Build Your San Antonio GC Business Through Military Contracts and Residential Growth
Military base facilities create steady government work. Historic district renovation requires specialized expertise. Residential growth in north provides volume. And diversification across all three creates sustainable profitable business.
We help San Antonio general contractors between $500K-$10M build operations for military contracts, historic renovation expertise, residential growth, and systematic profitability.
The Realities of Running a General Contracting Business in San Antonio
These are the operational challenges we help you solve:
Military Base Facilities and Government Contracting
Joint Base San Antonio creates general contracting opportunities for facility improvements, renovations, and maintenance requiring SAM registration, prevailing wage compliance, and government contract expertise.
Military GC work includes facility renovations, maintenance projects, small construction, and tenant improvements. Requirements: SAM.gov registration, bonding capacity ($250K-$1M+ for larger projects), prevailing wage compliance (Davis-Bacon), certified payroll systems, security clearances and base access, detailed documentation, and government procurement understanding. Start by subcontracting for prime contractors learning requirements. Obtain SAM registration and bonding. Study prevailing wage regulations. Bid on smaller projects ($50K-$200K) building past performance. Understand 30-90 day payment cycles requiring working capital. Target 15-25% of revenue from military work providing steady recession-resistant base. Top performers generate $400K-$1.5M annually in military contracts.
Historic District Renovation and Preservation Expertise
San Antonio historic districts (King William, Monte Vista, downtown) create renovation opportunities requiring preservation expertise, design review navigation, and specialized restoration techniques.
Historic renovation includes exterior restoration, interior updates balancing modern function with historic character, foundation repair in older homes, and navigating Historic Design Review Commission approvals. Build expertise in historic preservation techniques, plaster repair, period-appropriate materials, and foundation issues common in older construction. Develop relationships with architects specializing in historic properties and craftsmen skilled in restoration. Understand HDRC review process and approval requirements. Price appropriately for complexity and specialized work (22-32% margins). Target affluent buyers renovating historic properties in desirable neighborhoods. This specialization differentiates and commands premium pricing.
Residential Growth in North San Antonio Corridors
North and northwest San Antonio growth (Stone Oak, Helotes area) creates residential construction and remodeling volume requiring builder relationships and operational capacity.
Growth corridors provide residential opportunities: new home construction, additions, major remodels, and custom homes. New construction requires builder relationships, production efficiency, and thinner margins (18-25%) but provides volume. Remodels offer better margins (25-35%) with more intensive client management. Build operational capabilities for chosen focus or hybrid model balancing both. Track profitability by segment. Develop geographic presence in growth areas or price premium for distance. Partner with realtors and designers generating referrals. Market through builder partnerships, online presence, and community involvement.
Foundation Repair and Soil Movement Issues
San Antonio older homes on varying soil conditions experience foundation movement requiring assessment expertise, repair coordination, and renovation planning accounting for foundation issues.
Foundation issues common in older San Antonio homes require assessment during renovation planning. Develop relationships with foundation repair specialists and structural engineers. Understand when foundation repair is prerequisite to renovation work. Price foundation-related work appropriately including structural assessment and coordination. Educate clients on foundation issues and repair necessity. Include foundation contingency in older home renovations. Track foundation issues by neighborhood understanding soil patterns. Expertise in foundation assessment and repair coordination enables complete renovation solutions versus contractors avoiding foundation complexities.
Balancing Military, Historic, and Residential Revenue Mix
Diversification across government, historic renovation, and residential growth creates stability but requires different operational capabilities, pricing, and management for each segment.
Each segment requires different capabilities: Military demands compliance and documentation, historic requires preservation expertise and patience with approvals, residential requires client management and design skills. Build hybrid model: 20-30% military for stability, 25-35% historic for premium margins, 40-50% residential for volume and growth. Track profitability by segment ensuring each contributes appropriately. Develop operational systems for each: military compliance, historic design review navigation, residential client management. Diversification reduces dependency on single segment providing sustainable year-round business.
