Overaa Construction
A family-owned Northern California construction contractor providing general contracting, design-build, and self-performed concrete services.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Overaa Construction is a privately held American construction company headquartered in Richmond, California. Founded in 1907 by Norwegian immigrant and carpenter Carl E. Overaa, the business developed in the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, when reconstruction created substantial demand for building and infrastructure work across the Bay Area. It remains a family-owned contractor and has built a long-term reputation in Northern California for complex public, institutional, educational, laboratory, transportation, civic, and water-infrastructure projects. The company operates primarily as a general contractor and design-build provider. Unlike contractors that outsource most trade work, Overaa maintains a significant self-performing construction capability, particularly in concrete. Company crews are reported to complete approximately 600,000 labor-hours in an average year, with roughly three quarters associated with concrete work. This capability supports work requiring structural concrete, seismic improvements, rehabilitation, and technically demanding public facilities, while also allowing the company to coordinate construction directly with project owners, architects, engineers, and subcontractors. Overaa's project portfolio includes university and community-college facilities, parking structures, civic buildings, research laboratories, theaters, libraries, and municipal water-treatment plants. Notable examples include the University of California, San Francisco Parking Structure; the Lafayette Library and Learning Center; the renovation and seismic upgrade of Richmond City Hall; the Las Positas College Center for the Arts; the Mission Bay Block 27 Parking Structure; the Advanced Light Source User Support Building at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; the Hearst Greek Theatre seismic upgrade and expansion; and rehabilitation work at Sacramento-area water-treatment facilities. The company has also participated in publicly supported capital programs. Following the Great Recession, it completed projects backed by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, including work for Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. In 2010, it recorded the highest number of man-hours among general contractors in Northern California, according to the available reference material. Since 1993, Overaa has appeared among Engineering News-Record's Top 400 Contractors in the United States, a recurring industry ranking that reflects its scale relative to other American contractors. Family continuity has been a defining feature of the organization. Jerry, or Gerald, Overaa, the founder's grandson, joined the company in 1966 and later became chairman of the board. In March 2011, Christopher Manning, a long-serving employee with 25 years at the company, became president after Peter Kappelhoff's retirement. Overaa's identity is therefore based less on consumer-facing brand marketing than on regional project delivery, construction expertise, institutional relationships, and multigenerational ownership.
History
Overaa Construction traces its origins to 1907, when Carl E. Overaa, a Norwegian immigrant and carpenter, established the company in the Bay Area. Its formation came shortly after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, and the firm's early identity was shaped by the region's continuing need for reconstruction and new building work. Over subsequent decades, Overaa developed from a local construction business into a substantial Northern California general contractor while retaining family ownership. A later generation of the Overaa family became involved in company leadership. Jerry, also known as Gerald, Overaa, the founder's grandson, joined the firm in 1966. He eventually became chairman of the board, extending the family's management role across multiple generations. The company's family-owned structure remains an important part of its corporate identity, although the available reference material does not specify the full ownership arrangement or all members of its current management team. Overaa's business expanded around general contracting, design-build work, and direct execution of selected construction trades. Its strongest self-performing specialty is concrete. The company's crews are reported to complete approximately 600,000 man-hours in an average year, about three quarters of them in concrete-related work. This operating model is suited to large public and institutional projects that require substantial structural work, close coordination, and rehabilitation or seismic-strengthening expertise. The firm has completed projects throughout California in civic, educational, cultural, research, transportation, and utility settings. Its portfolio includes the University of California, San Francisco Parking Structure, which received a merit award in the 2006 AIA San Francisco Design Awards; the Lafayette Library and Learning Center, completed in 2009; and the Richmond City Hall renovation, a central component of the $78 million Richmond Civic Center Revitalization project. The Richmond work included a seismic upgrade, building-envelope repairs, and interior renovation. The broader revitalization effort received two Northern California Construction magazine Best of 2009 awards. Further projects included the Las Positas College Center for the Arts, completed in 2010; the Mission Bay Block 27 Parking Structure, recognized with a citation in the 2010 AIA San Francisco Design Awards; and the Advanced Light Source User Support Building at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, completed in 2010. The laboratory building was reported as LEED Gold certified and incorporated recycled material into approximately 10 percent of its construction. Following the Great Recession, Overaa worked on projects supported by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, including two projects for Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. In 2010, the company reportedly logged the highest total of man-hours among general contractors in Northern California. Overaa has also appeared in Engineering News-Record's Top 400 Contractors in the United States since 1993, indicating a sustained presence among larger American construction contractors. In March 2011, Christopher Manning became president after Peter Kappelhoff retired. Manning had worked at Overaa for 25 years before taking the position. The company subsequently continued its work on large public and institutional facilities, including the Hearst Greek Theatre seismic upgrade and expansion, completed in May 2012, and rehabilitation projects at the Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant and the E. A. Fairbairn Water Treatment Plant. The water-treatment program began in 2013 and was described as a $113 million project. Today, the available material characterizes Overaa as an active, family-owned contractor based in Richmond and focused on Northern California construction and rehabilitation work.
