What Principal Builders Inc. does

Principal Builders Inc. is a privately held, Bay Area-based commercial interiors general contractor founded in 2003 and headquartered at 320 Ritch Street in San Francisco. The company specializes in tenant improvement (TI) construction services for Fortune 1000 enterprises, with a stated focus on financial and law firms, technology companies, advertising agencies, and health and wellness businesses. Its service offering spans the full project lifecycle — pre-leasing consultation, site selection, preconstruction and design coordination, construction management, and post-construction support including a one-year warranty.

Operationally, Principal Builders runs a project-based, quote-driven revenue model under which it executes commercial interior buildouts ranging from roughly 5,600 to 300,000 square feet for individual clients. Disclosed customer work includes buildouts for DocuSign, Asana, Atlassian, Dropbox, Uber, Lucid Motors, Capital One, Dodge & Cox, Figma, GoPro, Nokia, Latham & Watkins, King & Spalding, Arnold & Porter, Davis Wright Tremaine, Gensler, BioMed Realty, and others, with the company stating it has completed hundreds of projects since inception. Its go-to-market is primarily direct enterprise sales supported by referrals — management indicates nearly all business originates from customers and personal relationships — alongside a website portfolio gallery and social media presence.

The firm has been recognized as one of the Bay Area's Best Places to Work since 2007 and as one of the region's Fastest Growing Companies. It operates without external disclosed funding, M&A activity, or a parent company, and continues to be led by President Brandon Jones, COO Mya Krikorian, and CFO Jon-Michael Johnson. Core "technology" is service delivery rather than software: construction management, subcontractor coordination, scheduling, and quality control for commercial interiors projects.

Name

Principal Builders Inc.

Legal name

Principal Builders Inc.

Website

https://principalbuilders.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Principal Builders Inc. is a privately held Bay Area commercial interiors general contractor founded in 2003 that delivers tenant improvement and buildout services for Fortune 1000 clients across technology, finance, law, automotive, and real estate sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Interiors Construction

NAICS

Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (23622)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540)

akta.pro primary industry

Renovation, Remodeling & Tenant Improvements (General Contracting) (IMAFAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Office & Corporate Building Construction (IMAFACAA)

Keywords

• Commercial interiors construction
• Tenant improvement construction
• Preconstruction planning services
• Construction management services
• Corporate office buildouts

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Construction Services: Full-service commercial interiors construction including pre-leasing consultation, site selection, preconstruction, design coordination, construction management, and post-construction services. Revenue generated through project-based construction contracts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Principal Builders Inc. is a Bay Area general contractor specializing in commercial interiors and tenant improvement (TI) construction for enterprise clients. The company delivers full-service project execution across five phases: pre-leasing consultation (needs definition, program development, feasibility), leasing/site selection, preconstruction and design (construction documents, permitting, FF&E procurement, schedule controls), construction (subcontractor coordination, quality control, safety, scope management), and move-in/post-construction (help desk, final cost accounting, 1-year warranty). Projects range from small suites (≈5,600 SF) to large headquarters buildouts (300,000+ SF) for Fortune 1000 customers.

Product overview

Principal Builders Inc. is a Bay Area commercial interiors general contractor specializing in tenant improvement (TI) construction services. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, the company offers comprehensive construction services across all phases of a project: Pre-Leasing (defining needs, setting corporate vision, program development, market analysis, timeline development, project planning, budget development, and feasibility studies), Leasing/Site Selection (evaluating options, fit planning, lease negotiation, site surveying, and pro-forma budget assessment), Preconstruction & Design (construction documents, permitting, FF&E procurement, technology planning, schedule controls, and value analysis), Construction (subcontractor coordination, quality control, safety measures, scope management, and customer/vendor coordination), and Move-in/Post Construction (help desk establishment, final cost accounting, and 1-year warranty). The company serves Fortune 1000 customers across technology, finance, law, and health & wellness industries. Notable completed projects include work for DocuSign, Gensler, Asana, Dropbox, Uber, Figma, Heidrick & Struggles, BXP, BioMed Realty, Norwest Venture Partners, Farella Braun + Martel, and various confidential clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pre-Leasing Consulting Services A pre-construction phase service for enterprise tenants evaluating real estate, covering needs definition, setting corporate vision, program development, market analysis, timeline development, project planning, budget development, and feasibility studies, designed for organizations considering new commercial space in the Bay Area.
• Leasing and Site Selection Services Site evaluation and selection support for enterprise tenants, including options evaluation, fit planning, lease negotiation support, site surveying, and pro-forma budget assessment, used by Fortune 1000 companies selecting office space in the Bay Area.
• Preconstruction and Design Services Pre-construction and design phase services covering construction documents, permitting, FF&E procurement, technology planning, schedule controls, and value analysis for commercial interiors projects.
• Commercial Construction Services General contractor construction management services for commercial interiors and tenant improvement projects, including subcontractor coordination, quality control, safety measures, scope management, and customer/vendor coordination, delivered to Fortune 1000 enterprise clients in the Bay Area.
• Move-In and Post-Construction Services Post-construction services including help desk establishment, final cost accounting, and a 1-year warranty for completed commercial interiors projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hundreds of projects completed since 2003
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers38 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Build Group: San Francisco-based general contractor specializing in commercial interiors, tenant improvements, and corporate buildouts for tech and enterprise clients. Directly comparable in service mix, customer segment, and Bay Area geographic focus.
• Skyline Construction: California-based general contractor focused on commercial interiors and tenant improvement projects for technology, life sciences, and professional services firms. Closely aligned with Principal Builders in target customer profile and project type.
• Level 10 Construction: Silicon Valley-headquartered general contractor focused on commercial interiors and corporate buildouts for technology and life sciences companies. Highly comparable in customer mix and Bay Area service area.
• XL Construction: Northern California general contractor specializing in commercial, healthcare, and education construction including tenant improvements. Competes directly for similar enterprise interiors work in the Bay Area.
• Plant Construction Company: San Francisco-based general contractor performing commercial tenant improvements, building renovations, and corporate interiors. Directly comparable in size, geography, and service offering.

Broad incumbents

• Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction: Established Bay Area general contractor delivering commercial, residential, and institutional projects. Overlaps with Principal Builders on tenant improvement and commercial interiors work but operates across a broader project portfolio.
• Webcor: Major Bay Area and California general contractor with deep commercial interiors experience alongside large-scale ground-up projects. Comparable customer base of enterprise and institutional clients in Northern California.
• DPR Construction: National commercial general contractor with significant Bay Area presence delivering tenant improvements, buildouts, and ground-up commercial projects for many of the same Fortune 1000 tech and life sciences customers.
• Swinerton: National general contractor with established Bay Area commercial interiors practice serving technology, finance, and corporate clients. Comparable enterprise customer segment with broader geographic reach.
• Turner Construction: Largest U.S. commercial general contractor with significant Bay Area commercial interiors capabilities. Competes for the same enterprise tenant improvement work at greater scale and geographic diversification.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sfprincipalbuilders
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/106798
• Instagraminstagram.com/principalbuilders

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Principal Builders Inc.