San Antonio Climate & Regional Impact on General Contracting
Understanding local conditions is critical for General Contracting success:
Extreme Summer Heat Affecting Construction
Impact:
San Antonio summer temperatures 100-110°F limit outdoor working hours, reduce crew productivity, create heat safety concerns, and affect project scheduling especially for exterior work and concrete installation.
Solution:
Schedule outdoor work for early morning hours, implement crew heat safety protocols with hydration requirements and breaks, adjust production expectations during extreme heat, communicate weather impacts to clients managing timeline expectations, and build schedule buffer for heat delays.
Occasional Severe Weather and Flooding
Impact:
San Antonio severe thunderstorms create project delays and flash flooding in low-lying areas requiring weather flexibility and site drainage considerations in project planning.
Solution:
Build weather contingency into project schedules, protect materials and open work from storm damage, communicate weather delays proactively, schedule interior work during storm seasons when possible, and understand flood plain construction requirements for affected properties.
Mild Winters Enabling Year-Round Construction
Impact:
San Antonio mild winters (rare freezes) enable consistent year-round construction providing steady project flow and revenue versus seasonal markets with winter shutdowns.
Solution:
Leverage year-round construction capability for consistent project scheduling and revenue. Build steady project pipeline avoiding seasonal concentration. Market year-round construction as timeline advantage versus seasonal markets.
San Antonio Licensing & Compliance for General Contracting
Navigate local regulations and stay compliant:
City of San Antonio Building Permits and Historic Review
Requirement:
Building permits required for construction and renovation. Projects in historic districts require additional Historic Design Review Commission approval adding timeline and restrictions.
How to Stay Compliant:
Pull all required permits building costs and timelines into pricing, identify historic district projects early for HDRC review planning, submit complete applications avoiding delays, understand code requirements and inspection processes, maintain professional inspector relationships, and track permit documentation.
Military Base Security and Prevailing Wage Requirements
Requirement:
GC work on Joint Base San Antonio requires security clearances, base access credentials, background checks, and Davis-Bacon prevailing wage compliance for federal contracts.
How to Stay Compliant:
Obtain required security clearances and base access credentials, conduct background checks on employees working base contracts, implement certified payroll systems for prevailing wage documentation and compliance, understand wage rates by classification, maintain detailed payroll records, and build compliance costs into government contract pricing.
Texas General Contractor and Trade Licensing
Requirement:
No state-level GC license but trade-specific licenses required. Written contracts required for residential work over $50K. Consumer protection regulations apply to residential contractors.
How to Stay Compliant:
Ensure all trade subcontractors have appropriate licenses, use written contracts for all projects including required disclosures, maintain general liability and workers compensation insurance, comply with consumer protection regulations, and verify subcontractor insurance and credentials.
Historic Preservation and Design Review Standards
Requirement:
Renovation in San Antonio historic districts must comply with design review standards protecting historic character. Restrictions on exterior modifications, materials, and architectural changes.
How to Stay Compliant:
Work with architects familiar with historic guidelines, submit complete design applications to HDRC, understand material and design restrictions, build additional timeline for historic review into schedules, document compliance with preservation standards, and educate clients on historic district requirements and timelines.
San Antonio GC: Diversification Through Military Contracts and Historic Expertise
The Scenario
Northwest San Antonio general contractor at $650K relying solely on residential remodels, no military contracting, avoiding historic work, and 17% margins with boom-bust revenue volatility.
Challenges:
- 100% residential creating revenue volatility and market dependency
- No military contract capabilities despite base opportunities
- Avoiding historic renovation limiting premium market access
- No foundation expertise creating issues in older home renovations
- Poor project management creating delays and cost overruns
Implementation:
Obtained SAM registration and bonding, started military subcontracting, built to 25% military revenue. Developed historic renovation expertise accessing King William and Monte Vista markets. Created foundation assessment and coordination capabilities. Implemented project management systems and estimating discipline. Built balanced model: 25% military, 35% historic, 40% residential.
