In the foothills of northern San Diego County lies San Marcos, California, a dynamic town of more than 95,000 inhabitants. With one-of-a-kind dining and shopping choices and beautiful attractions drawing visitors into the surrounding hills, this city offers scores of reasons to settle here. While it retains the small-town ambiance that has captivated residents and tourists, San Marcos has grown rapidly in the last decade. The city’s ample supply of capital, diversified housing stock, and quick access to recreational options make it a hotspot for companies and entrepreneurs.

Local contractors are fundamental to the city’s thriving commerce and booming economy. The best contractors can be depended upon to shape a company’s dreams of growth into attractive and functional spaces. Our editorial team compiled a list of the best commercial contractors in San Marcos, California. These contractors were carefully chosen based on their achievements, professional accreditations, years in the industry, and outstanding projects.

Molinar Construction

5694 Mission Center Rd. #181, San Diego, CA 92108

Molinar Construction’s diverse experience in a wide variety of industry projects has made the firm a leader in providing the highest quality construction. From commercial complexes to religious facilities, the firm prides itself on approaching every project with a collaborative methodology and strong attention to detail. The firm’s 23 years of experience are based on offering tailored services. These revolve around utilizing technology during the pre-construction, construction, close-out, and post-occupancy phases. This enables the firm to completely track the process and ensure that its clients’ goals are fulfilled and exceeded. 

Molinar Construction has been delivering construction services backed up by technologically sophisticated processes since 1998. One of its projects is the Ethan Allen establishment in San Marcos. This 30,000-square-foot building includes an expansive outdoor parking area. The firm carried out a solid design incorporating pillars, moldings, and a light color palette to showcase the retail store’s brand of high-quality furniture.

Firestone Builders, Inc. 

330 Rancheros Dr. Ste 226, San Marcos, CA 92069

Firestone Builders, Inc. is a family-owned general contracting firm whose objective is to offer only the highest quality construction services to the region. The firm is dedicated to achieving its mission through delivering efficient plans, quality spaces, and client-centered strategies with every project. The company’s 30 years of experience in the industry has allowed it to establish a reputation for competence, honesty, and dependability that clients around the region rely on. 

Firestone Builders, Inc. boasts a skilled crew of construction specialists committed to building spaces that exceed client expectations. The firm’s work on the San Marcos Family Dental Office is an example of its versatile services. Firestone Builders, Inc. designed and built this 1,500-square-foot project, an innovative, sleek, and modern working environment. The firm also incorporated custom-built, space-saving millwork in the office furniture— all within the client’s budget and on schedule.

APSGC, Inc.

3525 Del Mar Heights Road #922, San Diego, CA 92130

Jamie Accetta’s dream of building timeless spaces led to his forming one of the area’s notable construction firms specializing in commercial buildings, APSGC, Inc. Jamie, the firm’s president and a LEED-GA accredited professional, established the company during his time as a student at SDSU in 1999. Starting with the construction of custom residential homes, APSGC, Inc. has progressed into a company that specializes in designing and building commercial projects across the region. Jamie’s passion and pace matches that of the commercial design-build environment; his energy has grown the firm’s portfolio of successful, high-quality projects. 

One of the firm’s projects is the gym and fitness facility, Rush Cycle, in San Marcos. This 2,500-square-foot project was previously a Radio Shack site. To contain costs, the firm retained existing plumbing placements and improved the restroom facilities. Through careful planning, permits, and construction processes, ASPGC, Inc. transformed the space into the sleek and clean Rush Cycle.

Richard & Richard Construction Company, Inc. 

234 Venture St. Suite 100, San Marcos, CA 92078

Since its inception in 1991, Richard & Richard Construction Company, Inc. has been delivering exceptional and efficient construction services that fit the client’s budget. This commitment to excellence has led the firm to be recognized as one of the largest commercial contractors in Southern California. The firm’s diverse experience in design-build, project management, and construction has resulted in practical spaces that achieve the clients’ goals. This skill and experience have earned the firm the 2016 Golden Nugget award for Multifamily Housing Community. 

