The Best Gym Contractors in the US

Last updated on October 25th, 2024 at 06:19 am

One out of five adults in the United States has a fitness club membership, and the number could potentially double in the next ten to 15 years. According to a 2018 report by the International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), the health and fitness industry has been growing to a maximum of four percent annually. The current projection means that the $30-billion market is expected to boom in the coming years. Experts emphasized that two significant segments of the fitness industry have contributed to the majority of these numbers: high-value, low-price (HVLP) health clubs and boutique fitness studios. To keep up with the growing demand for health clubs and fitness facilities, the construction industry has been exploring innovative approaches to building new, updated, and structurally relevant fitness centers and exercise facilities.

The list below highlights the best gym contractors in the US. For this article, we considered firms that have completed gym construction, renovation, and remodeling projects, whether for high-end franchises or for local entrepreneurs who want to establish their own brands. Some of these contractors have built home gyms. It also includes tenant improvement providers that work on rebuilds and transformations for exclusive fitness spaces and wellness studios. Each of these builders is capable of providing services in a wide area of coverage. Many of them have also served multiple cities and states. 

The ranking was based on the firms’ quality of work, number of completed projects for a wide variety of fitness and wellness build outs, years of services, the principal’s background, client reviews, awards and company affiliations, and partnerships with the country’s biggest fitness center franchises. 

If you are thinking about building a gym, we recommend checking each builder’s license with the local licensing board, speaking to past clients, and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes from at least 3 contractors. Getting multiple bids is the best way to ensure you get a fair price and that bids include the complete scope of work.

Axiom Construction Company

1219 Wunsche Loop, Spring, Texas 77373

Founded in 1995, Axiom Construction is a leading provider of general construction and construction management services to Houston’s commercial and industrial clients. Aside from its high-caliber workmanship, the company is known for its efficient completion rate and its preference for high-quality materials, innovative methods, and cost-friendly solutions. 

Under the leadership of Richard Otwell, the company has continuously won long-term contracts from high-value markets throughout Texas. While it focuses on medical facilities and advanced technology complexes, it is also a great source of services for sports and fitness facilities. Gym construction solutions for local and established clientele have been some of its most reliable offerings. 

24 Hour Fitness, a nationwide fitness facility provider with over 400 clubs in 13 US states, is one of the firm’s notable clients. The project for the physical fitness center involved the construction of a mid-level commercial space and the installation of corporate standards equipment and amenities unique to the said franchise. The interiors are of the typical, open-floor and spacious industrial style with signature exposed beams and metal fixtures.

Heritage

10908 171st Ave. NW, Suite C, Elk River, MN 55330

Founded by Andry Christensen in 2004, Heritage Construction is a full-service general contractor that highlights teamwork and client dedication as its main approach to building. Its partnerships with local businesses and subcontractors across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Dakotas have helped establish its reputation as a preferred contractor for high-quality and professional build-outs.

The company understands that its deadlines are crucial to launch its clients’ businesses, and this motivates it to continue what it does best: ensuring that every project is completed on time and within budget. For its hospitality, retail, and tenant improvement works, the firm makes use of premium materials and structural features that are unique either to the client’s own brand or to the corporate standards of the client’s franchise. This customer-focused approach continues to secure the firm’s designation as a Better Business Bureau (BBB) certified builder.

For its fitness center constructions, the firm has completed projects for big sports and fitness facility brands like Anytime Fitness. For this franchise, the company has completed build outs and renovations for a 6,400 square feet and 4,100 square feet of fitness spaces for Minnesota’s Big Lake and Becker, respectively. Both projects were completed within a 4-week timeline. Interior details of said projects included the installation of open bar joists, acoustical panels, a variety of workout equipment, and temperature controls.

Rebcor Construction

900 Heritage Dr. Unit #925, Pottstown, PA 19464

Startups and established commercial brands have long relied on Rebcor Construction’s three decades of construction and design expertise. While the company serves a wide variety of clients for commercial, healthcare, and hospitality construction, it is not just a typical construction firm. Rebcor is also an expert in construction management, a factor that enables the company to manage the financial and safety risks that are often present in every phase of construction.  

