PHOTO BY STEVEN DALTON

When David and Judy McNally decided to remodel their single-story, 2,100-square-foot home in Mars, Pa., they began looking for a reliable design-build company.

David, who works in the design-build industry, understood the benefits of working with a company that could handle everything from tearing down walls to installing light fixtures.

“We’re committed to staying in this house as long as possible, god willing, so we wanted to make it the best house we could for our budget,” he says.

Homeowners looking to make major changes to the layout or style of their home in 2024 are in a financial predicament. The cost of hiring several contractors to get the job done adds up quickly, but, with the interest rates for a 30-year fixed mortgage hovering around 7 percent, taking out a loan to buy a new home is no bargain either.

Design-build firms can complete an entire renovation project by relying on in-house employees and trusted partners in the industry, offering a more streamlined and cost-effective alternative to families looking to procure their dream home.

McNally says he and his wife were “super pleased” to find J. Francis Company, a design-build company that has developed a strong reputation for restoring homes in and around the Pittsburgh region over the last 36 years.

Working with J. Francis Company’s skilled project managers and savvy designers, David and Judy McNally reconfigured the first floor of their home to better fit their family’s needs. In addition to providing more space in the kitchen and modernizing the bathroom, the renovation created enough space to add a dining room and a new laundry room. The final result maximized every square inch of the home’s footprint while reflecting the McNallys’ personal taste.

THE MCNALLY KITCHEN BEFORE HIRING J. FRANCIS COMPANY TO RECONFIGURE THE FIRST FLOOR OF THEIR HOME IN MARS, PA. | PHOTO BY J. FRANCIS COMPANY, LLC

THE MCNALLY KITCHEN AFTER THE RENOVATION. | PHOTO BY STEVEN DALTON

“We found some custom items and different things that we wanted to implement. J. Francis Company was more than happy to do so. They made it a point to really hear what we were asking,” David McNally says.

J. Francis Company, a team of 33 full-time employees, tackles between 25 and 30 projects annually.

The company’s portfolio, recognized with awards such as “Best Contractor of the Year” from the National Association of Remodeling Industry and “Big 50 Contractor of the Year” from Remodeling Magazine, showcases expertise in renovating everything from individual rooms to entire houses, along with building exterior living spaces and home additions.

A FIRST-FLOOR RECONFIGURATION GAVE DAVID AND JUDY MCNALLY ENOUGH SPACE TO ADD A DINING ROOM IN THEIR 2,100 SQUARE-FOOT HOME. | PHOTO BY STEVEN DALTON

Unlike many contractors in the Pittsburgh region, J. Francis Company has a rich history in renovating old homes. Before starting the company in 1988, CEO John McCloskey had a quarter-life crisis that inspired him to restore a 120-year-old fixer-upper in the South Side.

As J. Francis Company grew, so did its expertise in renovating hundred-year-old homes. To date, the company has made hundreds of historic homes in Pittsburgh more livable by reconfiguring tight spaces, upgrading appliances, and installing stylish fixtures—all without sacrificing the timeless charm inherent to early-20th-century homes.

Julie Wilson and Marcio Silva hired several contractors shortly after moving into their Old English revival-style home in Squirrel Hill. But many of those contractors weren’t familiar with the complexities of renovating a home built in the early 1900s. Looking for a company more familiar with the process, they hired J. Francis Company to renovate their kitchen and powder room.

JULIE WILSON AND MARCIO SILVA’S KITCHEN BEFORE STARTING RENOVATIONS ON THEIR OLD ENGLISH REVIVAL-STYLE HOME IN SQUIRREL HILL. | PHOTO BY J. FRANCIS COMPANY, LLC

JULIE WILSON AND MARCIO SILVA’S KITCHEN AFTER RENOVATIONS ON THEIR OLD-ENGLISH REVIVAL-STYLE HOME IN SQUIRREL HILL. | PHOTO BY STEVEN DALTON

“The folks that we worked with [at J. Francis Company] that were on site were some of the best that I’ve seen. To have somebody come in and understand that you have to do the electrical a certain way, you have to do the plumbing a certain way…[was] very important to us,” Wilson says.

Their bathroom, located under a staircase, is now one of Wilson’s favorite rooms in the house. During the design process, she and her husband fell in love with a dark green wallpaper adorned with illustrations of jungle animals. J. Francis Company’s designer, Jessie, helped the couple find a mirror and sink to compliment the unique pattern.

“[The renovation] changed the room from something that was an awful bathroom to something that’s a statement. Everyone who sees it says, ‘Wow’ when they open the door.”

The finished look, though unconventional, fits into the rest of the house seamlessly.

“That’s what we wanted, this really cool thing that’s a surprise in our house but also looks like it’s always been there,” Wilson says.

WALLPAPER ADORNED WITH JUNGLE ANIMALS TURNED JULIE WILSON AND MARCIO SILVA’S EARLY-20TH-CENTURY POWDER ROOM INTO A SURPRISE STATEMENT HIDDEN UNDER A STAIRCASE. | PHOTO BY STEVEN DALTON

A year after the project was completed, Wilson and Silva invited J. Francis Company back into their home to do additional work. Thrilled with the professionalism and kindness of the employees, the couple has recommended the company to three other families looking to renovate their homes.

“Literally every single person [from J. Francis Company] who comes into the house is just amazing in many different dimensions,” Silva says.

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