Any contractor recommend recommendations?

Question

Hello Ladies and German,

I bought my first rental property last month and I just got assigned lease with solid cash flow. Dream start!

I'm already back on Zillow looking for the next one. Can anyone recommend any good contractors they've worked with in Philadelphia, specifically to do a full renovate on a townhouse in Fishtown/Kensington/Northern liberties area.

Were they reasonably priced?

Good quality of work?

Good communication?

Richard Golding · Answer

Ferdia, congrats on the dream start. Fishtown and Kensington are high-reward but high-risk for a first full renovation because of the age of the inventory.

A reasonably priced referral in Philly can quickly turn into a nightmare if the contractor doesn't understand the specific "surprises" of a rowhouse like shared party walls, outdated MEP systems, and the L&I (Licenses and Inspections) permit backlog.

The "Party Wall" Clause: Ask them specifically how they handle structural work adjacent to neighbors. In Kensington/Fishtown, if they blow a structural opening without proper shoring, you aren't just losing your profit you’re potentially paying for the neighbor's house too.

Permit Expediting: Don't just ask if they get permits; ask who their expeditor is. In Philly, a GC who handles it himself might leave you sitting on a high-interest loan for three months while the city sits on your application.

The "Rough-In" Trap: Look at your electrical and plumbing line items. I recently saw a bid where the contractor double-dipped on rough-ins and fixtures to the tune of $38k. If your bid isn't broken down by specific phase, you have no way to catch those overlaps.

The best contractor for a Fishtown townhouse isn't the cheapest; it's the one who provides a line-itemized scope that removes the I'll figure it out as I go factor. If the bid is just a few lump sums, walk away. You want to see the math so you can defend your ROI.  Good luck.  And as always the Bigger Pockets community is here for you.

Marnit Brown · Answer

Before going deeper, check:

1. Rebuild NOI from scratch with market rent comps, not seller's numbers

2. Run debt service at current rates + 0.5% as a stress test

That gives you a realistic floor.

Peter Mckernan · Answer

I would be checking with PMs in the area and agents doing deals that help a lot of clients yearly (agents doing 25++ deals a year). Also, check with your local meetups too, and get some contacts there!