General Contracting Services for the Greater Sacramento Area

 

TSD Construction is a locally owned and operated general contracting company providing construction services in the Greater Sacramento Area.

Tim Davidson, a third generation Sacramento native, has been in the construction industry since 2003. In that time, Tim managed concrete crews and landscape installation projects, remodel projects, designed and built a decking program that serviced all of California, helped a relative launch and build a new HVAC company, and constructed new-build projects in the Sacramento market.

Our in-house team consists of local guys that can do all trades on the projects we take on. Our partners (specialized subcontractors) have been helping us complete projects and have proven themselves over time to be reliable, professional, and good to do business with. Just because you know how to do something well, doesn’t mean that you are a good partner. Reliability and clear communication are essential to getting a project done on time and on budget.

The closer you live to the Pocket area, also known as Greenhaven, the more likely you are to see TSD Construction signs and projects taking place.  That is by design.  We are based out of the Pocket—Greenhaven area and are most efficient when we minimize our windshield time.  Driving between jobs is a necessity each day, so the less driving time for us the better.  The local areas around Greenhaven include Land Park, Hollywood Park, and Curtis Park.  We also service midtown jobs and are “lead safe certified” to work on homes older than 1978.  Don’t get me wrong, we will travel for a project that is a good fit for us, but in terms of efficiency, we prefer work that is closer to home.

The remodel market has been on a tear since recovering from the “Great Recession.”  The abundance of free-flowing cash and the shortage of skilled labor in our market, all markets really, has created a perfect storm for material price increases and delayed project times as customers wait their turn for a contractor to service their needs.  Currently, we are only taking on remodel work for unoccupied homes—customers who are willing to move out for a month or so, are in the process of buying or selling, or for investors who are flipping houses. 

Why choose a general contractor for your project?

The main reason that customers choose to have a general contractor manage their project, whether it’s for just a roof or HVAC replacement, or for an addition or new-build ADU, is that a general contractor typically has a wide arsenal of specialized contractors at his or her disposal.  Over the years general contractors develop relationships with subcontractors and learn who they can count on to do quality work in a timely and cost-efficient fashion.  Typically, a general contractor gets a discount from the specialty contractor, which provides the general contractor a small margin and still gives the general contractor the ability to present the customer a fair price.  It’s a win-win for the customer, as they don’t have to try and select a service provider at random and essentially roll the dice on getting someone who will do a good job.  In that sense, a good working relationship with a trusted general contractor is worth its weight in gold.

Additionally, a general contractor may have four or five, or even more, of one specific trade in their phone bank, meaning that they can select the trusted partner that best suits the job.  Time and experience will dictate who the general contractor will lean on to complete the task, but the ultimate responsibility lies in the general contractor’s lap.  For the customer, the ability to make a single phone call to a trusted general contractor in their neighborhood means that they don’t have to worry about anything else. The general contractor takes ownership of the job and is responsible for any permits and scheduling all the work and trades in the proper order.

Do problems arise when a general contractor is managing a job?  Yes, problems still occur.  While a general contractor oversees the project and is pulling all the strings to make it happen, things can and do come up.  There are no silver bullets.  But time and experience in the trades and the sheer number of jobs completed give the general contractor an advantage in dealing with those problems when they do arise. 

How do you select a general contractor to work for you? 

The main selection criteria should be personality (do you like him or her), experience in the task(s) you are looking to accomplish (how many times have they done this), and reviews or referrals.  A lot of the older contractors “missed the boat” when it came to accumulating reviews on Google.  Frankly, the internet and “Google” came along after they were well on their way to building their business profiles.  Even today as I revise this page in late 2024, some of my best and most reliable subcontractors have just three reviews, or two reviews!  So, while reviews are important, they don’t tell the whole tale.  Try and get referrals from friends and family, or your church, or your neighbors.  Ask around about someone before you end up signing on the dotted line.