Results
"We struggled with revenue volatility completely dependent on residential market cycles. The KPS Group helped us break into military contracts and build historic renovation expertise. Now we have three balanced revenue streams providing consistent year-round business with way better margins and zero volatility stress."
General Contracting Performance Benchmarks for San Antonio
How does your business compare to industry standards and top performers?
Military Contract Revenue Percentage
Historic Renovation Project Premium
Revenue Diversification
Foundation-Related Project Success
Historic Design Review Approval Rate
Project Cost Overrun Rate
Frequently Asked Questions: General Contracting in San Antonio
How should San Antonio GCs break into military base contracting?
Register in SAM.gov as government contractor (free registration). Obtain bonding capacity through surety starting $250K-$500K for smaller projects. Research small business set-asides providing competitive advantages. Start subcontracting for prime contractors learning military requirements, security protocols, and prevailing wage compliance with less risk than prime contracting. Learn Davis-Bacon prevailing wage including rates by classification, certified payroll documentation, and compliance requirements. Understand security clearance and base access requirements. Bid on smaller projects ($50K-$200K) building past performance and track record. Maintain military work at 20-30% of revenue providing recession-resistant stability balanced with commercial and residential work. Payment cycles run 30-90 days requiring working capital reserves.
What expertise is required for historic district renovation in San Antonio?
Historic work requires specialized knowledge. Understand HDRC design review process, approval requirements, and typical timelines (4-8 weeks). Learn preservation techniques: plaster repair, period-appropriate materials, historic window restoration, original detail preservation. Build relationships with architects specializing in historic properties and craftsmen skilled in restoration work. Source period-appropriate materials and fixtures. Understand foundation issues common in older construction coordinating structural assessment and repairs. Price appropriately (22-32% margins) for complexity, specialized techniques, and design review timeline. Target King William, Monte Vista, and downtown historic properties attracting affluent buyers valuing preservation expertise. This specialization commands premium pricing and differentiates from standard contractors.
How can San Antonio GCs diversify revenue reducing market dependency?
Build balanced model targeting 20-30% military contracts for recession resistance and steady base, 25-35% historic renovation for premium margins and differentiation, 40-50% residential growth work for volume and flexibility. Each segment requires different capabilities: military demands compliance and documentation, historic requires preservation expertise and approval navigation, residential requires client management and design. Track profitability by segment ensuring each contributes appropriately. Develop operational systems for each segment. During economic downturns, government and historic work provide stability. During growth periods, residential volume scales. Diversification eliminates dependency on single segment creating sustainable year-round profitable business.
How should San Antonio GCs handle foundation issues in renovations?
Foundation movement common in older San Antonio homes requires systematic approach. Conduct foundation assessment during initial project evaluation identifying issues before estimating. Build relationships with foundation repair specialists and structural engineers for evaluation and repairs. Understand when foundation repair is prerequisite to renovation work preventing cosmetic work failure. Include foundation contingency in older home renovation estimates (5-10% on pre-1960 homes). Educate clients on foundation issues, repair necessity, and costs. Coordinate foundation repair before or during renovation. Track foundation issues by neighborhood understanding soil and construction patterns. Expertise in foundation assessment and repair coordination enables complete renovation solutions differentiating from contractors avoiding foundation complexity.
What technology should San Antonio general contractors implement?
Project management software (Buildertrend, CoConstruct) for scheduling, budgeting, communication, documentation ($300-$700 monthly). Certified payroll systems if pursuing military contracts. Estimating software ensuring accuracy and consistency. Job costing tracking costs by project and trade. Client communication platforms for updates and approvals. Historic documentation tools for preservation projects. Mobile apps for field updates. Payment processing and draw management. Document management for permits, contracts, warranties. Business analytics tracking revenue, margins, segment performance. Total investment $400-$900 monthly delivers ROI through project efficiency, compliance management for government work, accurate estimating, and professional differentiation.
