We all want the big house on the hill, with the perfect backyard of our dreams. Most homes, however, need a little work to get into “game shape”—more TLC than one person can provide, in many cases—especially after a winter as challenging as the one that’s now easing to a close.
Maybe you’re dreaming about the addition of a pool or a patio. Perhaps it’s a new bathroom or kitchen that’s on your mind. It could be a fresh coat of paint, either indoors or out, or the skillful eye of an interior designer. Do you know where to even begin? Our readers have a pretty good idea.
Over the course of several months, homeowners in the Philadelphia area used our website to cast their votes for the home contractors they turn to when it comes time to prepare their homes for the spring and summer seasons. Want to turn your kitchen or bathroom into a sanctuary of sorts? We’ve got you covered. Looking to add a pool or implement landscaping and hardscaping areas to shape your backyard into a true outdoor living space? No problem.
We also spoke with local experts in designing outdoor living spaces, and they provided their best advice for making any home-enhancement project into a success. With some guidance, not to mention a little elbow grease, from the craftspeople employed by the companies found on the following pages, your home will truly be spring ready.
“For any project around your home, check the contractor’s Better Business Bureau Rating. If they don’t have a profile or rating, move on. Next, ask for a few references to call or email of people who have had similar work performed at their homes by this contractor. Again, if the contractor can’t provide this list right away, then move on. … Like everything else you buy or build, [your outdoor living space] requires a certain level of maintenance to protect that investment. Choose a professional with the experience and credentials to handle your maintenance.” —Steve Compton, CKC Landscaping, which specializes in the design, build and maintenance of unique outdoor spaces
“Landscaping and hardscaping can have some of the best rates of return on your property, anywhere from 85 percent to 150 percent, according to a Clemson University study. However , the return on investment is contingent upon the quality of the landscape or hardscape installation. In other words, just because you spent $10,000 on landscaping doesn’t mean you’ll get that money back. It’s important that you find the right landscaping designer or contractor for your project and use only high-quality materials to achieve those returns.” —Gary Weiss of Green Ridge Landscaping, a full-service landscape design, build and maintenance firm
“It’s like anything else you’re going to have a significant investment in: Do your homework and plan ahead; in the case of a pool installation, plan ahead by six months or more in order to get all the necessary permitting in order. Other than that, it’s about inviting in the right pool professional, because you get what you pay for. Some people sell strictly on price, and some people sell strictly on quality. In our experience, the more you pay up front, it’s cheaper in the long run because a well-constructed pool will have better materials and won’t need to be renovated. We’ve see so many pools that, at 10 to 15 years old, need $10,000 to $20,000 in renovations because of poor materials and construction.” —Peter Fineberg of Ted’s Pools, a provider of custom designed and installed pools and spas
2015 Top Spring Contractors
ACRE Replacement Windows
Montgomeryville
610-298-1833 | acrewindows.com
Replacement windows and doors
Amazing Decks
Ambler
215-654-1886 | anotheramazingdeck.com
Custom deck design and installation
Anthony & Sylvan Pools
Doylestown
877-729-7946 | anthonysylvan.com
Pool and spa design and installation
Archer & Buchanan Architecture Ltd.
West Chester
610-692-9112 | archerbuchanan.com
Architecture design and construction
Architectural Concrete Design
Levittown
215-946-5039 | acdconcrete.com
Stamped concrete, stained concrete design and installation
Barb-Lin Carpets
Doylestown
215-348-8116 | barblincarpetandflooring.com
Designer flooring and installation
Benner & Sons Painting
Edgemont
610-353-4850 | bennerandsons.com
Painting and wall covering
Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects
Kennett Square and Wilmington, Del.
610-444-2900 | bernardon.com
Architecture, interiors and land planning
Black-eyed Susan
Holicong
215-794-1800 | besusan.com
Interior design
Blue Haven Pools & Spas
Exton
610-363-8007 | bluehaven.com
Pool and spa design and installation
Bob Root Landscapes LLC
Coatesville
610-906-2911 | bobrootlandscapes.com
Landscape and hardscape design and construction
Calvitti Pools & Spas Inc.
