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Our home remodeling process, from the first call to the final walk-through

Every job is different, but the order of things is not. This is how a project with us runs, what happens at each step, and what Maryland’s rules mean for you as the homeowner.

The steps of a project

  1. The first call

    Call us on weekdays between 9 and 4, or send the form. Tell us what you have in mind, where the house is and roughly when you would like the work done.

    Photos help. So does knowing whether the house is inside the City of Laurel or not, but if you are not sure, we will work it out.

  2. A visit to the house

    We come out, walk the house with you and measure. This is where we find out what the job really involves: the wall that might be load-bearing, the deck that might not carry a roof, the water that needs dealing with first.

    The visit costs nothing, and neither does the estimate that follows.

    A wide opening where a bearing wall has been taken out between a kitchen and a family room, with fresh drywall patches
    A bearing wall taken out between a kitchen and a family room, opening the two rooms into one.

  3. Drawings and a written price

    You get the scope of work and the price in writing. For additions, garages, porches and new homes, drawings are prepared for the permit as well.

    If something on the list can be done more simply, or should wait, we say so.

  4. The contract

    In Maryland, a home improvement contract has to be in writing and carry the contractor’s license number. Ours is MHIC No. 45987; for new homes it is our builder registration, MHBR No. 1230.

    Maryland law also caps the deposit on a home improvement job at one-third of the contract price, and no payment is due before the contract is signed.

  5. Permits

    If the house is inside the City of Laurel, the City issues the building permit. A Laurel address outside the city limits is permitted by its county: Prince George’s, Howard or Anne Arundel.

    The permits for the jobs we build are taken out in our name, and the work is inspected as it goes.

  6. The build

    The order of work depends on the job: demolition and protection first, then framing, then the wiring and plumbing that go inside the walls, inspections, and the finishes last.

    Older houses hide things. When something unexpected turns up behind a wall or under a floor, the change to the work and the price should be agreed in writing before the job goes on.

  7. The final walk-through

    When the work is done and the final inspection has passed, we walk through it with you, room by room or board by board, and go over anything that still needs finishing.

One front entry, start to finish

A job of ours from 2022: the balcony over a front door came down and a gabled portico with new columns went up in its place.

A front entry before the work: a balcony on two columns over the door of a sided colonial
Before
The same front entry during the work, with the new portico roof framed and sheathed over the door
During
The finished front entry: a gabled portico with white columns over new steps
After

Before you hire anyone in Maryland

  • Check the contractor’s home improvement license on the Maryland Department of Labor’s license search, and the home builder registration for a new house.
  • Get the scope and the price in writing, with the license number on the contract.
  • Keep the deposit to no more than one-third of the price, and pay nothing before you sign.
  • Ask who takes out the permit. If it is you, the responsibility is yours too.
  • Hiring a licensed contractor also gives you access to the state’s Home Improvement Guaranty Fund if things go wrong.

Questions about how a project works

How much should I pay a contractor up front in Maryland?

For home improvement work, Maryland law limits the deposit to one-third of the contract price, and nothing should be paid before the contract is signed.

Who gets the building permit?

We do. The permits for the jobs we build are taken out in our name, from the City of Laurel if the house is inside the city and from the county everywhere else.

Can we stay in the house while you work?

For most jobs, yes. Decks, porches, basements, bathrooms and exterior work rarely mean moving out. A kitchen remodel means living without a working kitchen for part of the job, and we talk through the order of work at the start.

How do I check that a contractor is licensed in Maryland?

Search the Maryland Department of Labor’s home improvement license lookup by name or license number. Ours is MHIC No. 45987. For new homes, look up the builder on the Maryland Attorney General’s list of registered home builders; ours is MHBR No. 1230.

Not sure what the job is yet?

Our drawing of a house, part by part shows what we do on each part of a home and the signs it is time.