Home Remodeling & Custom Construction in San Diego
Shiro Builders Group is a family-owned, San Diego-based design-build studio led by principal Shir Gal. We design and build kitchens, bathrooms, room additions, ADUs, and whole-home renovations across the county.
OUR ORIGIN
A San Diego Studio. Built Around the Client.
Founded in San Diego. Built around the client. Named for the way we work.
Shiro Builders Group is a family-owned, San Diego-based design-build studio with a single purpose: to plan and build residential work — small or large, single-room or whole-home — with the care a homeowner would give their own house. Every project is led personally by Shir Gal, from the first walkthrough at your property to the final hand-off of keys.
The studio takes its name from shiro (白), the Japanese word for white — a reference to the way we work more than the way our projects look. White is the absence of clutter, of hidden costs, of unanswered questions. We plan thoroughly, price honestly, document carefully, and do the work in a measured order. The result is a quieter construction process and a residence delivered the way it was promised — whether the project is a kitchen in Clairemont, a primary suite in Encinitas, an ADU in Mira Mesa, or a custom build along the coast.
What We Build
Everything Your Home Might Need.
From One Studio.
Every Shiro project is led by Shir Gal and a single design-build team from first sketch to final walkthrough. Below are the disciplines we practice across San Diego County — performed with the same uncompromising material standard, whether the work is a single bathroom or a whole-home renovation.
Kitchen Remodeling & Renovation
Kitchen remodeling in San Diego is the most-requested work we do — and the room where measured, careful design pays back every day.
Bathroom Remodeling & Renovation
Full-bath renovations, primary-suite baths, and powder-room refreshes — engineered for California water standards and finished to last.
Whole-Home Remodeling
When more than one room needs attention, a whole-home remodel is the most efficient way to do the work.
Room Additions, ADUs & Garage Conversions
More space, on the property you already love. We plan and build first- and second-story room additions, detached ADUs, junior ADUs, and garage conversions across San Diego — including the high-demand neighborhoods of Mira Mesa, Spring Valley, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Oceanside, Escondido, and San Marcos. Every project is permit-coordinated, fixed-price, and built to current California energy code.
Outdoor Living & Exterior Renovations
Decks, pergolas, outdoor kitchens, hardscape, retaining walls, paver driveways, exterior painting, and landscape integration. San Diego’s climate is one of the country’s great gifts to homeowners — we design and build the spaces that let you actually use it. Coastal-grade material on the coast; hillside-correct engineering inland.
Custom Home Construction
Ground-up custom residences on lots across San Diego County — from the coastal communities of La Jolla, Solana Beach, Encinitas, and Coronado to inland properties in Scripps Ranch, Escondido, and Bonita. We lead the full design-build from site survey through final reveal, with the same fixed-price contract and direct principal oversight that govern our remodel work.
Four Guarantees. In Writing. On Every Project.
A home remodel is a major decision with your family living through the disruption. We don’t ask our clients to take our commitments on trust — we put them in the contract. The four below apply to every project we accept, whether the work is a single bathroom in El Cajon or a whole-home remodel in Carlsbad.
Fixed-Price Contracts
The number in your contract is the number you pay. Every material, finish, and labor line is priced before ground is broken. Change orders are presented in writing with full cost impact — approved by you in advance, never after the fact.
Completion Date in Writing
We commit to your move-back date in the contract. If we miss that date for any reason within our control, Shiro covers the per-diem cost of your alternative accommodation until the residence is delivered. Few contractors will put this in writing. We do.
Direct Principal Oversight
Every commission is led personally by Shir Gal and a named Site Superintendent — your single point of contact from pre-construction through final reveal. You will have a direct line to the principal, a private client portal for real-time progress and selections, and weekly on-site walkthroughs.
Two-Year Workmanship Warranty
Every Shiro commission is covered by a two-year written workmanship warranty, in addition to all manufacturer warranties on specified materials and appliances. If something built by our team fails in the first two years, we return and correct it. This is our standard, not our exception.
Weather & Local Conditions That Shape San Diego Home Remodeling
San Diego is a county of micro-climates. A coastal home in Encinitas behaves differently than a canyon home in Mira Mesa. A hillside lot in Bonita places different demands on a builder than a Mid-century house in Clairemont. We design and build with the specific conditions of your residence and neighborhood in mind — material selection, waterproofing, drainage, sun exposure, and structural detail tuned to where the home actually sits.
Speak With Shir
Coastal Communities
Homes along the coast — La Jolla, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Solana Beach, Oceanside, Coronado, Point Loma — contend with salt air, marine humidity, and mild year-round temperature swings. We specify marine-grade hardware, corrosion-resistant metals, proper ventilation, and finishes engineered to withstand the salt environment so the residence stands up to its setting.
Inland & Suburban
Inland communities — Scripps Ranch, Mira Mesa, Kearny Mesa, Clairemont, La Mesa, El Cajon, Santee, Escondido, San Marcos, Chula Vista, Bonita, Spring Valley, National City — share strong sun exposure and a wider daily temperature range than the coast. We specify UV-stable exterior finishes, energy-efficient glazing, and cooling-correct envelope details that pay back in comfort and utility costs across the year.