Hatfield
215-996-0900 | bluehaven.com
Pool and spa design and installation
Caparro Awning Company
Birdsboro
610-416-0604 | caparroawning.com
Awning installation and service
C&C Heating & Air Conditioning
Souderton
215-799-0515 | cc-hvac.com
Furnace repair and air-conditioner service
The Cedar Roof Company
Malvern
610-647-3099 | cedarroof.com
Cedar roof installation, preservation and repair
Chapman Windows and Doors
West Chester
610-431-8980 | chapmanwindowsdoors.com
Replacement windows and doors
Chester County Bamboo
Malvern
610-888-4900 | ccbamboo.com
Bamboo management, installation and removal
CKC Landscaping
West Chester
610-436-1810 | ckclandscapinginc.com
Landscape and hardscape design and construction
Closets by Design
Exton
610-644-4143 | closetsbydesign.com
Custom closet design
Closet Factory
Fleetwood
800-838-7995 | closetfactory.com
Custom closet design
Closets for Less of Bucks
Southampton
215-504-5898 | closets4lessbucks.com
Custom closet design
Colonial Marble & Granite
King of Prussia | Philadelphia | New Castle, Del.
610-994-2222 | 215-732-7800 | 302-947-3000
colonialmarble.net
Stone fabrication and design
Concepts in Concrete Inc.
Bristol
215-245-7360 | conceptsinconcrete.net
Decorative concrete and epoxy specialists
Coronado’s Pool Plaster Inc.
Souderton
215-723-5885 | coronadospoolplaster.com
Pool plastering, renovations, tile and coping
Costa Custom Construction
Broomall
610-990-5823 | costacustomconstruction.com
New home construction, additions and renovations
Creative Nook
Paoli
610-644-6665 | creativenook.com
Kitchen and bathroom design and installation
C. Raymond Davis & Sons Inc.
Kimberton
610-933-8908 | craymonddavis.com
General contracting and construction
Dean’s Landscaping LLC
West Chester
610-793-2386 | deans-landscaping.com
Landscape and hardscape design and construction
Dear Garden Associates Inc.
Pipersville
215-766-8110 | deargarden.com
Landscape and hardscape design and construction
Deck Pros
Downingtown
484-437-7988 | deckpro-ofcc.com
Deck design and construction
Des-Carr Doors Inc.
Doylestown
215-340-0344 | descarrdoors.com
Residential and commercial door installation and repair
Diamond Kitchen & Bath
Huntingdon Valley
215-752-4400 | diamondkb.com
Kitchen and bathroom design and construction
Dilworth’s Custom Design Inc.
Phoenixville
610-917-9119 | dilworthscustomdesign.com
Kitchen and bathroom design and construction
Doug’s Tree Service
Columbia
610-763-8409 | dougstreeservice.com
Tree maintenance and removal
E.C. Trethewey Building Contractors Inc.
Downingtown
484-593-0334 | ectbuilders.com
Custom home construction
Gale Nurseries
Gwynedd
215-699-4714 | galenurseries.com
Landscape and hardscape design and construction
Garage Craft Interiors
Warminster
215-443-0458 | garagecraftinteriors.com
Custom garages
Gardner/Fox Associates Inc.
Bryn Mawr
610-525-8305 | gardnerfox.com
Home renovations
Bottom of Form
Global Home Improvement
Feasterville
877-711-9850| globalhomeinc.com
Roofs and home renovations
Green Acres Nursery
Colmar
215-822-3334 | greenacreslive.com
Landscape and hardscape design and construction
Green Ridge Landscaping
Eagleville
610-222-4733 | green-ridge-landscaping.com
Landscape and hardscape design and construction
Green Stone Energy LLC
Frazer
866-274-9389 | greenstoneenergyllc.com
Energy audits, insulation and energy-saving upgrades
GroundTec Inc.
Warminster
215-322-7669 | groundtecinc.com
Landscape and hardscape design and construction
Holland Floor Covering
Newtown
215-357-0909 | hollandfloor.com
Carpeting and flooring
Home Trimwork
Huntingdon Valley
610-287-1100 | hometrim.com
Moldings, built-ins, stair work, flooring and bathroom remodeling
Hugh Lofting Timber Framing Inc.
