About
Selective on purpose, built to deliver.
MacDougall Builders is a commercial general contractor in Los Angeles. We plan the job in detail before construction, make decisions ahead of the work while we build, and hand over a building that is ready to operate. We take on a select number of projects, so experienced builders and our founder stay close to every one.
What we build
Ground-up construction, interiors and renovations
- 01
Restaurants and bars
The health department plan check, industrial waste approval, kitchen hood and fire alarm coordination, and hitting a fixed opening date.
- 02
Hospitality
Bars, lounges, clubs and amenity spaces, finished to the operator’s standard and sequenced around guests and staff.
- 03
Hotels
Guest rooms and public areas renovated floor by floor, in a hotel that remains open during construction.
- 04
Retail
Landlord coordination and approvals, owner-furnished fixtures to receive and install, and finishes built to the brand’s own design.
- 05
Tenant improvement
The landlord work letter, coordinating with existing conditions, and the building’s rules for after-hours work and freight access.
- 06
Adaptive reuse
A change of use, the seismic and accessibility work it triggers, and utility upgrades.
- 07
Creative office
Open ceilings and exposed systems, where every duct and conduit run becomes part of the finish.
- 08
Ground-up construction
A new building from site work to finished interior: grading, foundations, structure, shell and fit-out.
What we do
Used together or on their own
- 01
Preconstruction
We work with ownership and the design team while the design progresses, through the details and how they will be built, so the program fits the owner’s budget and schedule duration.
Preconstruction services - 02
General contracting
During construction, we proactively communicate with the full team so key decisions can be made while there is still time to act on them.
General contracting services - 03
Owner’s representative
We represent the owner from the first program through closeout: the master budget, selecting the design team, entitlements and permitting, and oversight of construction.
Owner’s representative services - 04
Scheduling
Critical path schedules, schedule reviews, scorecards and program management, built with our custom tools and the experience of having built to a schedule in the field.
Scheduling services
Who we work with
Owners, and the design teams they hire
- 01
Owners
Daily, weekly or monthly, built to your preferences: the work in place, the schedule by milestone, and every decision that is yours with the date it is needed by.
See what your report would look like - 02
Architects and designers
We review the design documents in detail, bring questions to your team before they reach the owner, and carry the design intent into the field.
Working with architects
Why it exists
Built around how a job should be run
I started MacDougall Builders because I had a clear idea of how I wanted to build: get the right information to the field, stay ahead of decisions, communicate early, and let experienced people use their judgment. I spent ten years in the field as a superintendent and general superintendent, then president of a general contractor, and the jobs that went well had those four things in common.
We are selective about the work we take on. The fit depends on the project, the staffing it requires and our ability to give it the attention it deserves.
Small is a choice about attention, not about the size of the work. A tenant improvement with a tight schedule, a restaurant with a complex kitchen build-out and minimal tolerances, and an adaptive reuse project with unknown conditions all need experienced builders on them every week, and that is what the company is built to give them.
What makes a small firm work at this level is the system behind it. Our experience on difficult commercial projects is built into our own AI, which holds the drawings, specifications, schedule, meetings and open decisions for each job, so experienced builders have the context they need in front of them.
Luke MacDougall, Founder
What we hold to
How we treat your project
- 01
We treat a bid or a preconstruction engagement as if we are already responsible for building it.
- 02
Questions get asked before the price is finalized, and decisions get made before they impact work on site.
- 03
You hear from us early, whether the news is good or bad.
We talk decisions through with you and record what was agreed, so the team has the same information. We respect the design team’s work and the trades who build it, and we treat the owner’s budget as if it is our own.
Where we build
Across Los Angeles County
We build across Los Angeles County, with a focus on the West side, the coast from Malibu to Manhattan Beach, Hollywood, Silver Lake and Downtown, including the Arts District.
- The West side
- Santa Monica, Venice, Mar Vista, Marina del Rey, Playa Vista, Culver City, Century City, Westwood, Beverly Hills and West Hollywood
- The coast
- Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Manhattan Beach
- Hollywood to Downtown and more
- Hollywood, Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Echo Park, Koreatown, West Adams, Highland Park, Downtown Los Angeles and the Arts District
When the owner’s team calls about something in month eleven, the same person answers.
Start with a conversation
Let’s talk about your project
Tell us what you are planning, where the design stands and the date you are working toward. We will call to talk it through.