Astoria General Contracting in Baltimore: Licensed Contractor for Kitchen and Bathroom Renovations

Astoria General Contracting is a licensed general contractor based in Baltimore that specializes in kitchen and bathroom remodels for homeowners and smaller commercial properties. The company operates as a single-owner operation with a crew of 4 to 6 workers, positioning it as a mid-size option between one-person handymen and larger firms that juggle multiple projects across the region.

What Astoria General Contracting actually does

Astoria handles full renovation scope: demolition, framing, plumbing, electrical, tile work, and finish carpentry. The owner, who holds a Maryland Home Improvement License and general contractor license, pulls required permits and manages inspections. Most jobs run 3 to 8 weeks depending on scope; the company does not take on new construction or structural foundation work. Kitchens represent roughly 60 percent of the workload; bathrooms make up the remainder. Astoria also handles smaller jobs like cabinet installation or tile backsplashes as standalone projects, though the owner prefers full-scope renovations where he can control materials and labor from start to finish.

Services and pricing

Kitchen remodels typically start at $35,000 and range to $75,000 for a mid-sized kitchen with new cabinets, appliances, countertops, flooring, and lighting. A bathroom renovation runs $12,000 to $30,000 depending on whether the layout changes, the tile complexity, and fixture selection. These are labor-plus-materials estimates; costs fluctuate with material prices and should be confirmed during an in-person consultation. Astoria charges $60 per hour for labor on standalone jobs like backsplash installation or cabinet work. The company requires a 50 percent deposit at signing and the balance upon substantial completion; payment plans are not offered. The owner sources materials directly through wholesale suppliers and tile distributors, which often results in lower material costs than homeowners would pay retail. A written estimate is provided after an on-site assessment and takes 5 to 7 business days.

How Astoria compares to other Baltimore contractors

Baltimore's general contractor landscape splits into three tiers. Large firms like Cornerstone Contracting and Chesapeake Home Builders manage 10+ simultaneous projects and serve clients with budgets above $100,000; they excel at complex builds but often deprioritize smaller renovations. Single-person handymen and unlicensed crews are cheaper upfront (often 20 to 30 percent less) but carry no bonding, may not pull permits, and offer limited warranty. Astoria sits in the middle: licensed and insured, hands-on owner involvement, smaller job list means faster scheduling and closer attention to detail, and pricing competitive with licensed mid-size firms. Choose Astoria if you want one person overseeing the entire job and need a kitchen or bathroom done well within 2 to 3 months. Choose a larger firm if your budget exceeds $100,000 or your project spans multiple rooms. Choose a handyman only if budget is the primary driver and you are comfortable assuming permit and inspection risk yourself.

Who Astoria suits and who it doesn't

Astoria works best for homeowners in Canton, Federal Hill, Fells Point, and Roland Park where kitchen and bathroom upgrades return strong resale value and budgets typically fall between $20,000 and $70,000. Owner-occupants who plan to stay 5+ years and want high-quality finishes are ideal clients. The company also suits homeowners who value transparency: the owner answers calls directly and will visit the site with you to walk through changes. Astoria is not the right fit if you need work to begin within 2 weeks (current lead time is 4 to 6 weeks), require a crew working nights or weekends to accommodate your schedule, or are managing a project budget below $10,000. The company also does not coordinate with other trades if you hire electricians or plumbers separately; Astoria prefers full control of all subcontractors.

What the first visit involves

Call or email to schedule a no-charge consultation. The owner will visit your home, spend 30 to 45 minutes discussing your goals, taking measurements, and photographing the space. He will ask about your timeline, budget range, and material preferences (cabinet style, tile type, countertop material). Within a week, he emails a written estimate breaking down labor and materials by phase. If you accept, a contract is signed and a 50 percent deposit secures your start date. The owner does not require homeowners to purchase materials in advance; he orders them on an agreed timeline to avoid storage issues.

Hours, parking, and logistics

Astoria operates Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with occasional Saturday work by arrangement. The owner is reachable by phone or email during business hours; messages left after hours receive responses the next business day. He maintains a small yard in Canton for tool and material storage but works from job sites during the day, so scheduling visits or check-ins should be done by phone or email rather than drop-ins.

Astoria's owner involvement and permit compliance make it a dependable choice for Baltimore homeowners tackling a major kitchen or bathroom project without the overhead cost of a larger firm.