Published on Jan 08, 2020| Reading Time: 4 minutes

Some contractors break the mold when it comes to construction payments, taking steps to make sure everyone on their projects is paid on time. Throughout 2019, the California contractors on this list had the highest rates of on-time payments to subcontractors. Their payment practices received positive ratings and reviews from customers and clients. And they encouraged parties on their projects to send visibility documents, like preliminary notice and lien waivers. 

On-time construction payments improve outcomes for everyone. Good payment practices reduce lien risk for property owners, improve cash flow for contractors and suppliers, and improve relationships on the job. But until now, construction payments have been made in the dark, with little-to-no transparency into the process.

Levelset’s newly updated Contractor Profiles platform is making construction payment data public to help property owners, builders, and suppliers easily identify the best contractors in any state (or any city) for on-time payments. 

Table of Contents

Top 6 California Contractors for 2019

The best contractors in California for on-time payment are:

Evolution Building Efficiency - Levelset Contractor Profile screenshot

1. Evolution Building Efficiency

In 2019, Evolution Building Efficiency paid contractors and suppliers on time on 99% of jobs. Customers and clients rate Evolution Building Efficiency’s payment speed an average of 5 out of 5 stars, putting them in the top 5% of all U.S. contractors.

Evolution Building Efficiency is a whole-building energy and water retrofit services contractor. On 131 projects they worked on in the past year, they maintained a “fast payment speed,” according to public and proprietary payment data from Levelset. 

Hathaway Dinwiddie - Levelset Contractor Profile screenshot

2. Hathaway Dinwiddie 

Across 516 total jobs, Hathaway Dinwiddie has paid their contractors on time on 98% of jobs. As a result, Hathaway Dinwiddie ranks in the top 5% of contractors in the United States for on-time payments. Compared to other contractors of their size, the number of payment warnings and liens in the database is significantly less than others who did not make this list. 

“A good outcome rarely happens by accident,” according to Hathaway Dinwiddie. “It takes detailed, hands-on planning. It happens when you know exactly what to expect from start to finish. Our process helps our clients realize their greatest visions by providing the confidence of predictable outcomes.” 

When it comes to payments on a construction job, a predictable outcome is what everyone – from the project owner down to the suppliers – hopes for. As one of the top contractors in California for on-time payment, that’s something Hathaway Dinwiddie understands well. 

Fullmer Construction - Levelset Contractor Profile screenshot

3. Fullmer Construction

On the 265 projects they worked on in 2019, they paid invoices on time 99% of the time. On their Contractor Profile, 16 contractors rated Fullmer Construction’s payment speed an average of 4.9 out of 5. Fullmer regularly requests preliminary notices, boosting their ability to see – and pay – everyone that’s working under them on a job.

Fullmer Construction stresses the importance of relationships. “More than 90% of the Company’s business is repeat or referral business…Customers want a company that foresees problems, fixes oversights and produces a superior completed project.” 

Completing a successful project isn’t just about the quality of work, as Fullmer knows. In addition, it’s about making sure everyone on the job is paid in a timely manner. 

BNBuilders - Levelset Contractor Profile screenshot

4. BNBuilders

On any construction project, one of the owner’s primary goals is completing the job without any payment disputes. According to the payment data that drives Levelset’s Contractor Profiles, BNBuilders pays contractors and suppliers on time on 98% of jobs

BNBuilders credits their focus on people with their success. “Our people have consistently set us apart by approaching every project proactively and with energy and enthusiasm to achieve our client’s goals.” The company has worked with some distinguished clients, including Amazon, Philips, Expedia, and Boeing. 

RD Olson - Levelset Contractor Profile screenshot

5. R.D. Olson Construction

According to Contractor Profile data, R.D. Olson pays their subcontractors on time on 97% of jobs. Contractors and suppliers rate R.D.’s payment speed 4.6 out of 5. 

Top review: “RD Olson Construction is a great company to work with. They are concerned about the quality and timely manner of the project and as long as you keep up with them, there would be no [payment] issue at all.”

Alston Construction - Levelset Contractor Profile screenshot

6. Alston Construction

Based on all-time jobs publicly available, Alston pays their contractors on time on 94% of jobs. Contractors give Alston Construction an average payment speed rating of 4.6 out of 5. 

Top review: “We have only done 2 projects with Alston Construction, both at the same project location…we received ACH payments on our invoices within 45-60 days. We were extremely happy with Alston & we hope to work with them again!”

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See Your Contractor Profile

Learn more what others are saying about you and how you compare to other contractors

How scores are calculated

A contractor’s payment speed is based on receipt of documents that indicate:

The more recent these documents were exchanged, the greater impact they have on the payment speed score. For more info, please see how contractor profile scores are calculated. 


Disclaimer: 

Levelset’s Contractor Profiles are updated daily. The information and rankings in this article reflect the data available on the date of publication.