What Sam Hill & Sons does

Sam Hill & Sons, Inc. is a third-generation, family-owned general engineering contractor headquartered at 2627 Beene Road, Ventura, California. Founded in 1977 by Sam Hill with a single backhoe, the company specializes in heavy construction of underground utilities — both wet (sewer, water, storm drain) and dry — and operates under an enterprise field-sales go-to-market motion that bids public agency work, engages developers directly, and serves homeowners through detailed itemized estimates. Its primary service territory spans Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles Counties in Southern California, with 24/7 on-call emergency response for public works customers and a full-service yard with an on-site mechanic supporting its fleet.

The company's core offering is a unified suite of heavy-construction services delivered across three customer segments: public works agencies (city, county, and special district clients including Casitas Municipal Water District, Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, Ventura Regional Sanitation District, City of Oxnard, City of Ventura, and City of Thousand Oaks), developers (Gluck Building Company, Shea Homes, Fivepoint, Comstock Homes), and individual homeowners (including post-disaster rebuilding assistance for events such as the Thomas Wildfire). Workforce is unionized through the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 12 and the Southern California District Council of Laborers Local 585, and the company cites an excellent loss-prevention history as a competitive credential.

The business model is project-based revenue generated through competitive bidding on public contracts and direct engagement with developers and homeowners; pricing is quote-based with itemized estimates rather than published rate cards. Leadership has remained within the Hill family: founder Sam Hill was succeeded by his eldest son Ron Hill (who joined in 1978), and Ron's son Spencer Hill joined the executive team in 2005 as estimator/project manager, managing day-to-day operations. The company has no external investors, no parent entity, no disclosed subsidiaries, and no public listing, consistent with a closely-held regional contractor.

Name

Sam Hill & Sons

Legal name

Sam Hill & Sons, Inc.

Website

https://samhillandsons.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sam Hill & Sons, Inc. is a third-generation, family-owned general engineering contractor in Ventura, California that installs underground utilities (sewer, water, storm drain, dry) for public works agencies, developers, and homeowners across Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles Counties, with 24/7 emergency response and multi-million-dollar project capability since 1977.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Underground Utility Construction Services

NAICS

Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (237110), Utility System Construction (2371), Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (23711), Site Preparation Contractors (23891)

SIC

Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Cable Installation & Construction Services (trenching, duct banks, HDD, pulling, cable laying) (EUADADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Storm Drain & Yard Drain Cleaning & Repair (HSAOABAL), Emergency Water Main/Service Line Repair (HSAOAMAK), Dewatering & Groundwater Control (Wellpoints, Deep Wells, Cutoff Systems) (IMAFAOAF)

Keywords

• Underground utility construction
• Heavy civil contracting
• Public works construction
• Sewer and water installation
• Emergency construction services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ventura

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Heavy Construction Project Services: Project-based revenue from underground utility construction services including installation of sewer, water, storm drain and dry utilities for commercial, residential, and public works projects. Revenue is generated through competitive bidding on public agency contracts and direct engagement with developers and homeowners.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sam Hill & Sons is a General Engineering Contractor that installs and repairs underground wet and dry utilities — including sewer, water, and storm drain systems — for public agencies, developers, and homeowners across Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles Counties. The company operates a full-service yard and provides 24/7 emergency response for utility failures such as water main breaks, sewer spills, and street flooding. Established in 1977, it is a third-generation, family-owned, union-based heavy construction firm.

Product overview

Sam Hill & Sons is a General Engineering Contractor offering a unified suite of heavy construction services centered on underground utilities. Their core offerings include wet utilities (sewer, water, storm drain installation) and dry utilities, delivered through specialized service lines for residential homeowners, commercial developers, and public works agencies. All services are supported by 24-hour emergency response capabilities, a full-service yard with on-site mechanic, and a workforce represented by the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 12 and Southern California District Council of Laborers Local 585.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Underground Utility Construction Installation and repair of underground wet utilities (sewer, water, storm drain) and dry utilities for public agencies, developers, and homeowners in Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles Counties.
• Emergency Construction Response 24/7 emergency response service for water main breaks, sewer spills, storm drain failures, and street flooding, provided to public agencies, developers, and homeowners across the company's service area.
• Public Works Contracting General Engineering contracting services for municipalities, counties, and public agencies on sewer, water, storm drain, and dry utility infrastructure projects, typically procured through competitive bidding.
• Developer Site Utility Installation

Quantifiable outcome

• 40+ years of continuous operation and satisfied customers
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves3 records

Broad incumbents

• Graniterock: Long-established California-based heavy civil contractor and construction materials producer serving public infrastructure and private development. Larger and broader portfolio, but overlaps in underground utility and public works construction in California.
• Teichert Construction: Sacramento-based heavy civil contractor and materials producer with deep California public works and underground utility experience. Comparable service portfolio at larger scale and Northern California geography.
• Ames Construction, Inc. Heavy civil contractor performing earthwork, underground utilities, and transportation infrastructure across the western U.S. Larger incumbent with overlapping services including sewer/water and site prep, but broader geographic and project scope.
• Shimmick Construction Company, Inc. California-rooted heavy civil contractor delivering water infrastructure, underground utilities, and transit/bridge projects. Overlaps on wet utility and public works work but operates at substantially larger scale.

Direct peers

• C.A. Rasmussen, Inc. California-based general engineering contractor performing heavy civil site work and underground utility construction for public agencies and developers. Directly comparable in service mix and is already listed as a Sam Hill & Sons customer/partner.
• Tapani Underground, Inc. Family-owned Pacific Northwest underground utility and site preparation contractor serving public agencies and developers. Closely matches Sam Hill & Sons' family-business structure, service mix, and competitive bid model, with regional geography outside SoCal.
• FCI Constructors, Inc. Heavy civil construction firm performing underground utilities, site work, and structural concrete for public agencies and developers. Similar service offering and bidding-based business model.
• Sukut Construction, LLC: Southern California heavy civil contractor specializing in mass excavation, grading, and underground utility installation for public works and private developers. Directly comparable in scope, customer type, and regional geography.
• Blois Construction, Inc. Southern California general engineering contractor performing underground utility, structural, and site work for municipalities, developers, and homeowners. Closely matches Sam Hill & Sons' service lines and tri-county SoCal footprint.

Regional players

• Ghilotti Construction Company, Inc. Family-owned Northern California general engineering contractor focused on underground utility, grading, and paving. Highly comparable service mix and family-business model, but operates in the San Francisco Bay Area rather than SoCal.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Sam-Hill-Sons-Inc-100076430075550

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 Sam Hill & Sons