What H. J. High Construction Company does

H. J. High Construction Company is a privately held, third-generation family-owned commercial general contractor founded in 1936 in Orlando, Florida, and operating continuously for nearly 90 years. The firm delivers construction services through four core delivery methods—General Contracting, Design-Build, Pre-Construction, and Construction Management (both agent and at-risk with Guaranteed Maximum Price)—with technical specialization in tilt-wall construction, LEED-certified building, pre-engineered metal buildings, hurricane-hardened public safety facilities, and complex multi-phase projects delivered while maintaining client operations. Its project portfolio is concentrated in four verticals: municipal and public safety infrastructure (police headquarters, fire stations, emergency operations centers), educational institutions (K-12 districts and state college systems), religious organizations (sanctuaries and fellowship facilities), and industrial/commercial facilities (manufacturing, food production, aviation hangars).

The company's business model is sales-led and relationship-driven: revenue is earned through fixed-price, cost-plus-fee, and Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) contracts secured via competitive bidding on public RFPs/RFQs and negotiated contracts with private clients. Public-sector work in Florida (City of Orlando, City of Kissimmee, Volusia County Schools, Brevard County Schools) and long-term anchor clients such as First Baptist Church of Orlando ($60M+ over 20+ years) form the revenue backbone. Geographic reach spans Florida (primary), with active projects and licensing in Georgia (Martin's Famous Pastry, Mitsubishi Power Systems Savannah) and South Carolina.

H. J. High Construction is differentiated by continuity of ownership (Harlem John High → Steven W. High → Robert High), early-mover status in construction management at-risk delivery in Central Florida (1972), and an in-house roster of four DBIA-certified design-build professionals. The firm holds contractor licenses in Florida (CGC1511171), Georgia (GCC002567), and South Carolina (G114503), maintains membership in nine industry associations (ABC, USGBC, DBIA, TEA, GBI, Florida Sheriffs Association, FPCA, CFFCA, FLFCA), and has received multiple Eagle Awards from ABC and a Patriotic Service Award from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investment, acquisitions, or restructuring activity.

Name

H. J. High Construction Company

Legal name

H. J. High Construction Company

Website

https://hjhigh.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

H. J. High Construction Company is a third-generation, family-owned commercial general contractor founded in 1936 in Orlando, Florida, delivering general contracting, design-build, pre-construction, and construction management services to municipal, educational, religious, and industrial clients across Florida and the Southeast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Construction Services

NAICS

Nonresidential Building Construction (2362), Industrial Building Construction (23621)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540), Operative Builders (1531)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial General Contracting (New Build) (IMAFAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Design-Build / EPC General Contracting (IMAFAAAD), Construction Management (Agency/Owner’s Rep) (IMAFAAAC), Construction Program Management (Multi-site/Portfolio) (IMAFAAAF)

Keywords

• Commercial construction services
• Design-build construction
• Construction management at-risk
• General contracting services
• Pre-construction planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Construction Contracting: H. J. High generates revenue through construction contracts for commercial, institutional, and municipal building projects. Revenue is earned through fixed-price contracts, cost-plus-fee contracts, and construction management at-risk delivery methods where the company holds trade contracts and guarantees project delivery within a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

H. J. High Construction Company delivers commercial construction services including general contracting, design-build, pre-construction planning, and construction management (at-risk and agency) for municipal, educational, religious, industrial, and commercial clients. The company manages projects from initial site studies and budgeting through final construction and post-construction, holding four DBIA-certified design-build professionals on staff and offering Guaranteed Maximum Price delivery.

Product overview

H. J. High Construction Company is a commercial construction firm offering four core construction services: General Contracting (traditional design-bid-build), Design-Build (single-point-of-contact delivery), Pre-Construction (planning and engineering), and Construction Management (at-risk or agent-based delivery). The company specializes in building portfolio sectors including K-12 schools, state colleges, religious facilities, public safety/municipal buildings, industrial facilities, commercial buildings, and entertainment venues across Florida and the Southeast since 1936.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Contracting Traditional construction delivery method in which H. J. High joins the project team at the conclusion of the design phase and provides a design-bid-build approach on either a negotiated contract or competitive bid basis for commercial, institutional, and municipal clients.
• Design-Build Construction delivery method providing a single point of contact for both design and construction phases, with H. J. High holding contractual risk from estimation through post-construction; supported by four DBIA-certified design-build professionals on staff.
• Pre-Construction Services Preliminary planning and engineering services including location studies, site selection, process layout design, architectural pre-design, permit analysis, budget forecasting, and scheduling, provided to owners prior to construction execution.
• Construction Management Consultant role during development and design phases transitioning to general contractor during construction; offered as either agent-based (client holds contracts) or at-risk (H. J. High holds trade contracts with Guaranteed Maximum Price) delivery models.