John Files, the founder and CEO of the company, knows the importance of handling a project with meticulous care. For Files, every construction project is an active partnership with each client and keeping them informed about every stage of the development is crucial. Accounts from business owners and franchisees often highlight the firm’s ability to create unique solutions in order to accommodate strict deadlines, adjust to restrictive work environments, and deliver projects on-budget.  

Planet Fitness, the largest fitness facility brand in the country in terms of numbers and locations, was one of the firm’s biggest clients from the fitness market sector. The project involved constructing the facility according to the corporate specifications and structural standards of the brand. Similar levels of builds can be found in the firm’s portfolio, with commercial constructions done for the country’s biggest retail and commercial franchises.

Advanced Property Solutions

3525 Del Mar Heights Rd. Unit #922, San Diego, CA 92130

While Advanced Property Solutions (APS) was founded in 1998 as a general contractor working exclusively for residential clients, it has grown to become a commercial builder delivering construction services to bigger markets. Jamie Accetta founded the company while in college in order to achieve his professional goal of establishing an entrepreneurial venture in the construction industry. 

The company has built a variety of fitness centers across Southern California. Its clients range from local entrepreneurs who want to build their own gym facilities, franchise owners who wish to build fitness and studios according to the strict standards of their franchise brands, as well as large corporate chains with branches scattered across the country. Aside from workout spaces, the firm’s tenant improvement projects for the market also include boxing gyms, yoga studios, training centers, spinning studios, and mixed martial arts gyms. Additionally, the firm’s wide scope of services allows it to take on high-value construction projects for restaurant, retail, and office builds.

APS is one of the few builders that offer a comprehensive commercial site evaluation service. Depending on existing building conditions and the intended occupancy use, the company’s extensive knowledge of value engineering solutions and code compliance allows it to identify the needed upgrades and accessibility options for its clients. Fire alarm systems, ADA-certified adjustments, HVAC installation, plumbing, and lighting system upgrades are also covered in its services.  

Hilbers Incorporated

770 N Walton Ave. Suite #100, Yuba City, CA 95993

Hilbers deliver a full package of services that only a few firms can offer: the combination of its specialties as a design/build firm, a construction management firm, and a general contractor allows the company to cover and independently focus on every stage of the construction process, from conceptualizing ideas to actual project completion. Another aspect that makes this company unique is its 24-hour facility maintenance, a dedicated service that provides accessible and readily available routine checks and preventive maintenance works to its clients.

The company was founded by Kurt Hilbers in 1962. From being a small, local business, it has evolved to become a multifaceted organization that provides construction services for a wide variety of markets. The firm currently serves several industries, including commercial, multifamily, medical, hospitality, religious, and fitness. 

As a fitness builder, the firm is a preferred choice of builder since can handle any type of budget and level of complexity. Be it a large, corporate or small, locally-owned fitness center, the firm is equipped with the training and experience to build gym facilities that adhere to the industry’s strictest standards. For years, it has worked with clients from nationally recognized brands that include UFC Gyms, 24-HOUR Fitness Centers, Cowboys Fitness, 49ers Fit, and other known names across the region. Some of these workout spaces are equipped with interior and exterior pools, saunas, spas, shower rooms, and locker rooms, among others.

MCL Construction

14124 Industrial Road, Omaha, NE 68144

Data-driven construction management methods highlight MCL Construction’s innovative approach to building and design. As a builder and designer, it is equipped with a dedicated technology and innovation team that caters to the demands of constructing today’s smart and functional commercial spaces. Included in its professional arsenal is a Building Information Modeling (BIM) program that does not only deliver 3D models, but also provides a highly accurate and time-efficient process depending on the technical and structural demands of the project. Additionally, the company’s 3D HD Laser Scanning tool has boosted the firm’s performance in terms of location imaging, project assessment, design planning, and collaboration.