Hillside & Seasonal Protection
Although San Diego is known for dry weather, seasonal storms place real stress on roofing, drainage, foundations, and hillside surfaces. Proper waterproofing, grading, retaining-wall engineering, and drainage planning protect homes from moisture damage. Remodeling is the ideal moment to reinforce these invisible systems so the residence remains secure through every season.
Design Philosophy
Shiro — The Discipline of White Space.
MODERN GALLEY KITCHEN REMODEL IN SAN DIEGO
A San Diego homeowner wanted to transform a tight, inefficient kitchen into a space that feels brighter, more open, and...
View ProjectWhere We Are, and Where We're Going
We take on a limited number of commissions each year to protect the quality of oversight we promise every client. Below is the current state of our calendar. Consultations are complimentary, private, and quiet — a conversation, not a pitch.
Accepting new commissions
Two slots remaining
Waitlist open
Early inquiries welcome
Building Across San Diego County.
Shiro Builders Group works across San Diego County — coastal, inland, and urban. We hold particular knowledge in the neighborhoods listed below, where we’ve built the local relationships, the permit familiarity, and the trade-and-supply network that lets a project run cleanly from start to finish. If your home is elsewhere in the county, we’re still glad to walk the property — call us and we’ll let you know.
The Practice
A Principal Who Answers His Own Phone.
A Shiro project is a direct relationship with the principal of the studio. You will know the person on your property by name — the designer at your table, the builder on your site, and the single point of accountability from the first walkthrough to the final reveal. That access is the same whether the project is a single bathroom in National City or a whole-home renovation in Carlsbad.
Shir Gal
Founder & Principal, Shiro Builders GroupLicensed general contractor with 12 years of experience in residential construction. Delivering refined projects through disciplined execution, attention to detail, and uncompromising standards. Fluent in English, Hebrew, and Spanish — a practical advantage on design-build commissions where clients, trades, and material partners often come from different language backgrounds.
The methodology
From Blank Canvas to Final Walkthrough.
Private Consultation
We begin with a ninety-minute in-home consultation with Shir Gal. You walk her through the residence, your lifestyle, and the vision. You leave with a written feasibility assessment and preliminary scope — yours to keep, regardless of whether you choose to move forward.
Architectural Design & Fixed Scope
We develop full architectural drawings, 3D renderings, material palettes, and a line-item scope of work. Every selection is costed before a permit is pulled, producing the fixed-price contract your commission will be built on. What is not on the page does not appear on the build.
Material Selection
From Italian marble to custom European oak millwork, we guide you through every material decision — on site at the residence or with selections brought to you. Selections are locked before construction begins. That discipline is what allows us to promise a completion date and an unhurried build.
Construction & Reveal
Our team executes the build under the direct oversight of Shir Gal and a dedicated Site Superintendent. You receive weekly progress walkthroughs, a private client portal, and on the promised date, a perfectly clean, fully commissioned, move-in-ready residence.
Material Standard
From Brands That Stand Behind Their Work.
Every fixture, finish, and surface on a Shiro project is specified from a short list of manufacturers chosen for craftsmanship, longevity, and support infrastructure in Southern California. Honest materials, well installed, are the only way the work lasts the way we promise it will.
Every Project Begins With a Conversation.
If you are planning a kitchen, a primary suite, a whole-estate renovation, or a ground-up custom home in San Diego County, we would be glad to walk your property.
Ninety minutes · On site · No obligation · Available in English, Hebrew, or Spanish
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers Before You Ask.
Shiro is a new studio. How do I know the work will be at the standard you promise?
Our standard is contractual, not reputational. Every Shiro commission is bound by four written guarantees — fixed-price contracts, a completion date with per-diem penalty, direct oversight from the principal, and a two-year workmanship warranty. The four guarantees apply to the first commission the same way they will apply to the hundredth.
How long does a typical project take?
Timelines depend on scope. A typical bathroom remodel runs 4–8 weeks from start of construction; a kitchen, 6–12 weeks; a whole-home remodel, 4–9 months; an ADU, 5–10 months; a ground-up custom home, 12–18 months. Every Shiro contract states a completion date in writing — and we cover the cost of your alternative accommodation if we miss that date for any reason within our control.
What kinds of projects does Shiro take on?
Kitchens, bathrooms, room additions, ADUs, junior ADUs, garage conversions, whole-home remodels, outdoor living, and ground-up custom homes. Projects range from single-room remodels to full estate-level builds. If the work involves design and construction on a residential property in San Diego County, we are likely a fit — and we will tell you up front if we’re not.
Who will be on my property day-to-day?
Every Shiro commission is assigned a named Site Superintendent who is on your property daily, with Shir Gal overseeing the project personally and on site for every major milestone. Our trades are vetted, licensed, and known to the studio — you will see the same faces from demolition through final walkthrough.
What service areas do you cover?
Shiro serves San Diego County, with established knowledge in the coastal communities (La Jolla, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Del Mar, Coronado, Point Loma), the inland and suburban neighborhoods (Scripps Ranch, Mira Mesa, Kearny Mesa, Clairemont, La Mesa, Carmel Valley, Rancho Bernardo, Poway, Escondido, San Marcos), the urban central neighborhoods (Hillcrest, North Park, South Park), and South Bay and East County (Chula Vista, Bonita, National City, Spring Valley, El Cajon and Bostonia, Santee). The complete service-area list is in our footer.