When we lost our home in a house fire, we were thrown into complete shock, uncertainty and outright despair. In the middle of trying to understand insurance, inspections, and the many hurdles of rebuilding, I asked several friends and neighbors familiar with the construction business if they knew of a trustworthy contractor. Every one of them told me that no such thing exists. I can say, unequivocally, that they were wrong. Third Story Philly is exactly that--and more. From the very beginning, while mourning our home, our belongings and our beloved animals, Phil Katz stepped in with a level of care and expertise that changed everything for us. His knowledge is both broad and considered, spanning design, permits, zoning, financing, and the many specialty projects that arose during the process. Phil helped us navigate an overwhelming process when we were in a state of unparalleled grief and had truly no idea what we were doing. He also brought with him a network of high-quality vendors and specialists throughout the city, which ensured that every aspect of our project met the highest standards. 3rd Story Philly built us out dream home--a highly unique, fully custom house filled with unusual ideas and one-of-a-kind details. Zach not only understood our vision immediately, but he also executed every single unconventional request with precision and artistry. His craftsmanship elevated our ideas into a finished home that is even more beautiful than we imagined. Throughout the project, both Phil and Zach were unfailingly responsive and present. Every call was answered, every concern was addressed, and every problem that came up was solved with patience and clarity. Their team's work is impeccable, and the end result is a home that is structurally flawless and stunning in its design. They gave us a lifeline with the dedication of true professionals and renewed our faith in the goodness of people. At a time when we felt like we couldn't trust anyone with our best interests, Phil and Zach proved themselves to be people of rare integrity. I would recommend them without hesitation and would happily provide a verbal or written reference to anyone considering a project with them. read more

3rd Story Philly recently completed a 3rd story addition and roof deck for our Philadelphia rowhome and we could not be happier with the results. This type of project is challenging for even the most prepared homeowners, and I can't imagine going through this process with anyone else. Zach, Phil, and other members of the 3rd Story team are easy to work with, communicate clearly, and responded well to obstacles that arose during the process. They helped us navigate the drafting of architectural drawings, structural engineering, and the myriad design choices that needed to be made. Overall, they completed the work within our schedule and helped us address our space needs in a personalized way that will allow our family to stay in our home as long as we like. If you are considering this type of project, I definitely recommend a consultation. read more

3rd Story Philly - a bathroom with green tile - General Contractors Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

Phil, Zack and their team recently completed a third story overbuild on our West Philly rowhome. My wife and I had been dreaming about this project for years and they executed our vision wonderfully. Their experience with this specific type of construction led to numerous suggestions that enhanced our original design and greatly improved the finished product (full footprint roof deck, relocated mechanical to crawlspace between floors to make room for an amazing wet bar). They were also very good at estimating allowances in the contract phase - we were able to purchase all the types of materials and finishes we wanted and stay within budget. If you have been thinking about this type of project we strongly recommend 3rd Story Philly read more

See all

Zach and Phil were great to work with on getting our 3rd story addition in Fairmount off the ground and completed. Phil helped with strategic advising, collaboration through architecture/design, and then Zach with the construction with close attention to detail. They stayed mostly on time and on budget. Best of all we ended up building some good equity in the house when all was said and done. read more

Can't say enough about 3rd Story Philly! Their industry is notorious for good customer service and professionalism, and Phil and Zach knocked it out of the park on my full home remodel and addition. They are honest, straight shooters and have an excellent team. On time, on budget, phenomenal quality with effective collaboration along the way. read more

I'm currently mid-construction of south philly row home where I'm adding a full third floor and partial fourth with deck. I've been so pleased and surprised by 3rd Story Philly that I felt the need to write a review mid-project. The responsiveness and availability of Phil/Zach/Dan throughout the long process of designing, permitting, construction has been truly remarkable. The quality of the work has been excellent. The accountability for mistakes that happen along the way should be commended. My project remains entirely on schedule over 3 month in, and they could not have been more easy to deal with. The day in and day out decisions and discussions with Zach have made me truly believe that he cares about our project and truly wants it to be special for us. I can't tell you all of the horror stories we've heard and seen in our neighborhood with renovations. There's not a day that goes by that I'm not still 100% positive that we made the right decision hiring 3rd Story Philly. I'll be sure to update the review in a few months after it's all done, but I can't imagine my opinion of these guys will change one bit. If you're going to make the decision to invest your time, energy, and money into major renovations, understand that it's an emotional undertaking. So to have peace of mind and 100% confidence in your contractors is truly invaluable. read more

3rd Story Philly is an amazing team! We have been able to create our dream home. Their experience and knowledge in Philly Row Homes has been priceless. Our home had many issues in the foundation and structure, and their amazing team have been able to handle every issue and built us an amazing new foundation! Would highly recommend to anyone looking for high quality work. Renovating our home is stressful (because we miss living in it), but the quality of the work and end result have never been a part of that stress. Great business!!! read more