Aside from technology, customer service also defines the firm’s enduring success in the industry. President Bob Carlisle believes that the “strongest foundations are built on trust”.  Since the company’s founding in 1987, it has gained the trust of the region’s biggest markets and has established lasting partnerships with the industry’s highly demanding clients. Over the years, it has built thousands of projects across multiple locations in the Midwest. 

One of the firm’s highly-commended projects is a 24-hour fitness space that was exclusively constructed for the Omaha World-Herald Building and its employees. The tenant improvement build covered 6,500 square feet and was completed on time within a three-month projection. The project involved a total remodel and rebuild to accommodate amenities like cardio and weight room spaces, a group fitness area, locker and shower rooms, and laundry facilities. One of the highlights of the work is the unique storefront glass panels illuminated with colored LED lights that can be adjusted according to holiday themes.

GSD Contracting LLC

4675 Anglers Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312

Greg and Guy DeJohn are second generation builders who founded the company in 1980. The firm started out as a boutique builder that focuses on one project at a time. The business’s expansion helped it handle bigger projects for more complex markets especially from clients in the commercial industry. Today, it has the resources and manpower to complete construction works for medical facilities, houses of worship, assisted living spaces, and fitness centers across South Florida and beyond. 

The company is affiliated with highly reputable organizations in the industry. The Associated General Contractors (AGC), American Institute of Architects (AIA), and US Green Building Council (USGBC) recognize the firm’s innovative approach to building and its ability to solve the most complex and highly demanding problems in every phase of construction. The firm’s success in facing every engineering and architectural challenge head-on has been commended by many of its high-value clients.

The Powerhouse Fitness renovation was one of the most structurally challenging projects that the firm has completed. The project covered 21,600 square feet of state-of-the-art gym facility that houses high-end workout equipment, fitness classrooms, personal and group training areas, and parking spaces. Because of the project’s unique engineering and infrastructure characteristics, the firm had to deploy instant specific design and building strategies to complete the project. This includes designing and constructing a new transformer room as an answer to the problem of directing enough power source from the local service provider to this high-end facility.

StoneCo Building Group

350 Tenth Ave. Suite #1000, San Diego, CA 92101

StoneCo Building Group has over 40 years of experience in handling a wide range of commercial construction projects. Since its founding, the firm has closed several construction contracts for different services from a variety of niches that include hospitality, education, historical renovation, medical, retail, and tenant improvement. 

Bruce Stone, the company’s principal believes that the ultimate goal of every builder should not only be about completing a project, but completing it with a “strong sense of client satisfaction”. This philosophy has helped it earn the respect and trust of high-end international commercial clients such as Louis Vuitton, Barnes and Noble, Discovery Store, Heavenly Yogurt, and more.  

Many of the firm’s revenues come from partnerships with repeat clients. LA Fitness, for instance, was one of the fitness franchise businesses that partnered with the firm to complete projects in several California locations. Namaste Fitness and other wellness centers, such as Perspire Sauna Studio and Planet Beach, can also be found in the firm’s portfolio. 

Lehman Daman Construction Services

975 Eastwind Dr. Suite #130, Westerville, OH 43081

As a design/build firm, Lehman Daman Rudolph Libbe Group was initially founded to realize its founder’s goal of establishing an ideal company. Jon C. Lehman, Jr. believed that to accomplish that, he should create an organization that can handle both the functional design and the cost-effective phases of construction. His vision eventually helped establish the company. The firm has ultimately expanded to offer energy optimization, power generation, and property selection and management to all of its clients throughout the region. 

Jim Daman joined the company in 1995. Even before assuming his role as a president, he has been making his own name in the industry, honing his expertise in strategic planning, business development, and operations. As a principal, he serves as the driving force of the company to cater to the evolving needs of Central Ohio’s residential and commercial markets. 

