What Paulsen Construction does

Paulsen Construction is a fourth-generation, family-owned general contractor headquartered in South Salt Lake, Utah, founded in 1925 by Norwegian immigrant Paul Paulsen and currently led by fourth-generation President John Paulsen. The company delivers general contracting, construction management, and design-build services across six practice areas: historical restoration, high-end residential, industrial, commercial, institutional, and renovation. Its customer base is concentrated in Utah and weighted toward government, public-sector, and institutional clients — including Utah Transit Authority, Unified Fire Authority, Salt Lake City Public Library, Salt Lake Arts Academy, Wasatch Academy, and federal General Services Administration work — supplemented by commercial and high-end residential projects.

The firm's competitive positioning is anchored in multi-generational craft expertise, particularly in historical restoration where third-generation leader Craig Paulsen received a State of Utah Lifetime Achievement Award for 42+ years of preservation work. Its technical foundation combines traditional craftsmanship with building information modeling (BIM) and modern construction technologies, applied to projects ranging from seismic upgrades to LEED-certified commercial facilities and energy-efficient residential designs incorporating geothermal and solar systems. Notable completed projects include the original Sprague Library (1928), the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building consolidation, the Salt Lake City Public Library crescent wall and rooftop reconstruction, and the Unified Fire Authority Midvale Fire Station 125.

Revenue is generated through competitive project bidding and fixed-price or cost-plus contracts across pre-construction, construction, and post-construction phases. The go-to-market is direct and relationship-based, with no intermediaries, digital distribution channels, or publicly disclosed pricing — projects are acquired via RFP response, competitive bid, and repeat client engagement in the Utah regional market. Pricing is fully quote-based and project-specific, with no standardized tiers. The firm maintains an internal workforce of approximately 32 employees supplemented by a subcontractor network, and is not publicly listed, has no disclosed funding events, and does not publish financial statements.

Name

Paulsen Construction

Legal name

Paulsen Construction

Website

https://paulsenconstruction.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Paulsen Construction is a fourth-generation, family-owned general contractor founded in 1925 in Salt Lake City, Utah, delivering general contracting, construction management, and design-build services across historical restoration, commercial, industrial, institutional, and high-end residential projects for public-sector and private clients in Utah.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

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

Construction Management (Agency/Owner’s Rep) (IMAFAAAC), Disaster Recovery & Restoration General Contracting (IMAFAAAJ), Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting (BPAHAKAG)

Keywords

• General contracting services
• Construction management
• Design-build construction
• Historical restoration
• Commercial construction

Headquarters

HQ city

South Salt Lake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. General Contracting Services: Traditional general contracting services for construction projects including pre-construction, construction, and post-construction phases. Revenue is generated through competitive bidding on projects and fixed-price or cost-plus contracts.
2. Construction Management: Construction management services where Paulsen oversees project delivery on behalf of owners, managing schedule, budget, and quality.
3. Design-Build Services: Integrated design-build services combining architectural design and construction under single contract, providing turnkey project delivery for clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Paulsen Construction is a fourth-generation general contractor providing general contracting, construction management, and design-build services for commercial, institutional, industrial, residential, renovation, and historical restoration projects across Utah. The company delivers projects from pre-construction planning through post-construction completion, with deep expertise in historical building preservation, LEED-certified construction, and high-end residential designs featuring geothermal and solar energy systems. Revenue is generated through competitive bidding on projects and fixed-price or cost-plus contracts awarded primarily by government agencies, educational institutions, and commercial entities.

