Common
Questions.
Straight answers to what people usually ask before signing a contract.
What kinds of projects do you take on?
Residential renovations and remodels (kitchens, baths, additions, whole-home), residential new construction (custom homes ground-up), construction management for residential projects (owner's-rep or CM-at-risk), and house flips in the Pittsburgh and Western PA market. We don't do commercial GC work — that's not our lane. Roofing is handled by our sibling brand Total Development Roofing.
Do you have a minimum project size?
For full renovations, we're typically a fit at roughly $50k and up. For new construction, the scope inherently sets the floor. For light handyman-tier work we usually point clients to a specialty trade rather than running it through a GC contract.
Do you work outside Allegheny County?
Yes — Pittsburgh and the surrounding Western PA counties. The further the drive, the more the logistics show up in the schedule, but distance isn't a hard limit.
How do estimates work?
Free, on-site, no obligation. We walk the project with you, take photos, ask the questions we need to scope the work, and get back to you with an itemized proposal — materials, labor, timeline, and any allowances for items not yet selected. We don't do "ballpark" pricing over the phone; the variance is too large to be useful to you.
Do I need to have an architect already?
For renovations within an existing footprint, usually no. For additions, structural changes, and new construction, yes — and we can bring one in if you don't have one. We work well with both client-selected and TDC-introduced architects.
Who pulls permits?
We do. Permits are part of the proposal. We coordinate with the township, schedule the inspections at the right milestones, and don't cover anything that needs to be inspected before the inspection happens.
Fixed-price or cost-plus?
Most renovations and flips are fixed-price (or GMP for CM work). New construction can be either. We pick the structure that fits the project's risk profile and your tolerance for cost variance. We explain the trade-offs of each up front.
How do change orders work?
Written. Always. A change order documents the scope change, the cost change, and the schedule change before the work happens. No surprise add-ons at the end of the project. If something behind a wall is worse than expected and we need to address it before we can keep going, we stop and get your sign-off on a change order rather than pushing through.
What does the payment schedule look like?
Progress-based, tied to specific milestones laid out in the contract. We don't take an oversized deposit and then disappear — the payment schedule and the project schedule line up.
Do you warranty the work?
Yes — one-year workmanship warranty on everything we install, plus the manufacturer warranties on materials (cabinetry, fixtures, mechanical equipment). Specifics in the contract for your project.
Do you handle service calls after the project closes out?
Yes. If something breaks under warranty, we come fix it. If you want to add to a project we built — new bath off the renovation we did, addition off the home we built — we're glad to come back.