For instance, when PF Baker Group decided to expand its Family Fitness franchise, it partnered with the company to construct several fitness facilities. Here, the firm acted as the single point of contact throughout the pre-construction and construction stages of the project. The contract involved works on demolition, tenant improvement build-out, and securing certificates of occupancy. These projects ranged from 11,000 to over 17,000 square feet and are located in multiple locations in Ohio and Indiana. 

March Construction

601 Hamburg Turnpike, Wayne, NJ 07470

March Construction’s portfolio of commercial projects holds a total value of $2.85 billion. This impressive achievement is a product of the company’s over 30 years of delivering efficient and high-quality construction solutions for multifamily, mixed-use, retail, hospitality, theater, and fitness facility construction services across the Tri-state Area. The firm has completed constructions for big fitness center brands, such as LA Fitness and 24 Fitness. For years, the company has been named as one of the top privately held businesses in the region. The Engineering News-Record (ENR) also listed the firm as one of the top 400 contractors nationwide. These milestones can be attributed to the company’s dynamic workforce.

Louis March, Jr., the firm’s founder, oversees every aspect of the company’s business processes, from initial client consultation to the completion of the project. Under his team are project managers who have completed industry-standard training and development programs, which are helpful in allowing the team to meet the professional and economic demands of every construction project. 

These methods are incorporated into the company’s business practices. For instance, for the company, constructing a fitness center takes more than just installing exercise equipment and electrical outlets. They believe that builders should consider how to help their clients curate their brand and provide a unique customer experience. 

AIC General Contractor

2703-G Broadbent Pkwy., Albuquerque, NM 

The continued success of AIC General Contractors can be attributed to its principal, David Shaffer, and his multifaceted expertise when it comes to handling complex construction projects as an active participant in every stage of development. Shaffer takes on the roles of an administrator, a senior project manager, and a sales and marketing manager. This hands-on approach has helped his company rank top among the region’s renowned builders.   

Aside from its works in the education and tenant improvement markets, the company is an expert in the design and construction of fitness facilities for local entrepreneurs and corporate franchises. These projects do not only require quality construction but also adherence to industry standard methods that cover corporate design, equipment requirements, and layout functionality, especially when it comes to building for the biggest brands in the markets such as Anytime Fitness and Barre-3, as well as for numerous physical therapy centers in the region.

When OrangeTheory Fitness expanded its services to Albuquerque and Santa Fe in 2016, the franchise partnered with the company to build several fitness studios for the brand. The projects were a success, having been delivered on time and in line with the corporate standards of the brand. The company built all four of the brand’s New Mexico locations, contributing to almost $2 million to the local economies. The firm later on earned the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) Awards for the said contribution.

McGowan Builders

160 East Union Ave., East Rutherford, NJ 07073

Cutting edge technology and groundbreaking construction methods characterize McGowan Builders’ reputation as a highly innovative builder. Over the years, its works and business practices have been highlighted in multiple publications, such as the Construction in Focus and Architect magazines, the New York Real Estate Journal, The New York Times, and the Mid-Atlantic Real Estate Journal, among others.

Patrick J. McGowan founded the company in 2001. Under his guidance, the firm grew into a significant construction firm that is capable of handling complex and structurally technical markets such as healthcare, mission-critical, financial, educational, high-end multi-residential, and commercial sectors. Million-dollar projects for other segments such as fitness and wellness markets can also be found in its extensive portfolio.

For instance, one of its high-value gym construction works is the Bally Total Fitness general contracting project. The work was a collaboration with Global Architecture. The two-million dollar contract covered the renovation of the 40,000-square-foot fitness facility that features a reception, juice bar, exercise rooms, two locker rooms equipped with bathrooms and shower areas, and management offices. The completed space included all new floor-to-ceiling finishes and updated MEP systems.

W.L. Butler

1629 Main St., Redwood City, California

Green leaders in construction have helped the industry answer to the most urgent calls for sustainability and energy-efficiency, and WL Butler is an active participant of this movement. The firm incorporates LEED-certified and green standards not just in its construction methods but in its overall business practices. As a member of the US Green Building Council (USGBC), the company believes that by choosing renewable resources and improving its waste diversion process, it can reduce the harmful effects of construction on local and global environments.

