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A mid-range kitchen renovation in Philadelphia typically runs $40,000 to $80,000 for a full gut of a rowhome kitchen — new layout, cabinets, countertops, tile, appliances, updated electrical and plumbing. High-end custom kitchens with structural changes can reach $100,000 to $120,000. The biggest variables are cabinet line, countertop material, and whether the scope includes moving the sink or removing a wall, both of which require permits and an engineered header.

A bathroom renovation is typically 4 to 7 weeks. A full kitchen gut runs 8 to 14 weeks depending on cabinet lead time, which is the most common schedule driver — custom cabinets can take 10 to 12 weeks to arrive. A full rowhome gut renovation is 16 to 24 weeks. We build those lead times into the schedule before signing, not after. Every project gets a Gantt-style milestone calendar at contract so you know what week each phase starts and ends.

L&I (Licenses & Inspections) is Philadelphia's building department. Most structural, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work requires a permit. Over-the-counter permits for smaller work are typically issued same-day or within 1 to 3 days. Projects requiring plan review — additions, full gut renovations, load-bearing changes — can take 4 to 12 weeks depending on backlog. We prepare and file all permit applications; you never have to deal with the counter. Permit cost varies by project value, typically 1% to 2% of construction cost.

On cost-plus projects, you see every invoice from every subcontractor and supplier, line by line. Our fee is a flat 18% of actual cost — no markup on materials, no hidden overhead embedded in line items. On fixed-price projects we still share the full budget breakdown at signing, with real sub quotes behind each number. You can ask Rob to walk you through any line. We have found that transparency actually reduces change orders because clients understand where the money is going from day one.

Change orders are a normal part of renovation — especially in older Philly housing stock where demo reveals conditions no one saw coming. Every change order is documented in writing before work proceeds, with a cost and schedule impact. We will never present you with a retroactive change order. The honest version is: conditions you discover mid-demo (bad joists, knob-and-tube wiring, asbestos tile) get photographed, explained, and priced in real time. We have seen the surprises — they are why we always build a 10% contingency into the initial budget.

Yes. We schedule every L&I inspection, meet the inspector on site, and manage any corrections required before the next inspection. You do not need to take time off work for inspections, and you will never be handed a correction notice without an explanation and a plan. For projects that require a Certificate of Occupancy (C/O), we manage the final inspection process start to finish.

Three things make Philly rowhomes distinctive. First, party walls — the shared walls on both sides are structural and belong to both properties. Any work on or near them requires coordination and sometimes a formal party-wall agreement with your neighbors. Second, balloon framing — many rowhomes built before 1940 have continuous studs from foundation to roof with no fire blocking, which requires remediation under modern code. Third, floor systems — 2×8 or 2×10 joists spanning 12 to 16 feet were undersized even when new, and sistering is extremely common. We have done this enough to price these correctly upfront, not as change orders.

Keystone self-performs all framing, drywall, finish carpentry, tile, and painting with our direct employees. Plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and specialty work like structural steel are handled by licensed subs we have worked with for years on fixed-price agreements — not whoever answered the phone that week. We do not use one-off subs for projects. Our clients deal with one point of contact — the project manager — regardless of who is working on site that day.

Yes. All workmanship carries a two-year warranty from substantial completion. If something we built or installed fails within that period — a tile cracks at a joint, trim separates, a door drops — we come back and fix it at no charge. Mechanical systems (HVAC, plumbing, electrical) carry their own manufacturer and sub warranties, which we transfer to you at final walkthrough. We also document every project thoroughly so warranty calls are resolved without debate about what was or was not in scope.

Call or use the contact form and we will schedule a walkthrough within a week — typically 60 to 90 minutes at your property. A project manager comes out, walks every space in scope, asks questions, takes measurements and photos, and identifies anything that could affect the budget before we write a number. Within five business days you receive a written scope summary and a budget range for the full project. No obligation; the walkthrough is how we make sure any proposal we write is actually grounded in reality.