Kennett Square
610-444-5382 | hughloftingtimberframe.com
Timber framing and architecture
Jake’s Greenhouse
Sinking Spring
610-670-0650 | jakesgreenhouse.com
Landscaping and garden center
JMT Awnings
Abington
215-659-5239 | jmtawnings.com
Awning installation and service
KS Greenday
Langhorne
215-702-9876 | ksgreenday.com
Custom pools and spas, decks and patios
Landscaping by Gaffney
Glenmoore
610-942-4122 | landscapingbygaffney.com
Landscape and hardscape design and construction, pool design and lighting
Let’s Get Stone’d
Warrington
215-491-7814 | lgsgranite.com
Stone fabrication and design
Luce Architects
Hatboro
215-674-5950 | lucearchitects.com
Architecture, interior design and land planning
Main Line Gardens
Malvern
610-644-2300 | mainlinegardens.com
Landscape and hardscape design and construction
Main Line Waterproofing
Ardmore
610-642-4444 | mainlinewaterproofing.com
Basement waterproofing, foundation repair and mold/mildew treatment
Matus Windows
Ardmore | Glenside
610-642-0900 | 215-576-6555
matuswindows.com
Window and door installation
Michael Emro Painting Contractors Inc.
Titusville, N.J.
609-397-8710 | michaelemropainting.com
Interior/exterior painting and design services
Milanese Remodeling
Coatesville
610-384-5820 | milaneseremodeling.com
Home remodeling
N-Hance Revolutionary Wood Renewal
Middletown, Del.
855-642-6230 | nhance.com
Cabinet and floor renewal
Paramount Plumbing
Downingtown
610-321-1788 | paramountplumbing.net
Plumbing and water conditioning
PDN Home Improvements
Jamison
267-614-1968
Home improvements
Period Architecture Ltd.
West Chester
610-719-0101 | periodarchitectureltd.com
Home additions and renovations
Peter Zimmerman Architects
Berwyn
610-647-6970 | pzarchitects.com
Home architecture, property design and historic preservation
Pezzotti Brothers Landscaping & Tree Service Inc.
Berwyn
610-647-1028 | pezzottibros.com
Landscaping and hardscaping design and construction, tree service
Pine Street Carpenters Inc.
West Chester
610-430-3333 | pinestreetcarpenters.com
Home design and remodeling
Precise Builders LLC
Kinzers
717-768-3200 | precisebuildings.com
Custom home construction and restoration
Remodeling Concepts
Feasterville
215-343-5557 | remodelingconcepts.net
Kitchen and bathroom remodeling
Rolf Schroeder General Contractors Inc.
Ivyland
215-672-0829 | rolfschroedergc.com
Custom home renovations
ShutterTech Inc.
West Chester
800-272-9934 | shuttertech.com
Shutters and window treatments
Signature Quality Pools
Telford
215-588-7046 | sqpools.com
Pool construction and maintenance
Skippack Tile and Stone
Skippack
610-222-8151 | skippacktile.com
Ceramic tile and natural stone design
Steelway Cellar Doors
King of Prussia
610-277-9988 | cellardoors.com
Custom cellar doors and egress systems
Stoltzfus Enterprises Ltd.
Elverson
610-286-5115 | stoltzfus.com
Custom home construction
Sugarbridge Kitchen and Bath
Paoli
484-318-8367 | sugarbridge.com
Kitchen and bathroom design and installation
Sweetbriar Cabinetry & Design Inc.
Ottsville
610-847-5851 | sweetbriarcabinetry.com
Kitchen and bathroom design and installation
Tague Lumber
Multiple area locations
800-668-2483 | taguelumber.com
Custom millwork and construction materials
Ted’s Pools
Newtown Square
610-359-1301 | tedspools.net
Pool and spa design and construction
Thomas K. Fischer Builders/Developers
Upper Makefield
215-860-8053 | tkfischerbuilder.com
Custom homes and renovations/historic renovations
Thornbury Services
West Chester
610-793-2933 | thornburyservices.com
General contracting and landscape design
Total Custom Contractors
King of Prussia
610-994-9900 | totalcustom.com
Home additions and renovations
T.P. Fisher General Contractors/Remodelers LLC
Chester Springs
610-458-3568 | tpfisher.com
General contracting and remodeling
Turpin Landscaping Inc.
Coatesville
610-380-1119 | turpinlandscaping.com
Landscaping and hardscaping design and construction
Victory Gardens
Warrington
215-443-5665 | victorygardensinc.com
Mulch, topsoil and stone
Waterbury Kitchen and Bath
Kennett Square
610-444-9190 | waterburydesign.com
Kitchen and bathroom design and installation
Water Damage Solutions
Pottstown
888-527-9911 | waterdamagesolutionspa.com
Emergency water-damage cleanup\
Weaver’s Mulch
Coatesville
610-383-6818
Mulch and landscaping services