Richard & Richard Construction Company, Inc. has completed over 1,200 commercial projects with its team of 50 skilled workers. One of its projects in San Marcos, completed in partnership with Mesa Rim Climbing Centers, was the design and construction of a fitness facility from the ground up. This 28,200-square-foot building was the firm’s fifth and largest project with Mesa Rim Climbing Centers. With a two-story steel frame structure, the climbing gym features the tallest rope climbing wall in North County, at 55 feet. The project also included several related amenities, such as a yoga room, gym area, locker rooms, a two-stop elevator, and staff offices. The exterior was given a modern and streamlined look to reflect the gym’s brand.

Rudolph and Sletten, Inc.

7584 Metropolitan Dr. Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92108

Rudolph and Sletten, Inc.’s brand is timeless and important, much like the structures it constructs. Rudolph and Sletten, Inc., one of the West Coast’s top general construction contractors, was founded in 1960 and has been defining concepts and raising standards for more than six decades. With over 3,000 projects completed in California, the business has shaped and developed everything from biotech laboratories and healthcare centers to commercial offices and educational institutions. The firm regularly offers exceptional service and high-quality products by using a transparent, dependable, and collaborative approach to every project it manages. This strategy has brought the firm numerous awards, including the Safety Commendation Award in 2020. 

One of the firm’s projects is the Kaiser medical office building and site, located in San Marcos. The project supersedes an old building complex with a one-story pavilion structure, a five-story medical office building, and a parking deck. This commercial project will most likely receive LEED Gold certification shortly, due to the use of sustainable methods and materials that highlight the working environment while maintaining a pleasant ambiance.

Gafcon, Inc. 

5960 Cornerstone Court West Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92121

Established in 1987, Gafcon, Inc. is one of California’s leading construction firms, known for exceeding client expectations with its full range of services. From program and construction management to preconstruction and technology solutions, the firm attends to a project’s every intricate detail. The firm’s commitment and consistency in shaping the dynamics of communities through built spaces have earned it more than 150 awards in the last 10 years. These awards include the 2019 AIA Merit Award in the Commercial, Built Category and the 2018 Architecture Merit Award. Gafcon, Inc. has also been acknowledged as an award-winning company in Engineering News Record’s Top 100 Construction Management Firms List. 

One of the firm’s California projects is the Wende Museum of the Cold War. Gafcon, Inc. supplied construction management services to rebuild an abandoned armory, making use of an extraordinarily large quantity of construction components donated to the museum as in-kind gifts. The environmentally responsible renovation of the structure and its surrounding grounds substantially benefited the community. This revitalization of an abandoned facility into a facility for preserving heritage and history reflects the firm’s versatile and exceptional services throughout the region. This project also received the 2018 Honorable Mention Reconstruction Award.

Lusardi Construction Company 

1570 Linda Vista Dr., San Marcos, CA 92078

Contractors view a strong relationship with their clients as an asset in ensuring exceptional quality and results in the construction process. Lusardi Construction Company believes strongly in this goal and makes sure to build and preserve the best company-client relationships with every project. Because of this principle, the firm has received several awards, including the 2017-18 ABC Safety Training and Evaluation Process (STEP) Awards, ranking in the silver levels in both years. 

The project shown  here is San Marcos High School, a school reconstruction. The design and build process resulted in a state-of-the-art campus with several facilities and advanced technology. It features several rooms and centers, faculty lounges, libraries, a gym, and other school-related spaces and amenities.

Balfour Beatty Construction

10620 Treena St. #300, San Diego, CA 92131

Balfour Beatty Construction is a premier contracting firm, regarded as one of the top leading companies in the industry. Its fundamental principles are curiosity, drive, and determination—all essential factors in building projects that are perfectly suited to each client, private or public, small or large. For Balfour Beatty Construction, it’s not just about building a structure, it’s about creating a lasting legacy. 

With over 88 years of service and experience, the firm has received several certifications such as LEED AP – Silver to Platinum, Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), among others. It has also earned awards such as the 2018 Contractor of the Year Award from NAMC and Company of the Year Award by WINTER. 

One of the firm’s more high-end projects is the Palomar College Howard Brubeck Theatre Addition. This project involved both the renovation of an existing building (Howard Brubeck Theatre) and the addition of a new building, an arts complex. The process included the redesign, restoration and upgrade of the facilities, ultimately transforming the venue into a beautiful, versatile performance space.