For nearly a century, the Dewhurst family has shaped La Jolla’s most prestigious neighborhoods. Today, GDC Construction continues that tradition.
When you’re investing in a custom home in La Jolla, you need more than just a builder. You need someone who understands the soul of this community. Someone who knows that building here isn’t just about square footage and ocean views—though we certainly deliver both.
It’s about respecting the character of neighborhoods like The Village, Muirlands, and La Jolla Shores. Understanding the unique challenges of Ardath shale. Knowing which lots catch the best sunset light. That’s knowledge you can’t Google. It comes from being here. From four generations of being here, actually.
Back in the 1920s, Ernie Dewhurst arrived from England with a vision and a toolbox. He built his first La Jolla custom home in 1929—a craftsman that still stands today near Windansea Beach. His son Walter took over during the post-war boom. Then George. Now Pancho Dewhurst leads GDC Construction, bringing that same commitment to craftsmanship into the modern era.
This isn’t just business for us. Pancho grew up here, went to La Jolla schools, and yes, even spent his rebellious years as a professional snowboarder before coming home to continue the family tradition. We’ve built the wall at Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial. Decorated the community Christmas tree at Prospect and Draper for decades. Rebuilt Fire Station 13 on Nautilus Street.
We’re not just in La Jolla. We are La Jolla.
Every La Jolla home tells a story. Maybe it’s a Mediterranean villa overlooking the Pacific, with reclaimed French tiles and custom wrought-iron gates that whisper old-world elegance. Or perhaps it’s a modern masterpiece of glass and steel, designed to capture those spectacular sunsets over the Cove.
Whatever your vision, we make it real.
Turnkey Excellence
From initial design concepts through final walkthrough, we handle everything. Our in-house design services, led by Brandy Dewhurst, ensure your aesthetic vision aligns perfectly with structural reality. No disconnect between designer dreams and builder capabilities here.
Local Soil Expertise
La Jolla’s hillsides are notorious. That beautiful view lot? It might be sitting on unstable Ardath shale. We’ve been dealing with these geological challenges for four generations. We know when you need extensive soil testing, specialized foundations, or retaining walls that will last decades, not years.
Neighborhood Consideration
We own our own large dump truck. Why does that matter? Because we don’t leave dumpsters blocking your neighbors’ driveways for months. Small detail? Maybe. But it’s these details that maintain harmony in La Jolla’s tight-knit communities.
Transparency Through Technology
Using Buildertrend software, you’ll have 24/7 access to project progress, photos, schedules, and invoices. No surprises. No “I’ll have to get back to you on that.” Just clear, constant communication.
La Jolla offers some of California’s most diverse building opportunities. And we’ve mastered them all.
Salt air, coastal commission requirements, and the need for materials that can withstand marine environments—oceanfront construction is its own beast. We’ve transformed contemporary boxes into Mediterranean showpieces. Built new estates that seem to grow from the cliffs themselves. Created outdoor living spaces with infinity pools that blur the line between your backyard and the Pacific.
Those dramatic lots in Country Club or Mount Soledad? They’re not for amateur hour. Engineering these homes requires deep knowledge of grade requirements, retaining wall specifications, and view corridor regulations. Plus, you need a builder who can navigate the complex permitting process without delays that kill budgets and timelines.
Building in the heart of La Jolla means respecting established architectural themes while bringing fresh innovation. Whether it’s a Spanish Colonial revival near the Museum of Contemporary Art or a beach cottage renovation in Bird Rock, we balance tradition with your personal style.
Sometimes the best custom home already exists—it just needs reimagining. We’ve taken homes down to the studs and rebuilt them as entirely new expressions of luxury. That recent Mediterranean transformation? Started as a dated contemporary. Now it’s one of La Jolla’s most photographed residences.
Building a custom home should be exciting, not stressful. Here’s how we make it happen:
First, we listen. Really listen. Not just to what you want, but why you want it. That infinity pool isn’t just about swimming—it’s about floating while watching dolphins pass by. The gourmet kitchen with La Cornue range? It’s where three generations will gather for Sunday dinners.
