General Contracting in Narberth, PA
A project that touches several parts of a building needs someone keeping the order straight. Replacing a roof can uncover a crumbling chimney crown. New gutters may need fascia boards replaced before they can be hung. Scheinfield Contractors offers general contracting in Narberth so that work like this is planned and sequenced by one contractor, rather than left for the property owner to piece together.
What a General Contractor Handles
The trades themselves are only part of a project. Someone also has to define the scope, decide which work comes first, schedule each stage, and check that one stage is finished properly before the next one covers it up.
Without that coordination, the owner ends up as the go-between. You call the roofer, then the mason, then wait to see whether their schedules line up. If the mason finds something that changes the roofer's plan, you are the one relaying the message. A general contractor takes that role off your hands.
Why the Order of Work Matters
Exterior projects have a natural sequence, and getting it wrong usually means paying for something twice.
Take a chimney that needs repointing on a house that also needs a new roof. The masonry has to be repaired first. Flashing seals the joint between the chimney and the roof, and it is set into the brick. Repoint after the roof goes on and the flashing gets disturbed, which defeats the purpose of new roofing. Our masonry services in Narberth and roof replacement work are scheduled with that in mind when both are part of the same job.
Gutters follow the same logic. They hang from fascia boards, and fascia that has been soaked by years of overflow is often soft. Hanging new gutters on rotted wood just moves the failure a few months down the road.
Combined Projects Around the Main Line
Houses in Narberth, and in neighboring communities such as Bala Cynwyd, Haverford, and Gladwyne, often have exteriors that have been repaired piece by piece over decades. One section of roof was patched after a storm, the gutters were replaced on one side only, and the chimney has not been looked at in years. That kind of history is where general contracting earns its keep, because the parts are no longer working as a single system.
Getting a Project Started
The first conversation is about what you want done and what you are seeing. From there, we visit the property, look at how the different parts connect, and put together a plan for the order of work. You can find our full list of trades on the Scheinfield Contractors home page.
If a smaller repair turns out to be all you need, that is what we will tell you. Not every job calls for a general contractor.
General Contracting FAQ
What is the difference between hiring a general contractor and hiring each trade separately?
With separate trades, you schedule and coordinate each one yourself. With a general contractor, one point of contact sets the order of work. For example, chimney masonry gets repaired before roof flashing is installed, and roof flashing goes in before the final course of shingles.
Does general contracting make sense for a project with only two trades?
It can. Gutter replacement is a common case: if the fascia boards behind the gutters are rotted, the carpentry has to be finished before the gutters go up. Two trades, one dependent on the other, is exactly where a missed step causes trouble.
What happens if a problem turns up partway through a project?
It happens often on older roofs. Soft or rotted roof decking is usually only visible once the old shingles are torn off. When something like that comes up, we explain what was found and what it changes before work continues.
Should exterior repairs be done before interior work?
Yes, when water is involved. If a ceiling stain came from a roof leak, the leak has to be fixed first. Repairing drywall or repainting before the source is stopped means the stain comes back after the next heavy rain.
What should I have ready before the first visit?
Four things help: where the problem shows up, roughly when you first noticed it, records of any previous repairs, and photos if the issue only appears during rain. That gives us a starting point before we walk the property.