- 2013
Sacramento water-treatment rehabilitation begins
[1]Rehabilitation work began at the Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant and the E. A. Fairbairn Water Treatment Plant under a program described as worth $113 million.
- 2012
Hearst Greek Theatre upgrade completed
[1]The Hearst Greek Theatre seismic upgrade and expansion was completed in May.
- 2011
Christopher Manning becomes president
[1]Christopher Manning succeeded retiring president Peter Kappelhoff after 25 years with the company.
- 2010
Major institutional projects completed
[1]The Las Positas College Center for the Arts and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Advanced Light Source User Support Building were completed; Overaa also recorded a Northern California general-contractor man-hour high.
- 2009
Lafayette Library and Richmond civic work completed
[1]Overaa completed the Lafayette Library and Learning Center and contributed the primary contract work for Richmond City Hall's seismic and renovation program.
- 2006
UCSF Parking Structure receives design award recognition
[1]The University of California, San Francisco Parking Structure received a merit award in the AIA San Francisco Design Awards.
- 1993
First noted in ENR Top 400 coverage
[1]The company began appearing in the available record among Engineering News-Record's Top 400 Contractors in the United States.
- 1966
Jerry Overaa joins the company
[1]Jerry, or Gerald, Overaa, the founder's grandson, joined the family business.
- 1907
Company established
[1]Carl E. Overaa founded the construction company in the Bay Area after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
Products and positioning
A large, family-owned Northern California general contractor distinguished by regional experience, public-sector and institutional project delivery, design-build capability, and substantial self-performed concrete work.
Construction services · 1907
General contracting
Overaa provides general contracting for large public, institutional, educational, cultural, research, civic, and utility projects. Its role can include preconstruction coordination, procurement, construction management, subcontractor coordination, quality control, and delivery of complex facilities. The company is particularly associated with Northern California projects where structural, seismic, or rehabilitation requirements demand extensive coordination.
Construction services
Design-build services
The company offers design-build delivery, integrating design and construction responsibilities within a coordinated project approach. This model is used for facilities and infrastructure where owners seek closer alignment between constructability, scheduling, cost control, and technical execution. Specific current service packages and project terms are not detailed in the available reference material.
Structural construction
Self-performed concrete construction
Concrete is a core operating capability for Overaa. The company's own crews reportedly perform about 600,000 labor-hours in an average year, with approximately three quarters devoted to concrete work. This capability supports foundations, structural systems, parking structures, civic buildings, seismic interventions, and other concrete-intensive facilities while giving the contractor direct control over a major portion of project execution.
Rehabilitation and infrastructure
Seismic upgrade and building rehabilitation
Overaa undertakes seismic strengthening, building-envelope repair, interior renovation, and broader rehabilitation work. Examples include Richmond City Hall's seismic upgrade and renovation and the Hearst Greek Theatre seismic upgrade and expansion. These projects reflect the company's role in extending the useful life and improving the resilience of existing public and institutional assets.
Utility infrastructure · 2013
Water-treatment infrastructure
The company constructs and rehabilitates municipal water-treatment facilities. Its referenced work includes rehabilitation at the Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant and the E. A. Fairbairn Water Treatment Plant, a Sacramento-area program that began in 2013 and was described as a $113 million project. The available material does not provide a complete list of current water-infrastructure offerings.
Brand decisions
2013
Expansion of municipal water-treatment workOtherBackground
Overaa participated in the rehabilitation of the Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant and the E. A. Fairbairn Water Treatment Plant.
Action taken
The company undertook the referenced treatment-plant rehabilitation program, described as having a value of $113 million.
Aftermath
The projects broadened the documented portfolio of public utility and water-infrastructure work. The available source does not provide final cost or completion details.
Reported project value. $113 million (Project beginning in 2013)
2011
Leadership transition to a long-serving internal executiveStrategyBackground
After president Peter Kappelhoff retired, Overaa selected Christopher Manning, who had worked for the company for 25 years, to lead the business.
Action taken
Manning was appointed president in March 2011.
Aftermath
The transition preserved continuity in the company's management and family-owned operating model. No further outcome is specified in the available material.
Sources2 sources
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