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivered Mitsubishi Orlando facility one month ahead of schedule
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC)minorOthersH. J. High is a member of ABC, participating in the organization's Excellence in Construction Awards program. The company has received Eagle Awards for multiple projects through ABC.
• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)minorOthersMember of USGBC supporting LEED-certified construction projects. Multiple projects incorporate LEED design strategies.
• Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA)minorOthersH. J. High has four designated DBIA-certified design-build professionals on staff, demonstrating commitment to design-build delivery methodology.
• The Educational Association (TEA)minorOthersMember of TEA supporting educational facility construction projects.
• Green Building Initiative (GBI)minorOthersMember of GBI supporting sustainable and green building construction practices.
• City of OrlandocoreOthersLong-term municipal partner for public safety and municipal construction projects including police headquarters, fire stations, and code enforcement facilities. Multiple projects completed over decades.
• Florida Sheriffs AssociationminorOthersMember organization supporting law enforcement facility construction.
• Volusia County SchoolscoreOthersLong-term educational construction partner having completed multiple schools over several decades including DeLand High School, Chisholm Elementary, and Ormond Beach Middle School.
• Brevard County SchoolscoreOthersEducational construction partner for multiple prototype elementary schools and high schools in Brevard County.
• First Baptist Church of OrlandocoreOthers20+ year relationship with over $60 million in completed construction projects including the 6,000-seat sanctuary (largest in Florida at the time) and children's ministry facilities.
• Indian River State College (IRSC)coreOthersMultiple projects for IRSC including Brown Center, Kight Center, Tomeu Center, Clark Center, and Public Safety Training Facility totaling over 300,000 SF.
• Mitsubishi Power SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple phases of manufacturing facility construction for Mitsubishi Power Systems including Orlando (112,000 SF) and Savannah (74,000 SF manufacturing bay) facilities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Gilbane Building Company: Large national construction manager and design-build firm with a strong Florida/Southeast presence serving education, public safety, and municipal clients. Broader geographic and capability scope than H. J. High.
• Turner Construction Company: National commercial construction manager with a meaningful Southeast Florida presence competing in education, municipal, aviation, and commercial markets. Larger and broader incumbent offering overlapping capabilities.
• Manhattan Construction Company: Florida and Southeast-active general contractor with broad portfolio in education, religious, public, and commercial facilities. Comparable in delivery model and project types, operating as a larger regional incumbent.

Regional players

• Robins & Morton: Birmingham, AL-based general contractor with deep Southeast presence across healthcare, education, and commercial construction. Comparable delivery model and regional Southeast footprint, primarily competing in adjacent geographies.
• Holder Construction: Atlanta-based commercial construction manager with significant Southeast activity in education, municipal, aviation, and corporate facilities. Comparable delivery model and overlapping Florida/Southeast footprint.
• Brasfield & Gorrie: Birmingham, AL-headquartered general contractor with strong Southeast presence across commercial, education, healthcare, and municipal markets. Comparable project types, though significantly larger in scale and geographic reach.

Direct peers

• Moss Construction: Fort Lauderdale-based commercial construction management and design-build firm with strong Florida presence in education, municipal, aviation, and commercial projects. Direct regional competitor with overlapping end markets.
• The Haskell Company: Jacksonville, FL-headquartered design-build firm delivering commercial, industrial, education, and government facilities across the Southeast. Comparable in design-build delivery model and Florida/Southeast market presence, though larger in scale.
• Welbro Building Corporation: Florida-based commercial general contractor with a long track record in education, public safety, municipal, and commercial projects. Closely comparable regional peer with similar mid-market positioning and Southeast focus.
• Wharton-Smith: Florida-headquartered commercial general contractor and construction manager serving K-12, higher education, municipal, and industrial clients across the Southeast. Highly comparable in size, geography, and end-market mix to H. J. High.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYzy-0E9Nk-VncaXXISJmyQ
• Xx.com/hjhighco
• Facebookfacebook.com/hjhigh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1251430

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 H. J. High Construction Company