Managers and crews
Ricardo leads the managers who run each account and the crews who do the work. Every crew member is trained and background-checked before the first shift, and wears the SDJ uniform.
Leadership SDJ Facility Services
Ricardo Buffara, Founder and President of SDJ Facility Services
Ricardo Buffara is the founder and president of SDJ Facility Services, a family-owned commercial cleaning company in San Diego. He started the company as SD Janitor in 2010 and still runs the field side today: the managers, the crews and the quality of the work on every site.
Since 2010
Founder and owner
About 80
People on the SDJ team
4.9 stars
Google rating; 15 reviews name Ricardo
3 languages
English, Spanish and Portuguese at SDJ
Who is Ricardo Buffara?
Ricardo Buffara founded SDJ Facility Services in San Diego in 2010 and has run it ever since. The company is family-owned: Ricardo leads the field operation, and his wife, Sabrina Buffara, leads sales and human resources as Chief Commercial Officer.
Ask Ricardo what SDJ stands for and you get three words: communication, transparency and consistency. They are printed on the company's letterhead, and they are how he judges a crew. Did the client hear from us, did they know exactly what was done, and does the work look the same every visit.
On site, for the relationship
Even with a team of about 80, Ricardo still visits client sites. He goes to build the relationship with each point of contact, and clients notice: of the 84 Google reviews SDJ has earned, 15 name Ricardo for how easy he is to work with.
The company Ricardo built
SDJ grew the way local companies grow, one referral at a time.
- 12010
SD Janitor opens in San Diego
Ricardo starts the company with a small crew and one rule: do the work right and tell the client what happened.
- 22010 to 2025
A team of about 80
Referrals and reviews grow SD Janitor into a team of about 80 serving more than 1,200 San Diego County businesses over the years.
- 32026
SDJ Facility Services
The company takes a name that says what it does today. Same owners, same crews, same standards.
What does Ricardo do as Founder and President?
Ricardo owns the work itself: who is on site, how they are trained and whether the result meets the standard he set in 2010.
Client relationships on site
Ricardo visits client sites to build the relationship with each point of contact and to see the work for himself. When something is not right, the crew goes back and puts it right.
Walkthroughs and proposals
New service starts with Ricardo. He walks the building with you and writes the proposal himself, for janitorial and facility services and for floor work.
Ricardo outside the office
Husband, father and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, and the voice of SDJ when the story gets told.
World Master medalist
Ricardo took third place at the IBJJF World Master Championship in 2012 and again in 2013, as a black belt in the Master 1 super heavy division. The IBJJF is the main federation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He retired from competition after the second medal.
2012 results on ibjjf.com2013 results on ibjjf.comPodcast interviews
Ricardo has told the SDJ story in two podcast episodes on LinkedIn. The episodes and the lines worth quoting are added here once reviewed.
What clients say about working with Ricardo
Rated 4.9 from 84 Google reviews, as of November 2026. These three name Ricardo. Reviewer names appear as Google shows them.
★★★★★Ricardo and the team at SD Janitor are extremely professional and they're very easy to work with. Their attention to detail is next level and they really care about their clients' needs.
★★★★★It quickly became clear that the replacement vendor wasn't meeting the same standard of quality, so I reached back out to Ricardo. He was extremely accommodating and supportive in getting services restarted.
★★★★★Ricardo and Marcello have been easy to communicate with and are always responsive to our needs. SD Janitor works efficiently, and consistently goes above and beyond to ensure our offices are clean, sanitary and safe for our entire staff.
Who to contact at SDJ Facility Services
One office number reaches all three. Call (619) 564-7118 or email info@sdjanitor.com and ask for the right person.
Ricardo Buffara
Founder and President
New service walkthroughs and proposals, the managers and crews, client relationships and communication.
Sabrina Buffara
Chief Commercial Officer
New service and sales, hiring and human resources, media, client relationships and communication.
Marcelo Bellato
Chief of Client Relations
Existing accounts, service requests and invoices, client relationships and communication.
Frequently asked questions about Ricardo Buffara
Who founded SDJ Facility Services?
Ricardo Buffara founded the company in San Diego in 2010, as SD Janitor. He is its Founder and President today, and the company is family-owned.
What does Ricardo Buffara do at SDJ Facility Services?
Ricardo runs the field side of the company: the managers who run each account, the crews who do the work, and the quality of the result on every site. He also does the walkthrough and writes the proposal for every new building.
Is SDJ Facility Services the same company Ricardo started as SD Janitor?
Yes. SD Janitor became SDJ Facility Services in 2026. The owners, the team and the standards are the same; only the name changed.
Does Ricardo visit client sites?
Yes. Ricardo still visits client sites, even with a team of about 80. He goes to build the relationship with each point of contact and to see the work for himself.
How do I reach Ricardo Buffara?
Call SDJ Facility Services at (619) 564-7118 or email info@sdjanitor.com and ask for Ricardo. He handles walkthroughs and proposals for new service himself. For an existing account ask for Marcelo Bellato; for hiring or media ask for Sabrina Buffara.
Where SDJ Facility Services works
SDJ crews work across San Diego County, from Oceanside to Chula Vista, out of the office at 1094 Cudahy Place in San Diego.
SDJ Facility Services
1094 Cudahy Place, Suite 306
San Diego, CA 92110
(619) 564-7118
info@sdjanitor.com
Hours: Open 24 hours
1094 Cudahy Place, Suite 306
San Diego, CA 92110
(619) 564-7118
info@sdjanitor.com
Hours: Open 24 hours
Put our team to work in your building
Request a free quote. We call back within 24 hours, Ricardo walks your building with you, and a written scope follows.