How can San Antonio GCs differentiate in competitive market?
Specialize in military contracting, historic preservation, luxury residential, or specific project types building deep expertise. Develop capabilities across multiple segments providing diversification and year-round stability. Build superior client experience through professional communication, systematic updates, quality focus, and clean job sites. Implement technology for professional proposals, real-time tracking, and systematic processes. Maintain 4.6+ star reputation demonstrating quality and reliability. Build bilingual capabilities serving San Antonio Hispanic market professionally. Develop foundation expertise common need in older properties. Focus on specialization, quality, project management, and professional systems rather than competing on price creating sustainable profitable business.
What are biggest mistakes San Antonio general contractors make?
Over-reliance on single segment creating volatility - diversify across military, historic, residential. Ignoring military opportunities despite base presence - obtain SAM registration and start subcontracting. Avoiding historic work limiting premium access - build preservation expertise. No foundation assessment capabilities - develop expertise and partnerships. Poor government contract compliance - learn prevailing wage and documentation requirements. Inadequate project management - implement systems and technology. Weak estimating creating cost overruns - develop detailed scoping and estimating discipline. Competing on price rather than expertise - differentiate through specialization. No cash reserves managing payment cycles - maintain working capital.
How do San Antonio GCs recruit quality subcontractors?
Build vetted roster with multiple options for each trade. Verify licensing, insurance, and references before first project. Test quality on smaller jobs before major projects. Track performance: quality, timeliness, communication, cleanup, customer interaction. Pay fairly and on-time building loyalty. Provide steady work for top performers. For historic work: identify craftsmen skilled in restoration techniques, plaster work, and period-appropriate details. For military: verify subcontractors can obtain base access and understand prevailing wage. Communicate expectations clearly. Address issues immediately. Build relationships through professionalism and fair treatment. Consider bilingual subcontractors for effective communication in San Antonio market.
How should San Antonio GCs price projects competitively?
Calculate costs: materials, subcontractors, direct labor plus overhead plus target profit. Residential remodels: 22-32% margins depending on complexity and market positioning. Historic renovation: 25-35% margins for preservation expertise and complexity. Military contracts: 18-25% margins competitive bidding but steady volume. Foundation-related work: appropriate premium for coordination and complexity. Build good-better-best presentations. Include prevailing wage costs in government pricing. Price for value and expertise not just cost. Track close rates targeting 35-48% for competitive positioning. Compete on specialization, quality, and systematic approach rather than lowest price creating sustainable business.
How should San Antonio GCs navigate historic design review processes?
Identify historic district projects early in planning for timeline management. Work with architects familiar with HDRC guidelines understanding requirements and approval processes. Submit complete design applications with detailed drawings, material specifications, and context photos. Understand common approval issues: inappropriate materials, modern details on historic buildings, scale and massing changes. Build relationships with HDRC staff and commissioners. Schedule realistic timelines: 4-8 weeks typical for review and approval. Attend HDRC meetings presenting projects and addressing concerns. Document approval and compliance. Educate clients on historic district requirements, restrictions, and timelines. Expertise in design review navigation differentiates contractors enabling realistic schedules and successful project outcomes in desirable historic neighborhoods.
San Antonio Resources for General Contracting Contractors
Local organizations, licensing authorities, and industry associations:
National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)
Education, advocacy, networking, and resources for residential construction and remodeling contractors.
nahb.org →San Antonio Builders Association
Networking with builders, contractors, and industry professionals. Education, advocacy, and San Antonio market resources.
sabuilders.com →Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC)
Free consulting and training for government contracting, SAM registration, prevailing wage, and military contract opportunities.
nwtxptac.org →San Antonio Conservation Society
Historic preservation advocacy, education, and resources. Networking with property owners and professionals in historic districts.
saconservation.org →Ready to Scale Your San Antonio General Contracting Business?
Get operations support from consultants who understand General Contracting challenges in the San Antonio market.