Frank Schipper Construction Company

What Frank Schipper Construction Company does

Frank Schipper Construction Company is a private, employee-owned commercial general contractor founded in 1982 and headquartered at 610 East Cota Street in Santa Barbara, California. The firm delivers preconstruction, general contracting, construction management, and project-delivery services (including Guaranteed Maximum Price, Design-Build, Lease Leaseback, and negotiated contracts) across a Tri-County Central Coast footprint encompassing Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo Counties. Its portfolio spans education, healthcare, cultural and performing arts, hospitality, commercial office and retail, sports and recreation, and sustainable/green construction, with documented specialized work in OSHPD-compliant healthcare facilities, historic restoration, and seismic retrofit.

The company operates with a regional headcount in the 11–50 range and maintains a pre-qualified subcontractor network accessed through an online Subcontractor Center for project bidding. Its revenue model is project-based fee-for-service: one-time general contracting engagements supplemented by professional services fees for preconstruction and construction management. GTM is sales-led and event-driven, anchored by long-term relationships with repeat institutional clients (Lobero Theatre as a 20+ year account, Santa Barbara Unified School District, multiple private schools, Sansum Diabetes Research Institute, UCLA Health, Foodbank of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Zoo, and others) and by strategic delivery partnerships with regional architecture firms PMSM Architects and KBZ Architects.

The business is differentiated by 43 years of local reputation, multiple industry awards (Santa Barbara Contractors Association, AGC of California, Building Industries Association, Woodwork Institute), demonstrated LEED-certified sustainable delivery (Santa Barbara Botanical Garden Pritzlaff Conservation Center), and an employee-ownership culture emphasized in recruitment. The company holds California State Contractor's License 436175 and services both private and public-sector work, with no disclosed external institutional investors, no parent company, and no subsidiaries. There is no mobile application, public API, or proprietary technology platform; the underlying technology stack is conventional construction project delivery augmented by a portfolio-style website and subcontractor bid portal.

Name

Frank Schipper Construction Company

Legal name

Frank Schipper Construction Company

Website

https://schipperconstruction.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Frank Schipper Construction Company is an employee-owned commercial general contractor founded in 1982, delivering preconstruction, general contracting, and construction management across education, healthcare, cultural, and commercial sectors in California's Tri-County Central Coast region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Construction Services

NAICS

Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (23622)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial General Contracting (New Build) (IMAFAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Construction Management (Agency/Owner’s Rep) (IMAFAAAC), Public Works General Contracting (IMAFAAAG), Healthcare Facility Construction (Hospitals, Clinics, Labs) (IMAFACAD)

Keywords

• Commercial construction services
• General contracting
• Construction management
• Preconstruction planning
• Tenant improvement services

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. General Contracting Services: Revenue generated from construction project fees as general contractor for commercial projects including new construction, renovation, restoration, and tenant improvements across various sectors.
2. Construction Management: Fee-based construction management services providing oversight and coordination throughout project lifecycle.
3. Preconstruction Services: Pre-construction planning and estimating services, often provided as value-add with Guaranteed Maximum Price project delivery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Frank Schipper Construction Company is a commercial general contractor providing preconstruction services, general contracting, construction management, and multiple project delivery methods (Design-Build, Guaranteed Maximum Price, Lease Leaseback, negotiated contracts) for institutional, healthcare, educational, cultural, hospitality, and commercial clients across California's Central Coast. The firm executes projects ranging from tenant improvements to large-scale new construction, with specialty work in historic renovation, seismic retrofit, sustainable/LEED-certified building, and OSHPD-compliant medical facilities.

