General Contractor in Pittsburgh's North Hills
Building Contractors United is a general contractor serving Pittsburgh's North Hills, including Allison Park, Hampton and Ross Township, with home additions, remodels, excavation and commercial construction.
Building Contractors United is a general contractor in Pittsburgh's North Hills, serving Allison Park, Hampton Township, Ross Township, Franklin Park, McCandless and the neighborhoods in between with home additions, whole-home remodels, custom homes and the commercial renovation work that lines McKnight Road, Route 8 and Route 19. The North Hills start about 20 minutes south of our Zelienople office, so this is core territory for us. BCU is a woman-owned general contractor, founded in 2024, fully insured, and led in the field by JT Minarik, who has been building since 2009. Every project carries a 2-year workmanship warranty.
Construction in the North Hills
"North Hills" is not a municipality. It is the name Pittsburghers use for the suburbs north of the Allegheny River, roughly from Ross and Shaler up through McCandless, Hampton and Franklin Park to the Butler County line. The area is tied together by I-279, McKnight Road, Route 19 and Route 8, and by North Park, the county park that sits at its center. The housing stock is mostly 1950s through 1990s, on lots that range from compact in Ross to an acre or more in Hampton and Franklin Park. That is why home addition work in the North Hills is so steady: families want to stay in the North Allegheny, Hampton and North Hills School Districts, and the practical way to get more room is to build up or out.
Each community has its own character. Allison Park, which is the postal name for most of Hampton Township, has well-kept neighborhoods, wooded lots and the Route 8 corridor of professional offices, auto dealers and services running north toward Gibsonia. A contractor in Hampton Township, PA, sees second-story additions, in-law suites, kitchen expansions and the occasional custom home on a remaining large lot. Ross Township is denser and more commercial, with McKnight Road's retail, Ross Park Mall, Babcock Boulevard and the office buildings near I-279, which means a contractor in Ross Township does more commercial renovation, restaurant and retail build-outs and medical office fit-outs. Franklin Park is quieter, with larger lots and steady demand for high-end remodels.
The terrain lives up to the name. The North Hills are steep, cut by Pine Creek, Girtys Run and their tributaries, with clay soils over shale and the Pittsburgh red beds that make hillsides slide when they are cut carelessly. Additions often need stepped footings and retaining walls, and even small projects can trigger stormwater review because so much of the area is already built. We bring our own excavation crews so the site work is planned alongside the building, not after.
Services we offer in the North Hills
Home additions and remodels
Home addition work in the North Hills is where our residential team spends much of its time. See our additions and remodels page for second-story additions, in-law suites, garage additions, kitchens, baths and whole-home remodels.
Custom homes and new construction
We build custom homes on infill lots, teardown sites and the larger parcels still available in Hampton and Franklin Park.
Commercial renovation and build-outs
As a commercial contractor in the North Hills, our commercial renovation and tenant build-out team handles office, retail, restaurant and medical fit-outs along McKnight Road, Route 8 and Route 19.
Excavation and site work
Our excavation and site work crews handle foundation excavation, hillside grading, retaining walls, drainage and the stormwater features North Hills municipalities require.
Design-build
Our design-build process keeps design and budget in step, which matters on tight suburban lots and sloped sites.
Commercial construction
For redevelopment pads and new small commercial buildings along the corridors, see our commercial construction services.
Permits and local requirements
Every North Hills municipality runs its own permits. Hampton Township's Department of Community Development handles permits, zoning, land development and stormwater, with a separate Building Inspections office for code inspections. Ross Township's Building Inspections department issues building permits, and the Town of McCandless uses its Building and Planning Department. Franklin Park and Shaler each have their own permit offices. Zoning rules and fees differ from one line to the next, so the first thing we confirm is which municipality the parcel sits in. Plumbing inspections across Allegheny County are handled by the Allegheny County Health Department.
Earth disturbance requires an erosion and sediment control plan, and the Allegheny County Conservation District reviews E&S plans for larger disturbances. Any project disturbing one acre or more needs a PA DEP NPDES permit. Most North Hills municipalities also have local stormwater ordinances that can apply to additions based on new impervious area, so check with the township before finalizing a design. We coordinate all of these approvals as part of our scope.
Nearby areas we serve
If you are planning an addition, a remodel, a new home or a commercial build-out anywhere in the North Hills, we would like to walk the property with you. Request a free estimate or call (724) 900-4123. We show up when we say we will, and we stand behind the work for two years.
Common questions
Permits and soils vary by township. We will walk your site and give you a written, itemized estimate.
(724) 900-4123Get a Free EstimateHome addition cost in Pittsburgh depends on the room type, the foundation your lot requires, whether you build up or out, your municipality's permit fees and your finish level. Sunrooms and single bedrooms sit at the low end; kitchens, primary suites and second stories at the high end.
Western Pennsylvania adds three regional factors: clay and shale soil that affects footings and excavation, hillside lots that need more foundation and retaining work, and older homes that often need electrical or plumbing upgrades to tie in. Because cost depends on the site and the scope, BCU gives a free, itemized estimate after seeing the project.
Building out is usually cheaper per square foot than adding a second story. A ground-floor addition needs a new foundation but does not require removing the roof or reinforcing the existing structure.
A second story addition means taking the roof off, having an engineer evaluate and often strengthen the first-floor walls and foundation, and giving up floor space below for a staircase. It also usually means moving out during construction. Building up makes sense when the lot is small, when setbacks block a ground-floor addition, or when you want to keep the yard. Your lot and zoning usually decide the answer.
How long a whole home remodel takes depends on the scope of the work and the condition of the house, and BCU gives you a realistic schedule with your free estimate. Design, selections and permitting also take time before work starts, and homes that need structural changes, new systems or an addition take longer.
The schedule depends on how much of the house is being opened up, whether the electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems are being replaced, and how quickly finish selections are made. Older homes in the Pittsburgh area often reveal surprises behind the walls that add time. Making all finish decisions before demolition starts is the single best way to keep a remodel on schedule.
Yes, excavation is possible in a Pittsburgh winter, but it costs more and some work should wait for warmer weather. Frozen ground is slow to dig and cannot be used as compacted fill until it thaws.
Clearing, demolition and some trenching work fine in winter. Foundation excavation and fill placement are better scheduled for late spring through fall, when the clay soil common to the region is workable and concrete can cure without extensive cold-weather protection. Many owners use the winter to secure permits and finish design so the job can start the day the ground is ready.
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