La Jolla’s approval process can be… let’s call it thorough. Design review boards. Coastal Commission. Historical society input. We navigate it all, leveraging decades of relationships with local officials. No learning curve. No rookie mistakes that cause months of delays.
This is where four generations of experience shines. Our core team—not subcontractors, our actual employees—handle the critical work. Custom cabinetry distressed to match reclaimed materials. Hand-laid stone that follows natural contours. Details that elevate a house into a home.
Our relationship doesn’t end at move-in. Our service department handles everything from minor adjustments to emergency repairs. Because when you’re part of the GDC family, you’re family for life.
Ask around La Jolla about GDC Construction. You’ll hear about the homes, sure. But you’ll also hear about the Christmas tree we’ve decorated for decades. The veterans memorial we built without fanfare. The fire station we rebuilt because it needed doing.
Heath Akers, our Vice President, puts it simply: “This is all I know.” Twenty-six years in construction, following his electrician father and builder grandfather. It’s the same story for our whole team—craftsmen who chose this work because they love it, not because they couldn’t do something else.
When you work with GDC, you’re not hiring outsiders who googled “La Jolla building codes” last week. You’re partnering with the family that’s been here since the 1920s. Who raised kids in these schools. Who surf these breaks. Who know that building in La Jolla isn’t just about following regulations—it’s about enhancing a community we love.
La Jolla custom homes aren’t just residences. They’re legacy investments.
The median home price here hovers around $3 million, with oceanfront estates reaching well into eight figures. But those numbers only tell part of the story. The right custom home, built with meticulous attention to quality and design, appreciates differently than spec builds.
We think long-term. Using materials and methods that will look as good in 2050 as they do today. Because someday, your custom home will be someone else’s dream. And when that day comes, you want a builder’s reputation that adds value, not questions.
Every GDC home comes with something money can’t buy: the Dewhurst name. Four generations of integrity. Nearly a century of standing behind our work.
While we now build from Carlsbad to Imperial Beach, La Jolla remains our heart. We know every neighborhood intimately:
Where Spanish Colonial meets modern luxury, steps from Prospect Street galleries and cove-view dining.
Family-friendly beach community with some of the region’s most innovative contemporary architecture.
Panoramic ocean views and mid-century modern gems waiting for thoughtful updates.
Exclusive hillside estates where privacy and views command premium prices.
360-degree views requiring engineering expertise and artistic vision.
Laid-back coastal community experiencing a renaissance of custom rebuilds.
Iconic surf culture meets sophisticated beach living.
Ultra-luxury gated community with some of California’s most expensive real estate.
You have options. La Jolla attracts builders from across Southern California. So why do discerning homeowners keep choosing GDC?
Maybe it’s because when challenges arise—and they always do in custom construction—you want someone who’s solved that exact problem before. On that same street. With those same inspectors.
Or perhaps it’s knowing your builder won’t disappear after the final payment. We’ll still be here in five years when you want to add that casita. In ten years when it’s time to refresh the exterior. In twenty years when your kids want to modernize.
Most likely, it’s simpler than that. It’s trust.
Trust that comes from nearly 100 years of keeping promises. From building the landmarks you drive past daily. From being the family you see at La Jolla Cove on Sunday mornings, not just Monday through Friday.
“We love our home and receive many compliments about the curb appeal and detail of the construction. GDC was very responsive during the bidding process, effectively managed the job, and produced the highest quality work while maintaining a very clean environment. The level of professionalism exhibited throughout the entire GDC team is exceptional.”
That’s from the oceanfront Mediterranean transformation—the one that started as a contemporary teardown. The owners still stop by our Silverado Street office just to chat. That’s the kind of relationship we build. Not just with structures, but with people.
Every custom home starts with a conversation. Not a sales pitch. Not a pressure tactic. Just a conversation about your vision, your lot, your lifestyle.
Maybe you’re ready to build tomorrow. Maybe you’re still dreaming about someday. Either way, we’re here. We’ve been here for four generations, and we’ll be here for the fifth.
