Light gauge steel · San Diego County
Metal Stud Framing in San Diego
We frame in light gauge steel across San Diego County — demising walls between tenant suites, fire-rated and shaft wall assemblies, soffits and bulkheads, furring over concrete and masonry, and the ceiling grid above it. Because we also hang, finish and paint, the wall gets built by the crew that has to make it look straight afterward. That is the whole argument for a single sub: nobody is covering for anybody else.
What we frame
Steel Framing Capabilities
Demising & Partition Walls
Track and stud layout for walls between tenant suites and interior partitions. Studs at 16" or 24" on center depending on the height and the finish, screwed off to the track, and braced where the run needs it. Straight, plumb and on layout, because no amount of good finishing rescues a wall that was framed crooked.
Fire-Rated Assemblies
One- and two-hour rated partitions built to the listed assembly — correct board type and layer count, staggered joints, rated sealant at the head and floor track, and firestopping at penetrations. We build to the UL design on your plans, not to a general idea of what a rated wall looks like.
Shaft Wall & Elevator Shafts
C-H stud and J-track shaft wall for elevator hoistways, stair enclosures and mechanical chases — the assemblies that get installed from one side because there is no access to the other. Liner panel set first, then the rated board face, built full height to the deck.
Deflection & Slip Track
Where a partition runs full height to a structural deck, the head detail has to let the structure move without loading the studs or cracking the finish below. We use slotted or deep-leg deflection track with the studs left unattached at the top per the detail — a stiff top connection is why so many partitions crack along the ceiling line a year later.
Soffits, Bulkheads & Chases
Dropped soffits over casework and storefront, bulkheads to hide ductwork and beams, and chases to bury plumbing risers and conduit. Built square and level so the reveal lines stay parallel to the ceiling — the first thing anyone notices when they are not.
Furring Over Concrete & Masonry
Hat channel or furring studs over tilt-up, CMU and existing concrete walls to create a flat, finishable surface with room for insulation and conduit. Common in Kearny Mesa and Otay Mesa warehouse conversions, where the shell is concrete and the offices are going inside it.
Sound Assemblies
STC-rated partitions between suites, exam rooms, conference rooms and residential units — insulation in the cavity, resilient channel or staggered studs where the rating calls for it, acoustic sealant at the perimeter, and penetrations treated instead of ignored. A rated wall with an untreated outlet box in it is not a rated wall.
Load-Bearing & Exterior Steel
Heavier gauge structural studs for load-bearing walls, parapets and exterior backup framing where the engineering calls for it. We build to the stamped drawings and the specified gauge — and when a plan is ambiguous about gauge or spacing, we ask before we buy steel rather than after.
One sub, not four
Framed and Finished by the Same Crew
Most jobs split framing, insulation, drywall and paint across four subcontractors, then spend the schedule waiting on handoffs and arguing about whose defect a wavy wall is. We carry all four.
The practical effect is that the framing gets built to a finishing standard from the start — studs in plane, crowns turned the same way, backing where fixtures are going — because the crew that sets it is the crew that has to make it look flat under a work light.
- 1Layout & track
- 2Steel stud framing
- 3Insulation
- 4Board hung
- 5Tape & finish
- 6Texture & paint
Project types
Where We Frame
Office & Suite Build-Outs
Demising walls, private offices, conference rooms and reception. Mission Valley, Kearny Mesa, UTC and downtown.
Medical & Dental Suites
Exam rooms with sound assemblies, lead-lined X-ray walls framed to spec, and clean scheduling around neighbouring practices.
Restaurant & Retail
Storefront soffits, service walls, chases for grease duct and plumbing, and after-hours work so the doors open on time.
Warehouse Office Builds
Free-standing office boxes inside tilt-up shells, furring over concrete, and full-height walls braced to the deck.
ADUs & Garage Conversions
Fire-rated separation at the house wall, insulation, board and finish — the whole interior shell under one contract.
Multifamily & Apartments
Unit demising walls with the sound and fire ratings the plans call for, corridor walls, and shaft enclosures.
FAQ
Framing Questions
QDo you do the framing and the drywall, or just one?
Both, and that is the main reason people call us. When the same crew frames the wall and then has to finish it, the framing gets built to a finishing standard — studs in plane, no bowed members left in a wall that is getting a smooth finish. It also removes the gap where a framing sub blames the drywall sub and nobody fixes anything. We will do framing only if that is what you need.
QMetal studs or wood — which should I use?
For commercial interiors, steel is usually the answer and is often required: it is non-combustible, dimensionally stable, does not warp or shrink, and rated assemblies are commonly listed for steel. For interior non-bearing walls in a house, steel is straighter and immune to termites but harder to attach cabinets and trim to without blocking. We will tell you which fits your job rather than defaulting to whichever we prefer.
QCan you work from stamped plans and pass inspection?
Yes. We build to the drawings and the specified assembly, and we frame with inspection in mind — layout, gauge, fastener spacing and firestopping done the way the inspector is going to look for. If something on the plans conflicts with the field condition, you hear about it before we build it, not at inspection.
QHow soon can you start a tenant improvement?
It depends on the size and where the steel is coming from, but we can usually walk a space within a few days and give you a written scope and number. Framing for a typical suite build-out starts within one to two weeks of award. Tell us your inspection date and we will tell you honestly whether it is achievable rather than agreeing and falling behind.
QDo you work nights and weekends in occupied buildings?
Regularly. Occupied offices, medical suites, restaurants and retail often cannot have track shot into the slab during business hours. We schedule the loud phases after hours, keep the work area sealed, and clean nightly so the space opens the next morning as if we had not been there.
QDo you frame ADUs and garage conversions?
Yes — a lot of them, especially in Vista, Escondido and the older parts of Chula Vista. Garage conversions need a fire-rated assembly at the wall shared with the house and real insulation to be habitable. We frame, insulate, board, finish and paint, so the interior shell is one contract instead of four.
Have Plans to Price?
Send the drawings or photos of the space and we will come back with a written scope and number — framing only, or framed through finish paint.