Product overview

Frank Schipper Construction Company is a commercial construction firm serving California's Central Coast since 1982. The company operates as a single unified construction service provider offering preconstruction, general contracting, construction management, and various project delivery methods. Their portfolio spans multiple specialty construction categories including educational facilities, healthcare and medical construction, sustainable/green building, historic restoration, and commercial tenant improvements. Projects range from small tenant improvements to large-scale institutional buildings, with notable expertise in LEED-certified sustainable construction, seismic retrofits, and complex renovation work. The company primarily serves Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preconstruction Services Planning and preparation phase services including project scope definition, budgeting, scheduling, and constructability reviews before construction begins. Offered to commercial clients across California's Central Coast as a standalone service and as part of Guaranteed Maximum Price project delivery.
• General Contracting Traditional project delivery in which the firm assumes responsibility for all construction activities, materials procurement, and subcontractor management for commercial projects.
• Construction Management Professional construction management services overseeing project planning, design, and construction phases to optimize quality, cost, and schedule for commercial clients.
• Project Delivery Methods Multiple delivery approaches including Lease Leaseback, Guaranteed Maximum Price, Design-Build, and negotiated contracts, selected and tailored to client and project needs.
• Museums / Cultural Construction Construction and renovation services for museums and cultural institutions, including historic preservation and modern facility builds for cultural clients on California's Central Coast.
• Educational Construction K-12 and higher education facility construction including schools, theaters, gyms, and classroom buildings for school districts and private schools.
• Hospitality / Mixed-Use / Multi-Family Construction Hotel, resort, apartment complex, and mixed-use development construction services for hospitality and residential clients.
• Sustainable / Green Construction Environmentally focused construction including LEED-certified projects, solar installations, and permeable pavement systems, including LEED Gold certification pursuits.
• Clean Rooms / Industrial / Medical Construction Specialized construction for healthcare facilities, clean rooms, research laboratories, and medical offices including OSHPD-compliant facilities.
• Office / Retail / Tenant Improvement Commercial interior buildouts, tenant improvements, and retail space construction and modernization for office and retail clients.
• Renovation / Restoration / Seismic Retrofit Historic building restoration, renovation projects, and seismic upgrades to improve structural integrity and code compliance.
• Restaurant Construction Restaurant and dining facility construction including commercial kitchens, bars, and food service establishments.
• Sports / Recreation Construction Gymnasiums, pools, golf clubhouses, and athletic facility construction for sports and recreation clients.
• Theaters / Worship Construction Theater renovation, church construction, and performance venue buildouts including historic theater restorations.

Quantifiable outcome

• First Starbucks 'new concept' design location built in the nation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• PMSM ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing architectural partner for multiple projects including Victoria Hall Theater renovation, La Cumbre Jr High Theater, and Music Academy of the West Hahn Hall. Provides design and architectural services essential to project delivery.
• KBZ Architects (Kruger Bensen Ziemer)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitectural firm for multiple projects including Santa Barbara Zoo Discovery Pavilion, St. Mary's Episcopal Church, and Laguna Blanca School projects. Ongoing collaborative relationship.
• Lobero TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner20+ year client relationship involving multiple projects including complete seismic retrofit, theater rigging and lighting, and ongoing historic building maintenance and improvements.
• Santa Barbara Botanical GardenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient for Pritzlaff Conservation Center project pursuing LEED Gold Certification. Represents sustainable building partnership with environmental organization.
• Planned Parenthood of Santa BarbaramajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare client for clinic remodel and administration building addition projects.
• Santa Barbara Unified School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing educational sector partner for school construction projects using Lease Leaseback delivery method including gym renovations and theater modernizations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• W.E. O'Neil Construction: Western US commercial general contractor with comparable service portfolio spanning commercial, healthcare, education, and hospitality projects. Mid-size regional GC with similar delivery method capabilities and employee-centered culture.
• Snyder Langston: Southern California commercial general contractor with comparable service offerings including preconstruction, general contracting, and construction management across commercial, healthcare, and education sectors. Similar mid-size scale and California regional focus.
• Bernards: California-based commercial general contractor emphasizing healthcare, education, hospitality, and multifamily construction. Comparable in scope of services and California institutional client focus, though larger in scale.
• R.D. Olson Construction: California-based commercial general contractor founded in 1968 with similar regional focus on hospitality, healthcare, and commercial construction. Directly comparable as a mid-size commercial GC operating in the California institutional and private development market.
• C.W. Driver: Southern California general contractor with comparable commercial and institutional portfolio including healthcare, education, and cultural projects. Similar mid-size to large California regional GC profile.
• Matt Construction: California-based commercial general contractor with comparable services including preconstruction, general contracting, and design-build across commercial, healthcare, and cultural sectors. Similar size and California regional focus.

Broad incumbents

• Swinerton: California-founded national general contractor with extensive commercial, healthcare, and education portfolio. Larger and broader in geographic reach, but directly competes for institutional California work where Schipper operates.
• DPR Construction: California-headquartered national GC with extensive healthcare, education, and commercial work. Larger scale and broader technology-forward operations, but competes for the same institutional and commercial bid pool in California.
• Hensel Phelps: Large employee-owned general contractor with significant California operations serving commercial, healthcare, and aviation sectors. Comparable employee-ownership model and similar institutional client base, though substantially larger in scale.

Regional players

• Sundt Construction: Western US regional general contractor with comparable commercial and institutional portfolio including healthcare, education, and government projects. Similar mid-size to large regional GC profile with comparable delivery methods.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Schipper-Construction-673813202758299

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Frank Schipper Construction Company