Product overview

Paulsen Construction is a fourth-generation general construction company founded in 1925, offering a unified suite of construction services centered around General Contracting, Construction Management, and Design-Build delivery methods. The company operates across six specialized service areas: Historical Restoration, High-End Residential, Industrial, Commercial, Institutional, and Renovation construction. These services are delivered as integrated offerings rather than discrete product modules, with the core value proposition being the combination of old-fashioned craftsmanship with modern construction technology. Projects range from small-scale residential to large-scale commercial and institutional developments, with notable expertise in historical restoration and public works projects throughout Utah.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Contracting Services Full-service general contracting for commercial, institutional, industrial, and residential construction projects across Utah and surrounding regions, delivered through competitive bidding and fixed-price or cost-plus contracts.
• Construction Management Services Professional construction management overseeing project scheduling, budgeting, quality control, and coordination between trade partners from pre-construction through project completion, provided on behalf of project owners.
• Design-Build Services Integrated design-build delivery method combining architectural design and construction under one contract, streamlining project timelines and accountability for clients in Utah.
• Historical Restoration Specialized restoration and preservation of historical buildings, monuments, and structures including museums, federal buildings, and religious institutions. Projects include Spring City Old School, Murray Mansion/Museum, Butch Cassidy's House, and the Mormon Battalion Monument.
• High-End Residential Construction Luxury residential construction featuring contemporary and traditional designs with unique energy systems like geothermal and solar for affluent homeowners. Projects include South Temple Townhomes, Alta Residence, and Millbrook Development.
• Industrial Construction Public works and industrial facilities including waste and culinary water systems, light-rail infrastructure, storage facilities, and manufacturing plants. Projects include Airport CRDC, Snowbird CoGeneration Plant, and UTA Trax platforms.
• Commercial Construction High-performing commercial facilities in LEED environments spanning private and public sectors, including fire stations, restaurants, airports, and office buildings. Projects include Tooele Air Center, El Cholo Restaurant, and Provo Fire Station #21.
• Institutional Construction Institutional buildings including seismic upgrades to historical or high-occupancy facilities like schools, universities, and community centers. Projects include Wasatch Academy campus buildings, University of Utah facilities, and Ronald McDonald House.
• Renovation and Remodeling Renovation and remodeling services for existing structures including the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, Walker Center Fire Escape, and various commercial tenant improvements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Minimal change orders - projects delivered at or under budget
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AJC ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 November 2023Paulsen Construction partnered with AJC Architects on the Unified Fire Authority Midvale Fire Station 125 project. This partnership resulted in the project being recognized as 'Most Outstanding Public Building Under $10M' by Utah Construction & Design magazine. The partnership demonstrates Paulsen's design-build capabilities working alongside architectural firms.
• GSBS ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 April 2019Paulsen Construction collaborated with GSBS Architects on the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building Consolidation Project in downtown Salt Lake City. The project, completed for GSA (General Services Administration), transformed the building into an efficient, energetic space using creative materials and building systems.
• GSA (General Services Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGSA engaged Paulsen Construction through the Bennett Consolidation Project in collaboration with GSBS Architects. The project delivered an efficient workspace for federal tenants, demonstrating Paulsen's capability to work on federal government construction projects.
• Associated Builders and ContractorscoreOthersActive membership in Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) trade association. Paulsen has received multiple awards through ABC including STEP Platinum Award for Safety, Excellence in Construction awards, and Workplace Safety awards. ABC membership provides training resources, networking, and industry recognition opportunities.
• Utah Heritage Foundation (Preservation Utah)minorOthersActive membership and award recipient from Utah Heritage Foundation (now Preservation Utah). Paulsen received Heritage Awards for historical restoration work and Craig Paulsen received Lifetime Achievement recognition for contributions to historical preservation.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Okland Construction: Utah-headquartered general contractor with a similar service mix across commercial, industrial, institutional, and historical work. Larger than Paulsen, but competes head-to-head for Utah public-sector and private bids in the same mid-market project size band.
• Jacobsen Construction Company: Salt Lake City-based general contractor operating since 1922 with similar four-generation legacy and Utah institutional focus. Directly comparable as a regional GC serving commercial, institutional, and government clients in the same geography and project size bands.
• R&O Construction: Ogden, Utah-based commercial GC founded in 1980 serving healthcare, education, commercial, and industrial clients across the Intermountain West. Similar mid-market project profile and overlapping public-sector bid pool.
• Wadman Corporation: Utah-based general contractor founded in 1949 serving commercial, industrial, institutional, and government clients. Comparable regional footprint and project mix; a direct competitor for Utah public-sector bids.
• Hughes General Contractors: Salt Lake City-based commercial GC founded in 1959 serving institutional, office, healthcare, and government clients in Utah. Similar size band and project mix; directly comparable regional peer.

Broad incumbents

• Layton Construction: One of the largest Utah-based commercial GCs with national reach, often competing on larger institutional and government projects where Paulsen bids. Overlapping customer base and service categories but with materially larger capacity and broader geographic scope.
• Big-D Construction: Utah-headquartered commercial contractor with a broader national footprint than Paulsen. Competes for similar commercial, industrial, and institutional work in Utah but at a larger project scale.

Regional players

• Zwick Construction Company: Intermountain West GC based in Utah serving commercial, institutional, and historical renovation clients. Comparable service mix and project size band, focused primarily in the Utah and surrounding-state region.

Others

• Preservation Utah (formerly Utah Heritage Foundation): Utah-based nonprofit advocacy organization that promotes historic preservation and provides awards and resources relevant to Paulsen's heritage restoration work. Ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor; an institutional ally in Paulsen's specialty niche.
• CRSA (architecture firm): Salt Lake City architecture firm that frequently partners with Utah GCs on institutional and commercial design-build projects. Adjacent ecosystem participant and potential design-build partner for Paulsen's integrated delivery work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paulsen-construction

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Paulsen Construction