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. Directly competes with Ghilotti on grading, excavation, paving, and underground utility work in overlapping counties.
• O.C. Jones & Sons: Berkeley, California-based heavy civil contractor providing grading, paving, underground utilities, and site development to public and private clients across the East Bay and Greater Bay Area. Direct regional competitor with comparable self-perform capabilities.
• McGuire and Hester: Oakland-based general engineering contractor specializing in underground utilities, site development, structures, and transportation infrastructure across the Bay Area. Overlaps directly with Ghilotti in service mix and Northern California geography.
• Sukut Construction: California-based heavy civil contractor focused on earthmoving, grading, and site development for infrastructure and energy projects. Competes with Ghilotti on large-scale grading and excavation work in California and the western U.S.
• RGW Construction: Northern California general engineering contractor providing grading, underground utilities, and site development services. Regional competitor operating in similar geographies and serving similar public- and private-sector clients.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ghilotticonstruction
• Facebookfacebook.com/ghilotti-construction-company-167833849922454
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ghilotti-construction-company
• Instagraminstagram.com/ghilotticonstruction
• Xx.com/ghilotticc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ghilotti Construction Company