The company was founded over 40 years ago. Since then, it has deployed an approach that focused on quality, fairness, and collaboration. What started out as a home builder and remodeler became one of the country’s most accomplished builders, with milestones highlighted by expansions and long-term contracts with nationally renowned clientele. With William L. Butler at its helm, the firm has won huge bids from numerous market segments, such as education, hospitality, industrial, life sciences, healthcare, multifamily, and health and fitness, among others.

In the fitness and wellness market, the company has worked on multiple general contracting projects for several fitness facilities. The Barry’s Bootcamp improvement project, for instance, was a collaboration with MSA Architecture + Design. The work involved a structural transformation from a martial arts studio to a new, specialty fitness center. Included in the project are installations for HVAC and acoustical, partitions, electrical, lighting, millwork, finishes, plumbing, and updates in the building’s exterior elevation. 

Consolidated Construction

4300 N Richmond St., Appleton, WI 54913

As one of the nation’s oldest companies that specializes in general contracting and design/build services, Consolidated Construction has already worked with a wide spectrum of market segments. These include manufacturing, industrial, multi-residential, specialty healthcare, retail, and fitness. At present, multi-million dollar facilities and high-end projects parade the firm’s portfolio. Handling the overwhelming demand is the company’s team of experts, specializing in architecture, funding, construction, and other pre and post-construction services. 

Brothers Melvin and Alvyn Novotny founded the company in 1950 as an industrial and agricultural metal building firm. Initially headquartered in North Dakota, the firm’s expansion allowed it to move to Wisconsin, where it remained family-owned until 2006. Today, the company’s ownership shares are held by multiple minority partners and majority shareholders. 

In the fitness franchise market, some of the firm’s biggest clients include Planet Fitness, XPerience Fitness, and Anytime Fitness. In 2011, the firm earned seven different awards, including the Milwaukee Mayor’s Design Award, for one of its notable fitness center projects, Gold’s Gym City Center. These achievements are a testament to the company’s ability to deliver high-quality gyms and fitness centers not just in Wisconsin but all throughout the Midwest and the East Coast. 

Merritt Construction Services

2066 Lord Baltimore Dr., Baltimore, MD 21244

Over 16 million square feet make up the portfolio of Merritt Construction Services, in operation since 1967. As one of the Mid-Atlantic area’s most seasoned construction and redevelopment companies, it has completed a long list of comprehensive and complex projects with levels that range from Class A office buildings, LEED-certified structures, high-value manufacturing plants, to advanced institutional facilities. Many of its notable clients include the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, the American National Red Cross, CareFirst of Maryland, and Bakery Express. 

Robb Merritt, the company’s president, is an active participant in the construction scene. He was the former president of NAIOP Baltimore and he currently serves as the governor of the organization’s Research Foundation. Merritt also holds a membership with the Legislative Committee as well as the President’s Advisory Council for the Greater Baltimore Committee. 

As a builder, the company also caters to the fitness and recreation market, and for a significant reason: as an ideal workplace, it considers wellness as one of its core values and encourages its employees to stay active. To achieve both goals, the firm’s family of companies established the Merritt Clubs, a chain of renowned fitness facilities scattered across Baltimore. The same services are also offered to other companies and third-party clients in need of fitness and recreation center build-outs.

McShane Construction Company

9500 W Bryn Mawr Ave. Suite #200, Rosemont, IL 60018

Jim McShane founded McShane Construction Company in 1984 as a design/build construction firm. The news of its very first high-value accomplishment, a large-scale food processing plant project for Mullins Food Products, invited a wider client pool. The resulting demand rapidly boosted the firm’s popularity as a preferred commercial builder. Eventually, they expanded to offer a much larger project scope. Today, the company is an award winning, multi-faceted construction firm that serves hundreds of businesses across the United States.    

In 2018, NAIOP recognized McShane as the winner of their Chicago Contractor of the Year award – the seventh time the firm received this distinction. In the previous year, ENR ranked the company as one of the 2017 Top Design/Build Firms for its outstanding delivery methods. McShane is regularly named “Best Place to Work” by various publications. These accomplishments continue to secure the company’s place as one of the country’s leading general contractors for a wide variety of markets, such as multifamily, industrial, commercial, institutional, and health and fitness markets.

As a seasoned builder of fitness and recreation centers, the company has a long-term partnership with Fitness Formula Clubs (FFC). Some of its projects for the brand include facilities in East Lakeview, Park Ridge, Gold Coast, Halsted Street, Presidential Towers, South Loop, and Union Station. These design-build contracts range from 30,000 to 75,000 square foot build-outs. Strength training areas, general cardio equipment, locker rooms, tanning areas, indoor or outdoor swimming pools, studios for special workouts, as well as child care centers were included in the said projects.

Alston Construction

8775 Folsom Blvd. Suite #201, Sacramento, California

Alston Construction began as DBA Nathan Construction, and held that title until its incorporation in 1998. Since its establishment over five decades ago, it has dominated the region’s general contracting industry and has constantly secured wins for both Build Georgia Awards and Tilt-Up Achievement Awards. With Paul Little as its principal, recognitions on business practices, safety, design-build methods, and LEED-certified projects parade the firm’s list of achievements.

As a builder, the company successfully balances sustainability and cost-efficiency. Serving a wide range of markets for its design-build, general construction, and construction management projects, it has won the trust of many of the country’s notable brands such as Amazon, FedEx, UnderArmour, Cat, Volvo, Kellogg’s, and Best Buy, to name a few. For the sports and active lifestyle markets, the firm is a choice builder for sporting goods stores and fitness franchises. 

Gold’s Gym, an international fitness chain known for its wide variety of cardio and strength training facilities, trusts the company’s expertise in building many of its franchises. In one of its projects, the firm completed a one-story concrete tilt-up building located in College Station, Texas. The multiple-elevated structure was built on a 30,000-square foot land to accommodate several amenities. These include an aerobics space, cinema fitness workout areas, locker rooms, redwood sauna, a 10-foot Jacuzzi, and shower rooms.

Ridgemont Construction

1520 W Walnut Hill Ln., Irving, Texas 75038

Ridgemont Construction has honed the skill of building health clubs and fitness spaces for America’s biggest brands. Among its notable clients are Gold’s Gym and LA Fitness. As a preferred builder for a wide pool of clientele, the company has built over 50 fitness facilities since creating it’s dedicated retail team—a number that remains the highest among the top fitness center builders in the United States.

These projects can be found in prime locations and major cities across Texas. Additionally, all of the company’s construction works for the fitness market are high-scale projects, worth millions in terms of design and structural value. Most recently, Ridgemont built a 32,000 SF facility for Summit Climbing Yoga & Fitness which includes 5,000 SF of bouldering, 20,000 SF of top-rope, lead and auto-belay climbing. This facility is now the largest gym in the DFW area.

The company began with ten employees in 1976 and has grown to 90. Under Bob O’Brien’s leadership, Ridgemont is now one of the most recognized privately-held commercial builder and construction management firms in the region. The firm is also proud to have been recognized as a Top Place to Work by the Dallas Morning News for the last four years and a Best Place to Work by the Dallas Business Journal for the last two years.

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Sports facility contractors in the US

About Our Rankings

This list takes a range of ranking criteria into consideration, including but not limited to: work history, customer satisfaction, awards and recognition, geographic area of work, cost, building permits, and clientele. We spent over 40 hours researching local contractors before calculating the final ranking for this post. If there is additional information about your business that could affect these rankings, please fill out this form and we will take it into consideration.

Get Bids For Your Build

If you are thinking about building a gym, we recommend checking each builder’s license with the local licensing board, speaking to past clients, and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes from at least 3 contractors. Getting multiple bids is the best way to ensure you get a fair price and that bids include the complete scope of work.