Five Star Quality Remodeling in Baltimore: Kitchen and Bathroom Renovations with Fixed Pricing

Five Star Quality Remodeling is a licensed general contractor in Baltimore specializing in kitchen and bathroom remodels, operating on a fixed-price model rather than time-and-materials billing. The company handles projects from $15,000 minor updates to $80,000-plus full renovations, serving homeowners throughout Baltimore County and the city who want clarity on costs before work begins.

What Five Star Quality Remodeling actually does

Five Star operates as a full-service remodel contractor, meaning it manages permits, design consultation, material selection, demolition, framing, plumbing, electrical, and finish work in-house rather than subcontracting most trades. The company is licensed by the Maryland Department of Labor and holds general contractor license #114906 (verify current status through the state's license lookup). It does not do roofing, siding, or whole-home construction, focusing instead on kitchen and bathroom scope where it can control timeline and quality through its own crews.

The fixed-price model is the key differentiator. Rather than charging hourly labor rates (typically $45 to $75 per hour for Baltimore-area general contractors), Five Star quotes a single number for the entire project once scope and materials are locked in. This eliminates the surprise of change orders and overruns that plague many bathroom and kitchen jobs, though it also means the homeowner cannot easily add scope mid-project without a formal amendment.

Services and pricing

Five Star offers three pricing tiers, each tied to material and finish selection rather than square footage.

The Standard Tier ($15,000 to $28,000) covers a full bathroom or modest kitchen: new vanity or cabinetry, vinyl plank or ceramic tile flooring, builder-grade fixtures, basic paint and drywall repair, and new lighting. A 50-square-foot bathroom refresh with new toilet, sink, and tile typically lands at $18,000 to $22,000 in this range.

The Premium Tier ($28,000 to $50,000) adds mid-range cabinetry (semi-custom), quartz or granite countertops, quality faucets and hardware, tile upgrades, and recessed lighting. A galley kitchen or primary bathroom with plumbing relocation usually falls here.

The Luxury Tier ($50,000 and up) allows custom cabinetry, high-end appliances, heated floors, custom tile work, and structural changes like wall removal or layout reconfiguration. These projects often include a design consultation with the company's in-house designer.

All tiers include the permit and inspection process, though the homeowner pays permit fees directly to Baltimore or Baltimore County (typically $100 to $300 for a bathroom, $200 to $500 for a kitchen). A written contract locks in price, timeline (usually 4 to 8 weeks depending on tier), and warranty (one year on labor, manufacturer warranty on materials). Deposits are 50 percent at signing, 25 percent at start, 25 percent upon completion.

Five Star does not offer financing directly but can connect homeowners with lenders it has worked with; verify current lending partnerships before assuming a particular bank.

How Five Star compares to other Baltimore contractors

The fixed-price model distinguishes Five Star from the majority of Baltimore-area general contractors, who quote hourly labor rates and materials separately. Contractors like Bright Remodeling and Fidelity Building Group (both operating in Baltimore) use time-and-materials billing, which can cost less upfront but exposes homeowners to overrun risk if a project hits hidden mold, structural issues, or design changes.

Five Star's pricing sits mid-market. A Standard Tier bathroom remodel at $20,000 is competitive with T&M contractors charging $50 to $65 per hour for a similar scope, but costs less if work extends beyond estimate. For homeowners who prioritize certainty and have a defined budget, the fixed-price model reduces stress. For those comfortable with potential overruns in exchange for flexibility to change scope mid-project, a T&M contractor may offer more control.

Five Star is larger than single-owner operations (which often charge $40 to $55 per hour and take longer to schedule) and smaller than regional chains like Home Depot's remodeling service, which offers fixed quotes but typically higher markups and less personal communication with the actual crews doing the work.

Who Five Star suits and who it does not

Five Star is best for homeowners with a clear vision of scope, a defined budget, and a preference for not managing multiple subcontractors. Homeowners planning a kitchen or bathroom remodel in the $20,000 to $60,000 range, with reasonable timelines (4 to 10 weeks), benefit most from the fixed-price structure and in-house crews.

Five Star is not a fit for homeowners expecting work to begin within one week (lead time is typically 2 to 4 weeks) or for highly experimental designs requiring a designer-architect collaboration outside the company's internal design scope. It is also not suitable for projects outside kitchens and bathrooms.

What the first visit involves

An initial consultation is free and takes 30 to 45 minutes. The project manager meets at the home, takes photos and measurements, and discusses material samples and finish preferences. No quote is issued on-site. Instead, Five Star's estimating team prepares a detailed quote (usually within one week) with a line-item breakdown of labor, materials, and timeline. The homeowner can accept, request changes, or decline without obligation.

If the homeowner accepts, a contract is signed and a 50 percent deposit secures the start date. A walk-through occurs 24 hours before work begins to clarify details like outlet placement and final fixture selection. The project manager is the primary contact throughout; homeowners receive weekly progress photos and can reach the PM by phone during business hours.

Hours, parking, and logistics

Five Star operates Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., with Saturday appointments available by request (confirm availability). The office is located in Towson; jobsite crews arrive between 7 and 8 a.m. Parking during construction is the homeowner's responsibility; the company's crews use street parking or the driveway where possible. Bathroom remodels typically run 4 to 6 weeks with 4 to 5 crew days per week; kitchens run 6 to 10 weeks depending on scope.

Five Star holds Baltimore City and County contractor licenses and carries liability insurance (verify coverage limits when signing the contract). It does not carry all material in stock; specialty items like custom cabinetry or imported tile may extend the timeline by 1 to 2 weeks.

Five Star's fixed-price model and in-house crews make it a low-stress option for homeowners navigating a first major remodel or seeking to avoid the surprises common in Baltimore's older housing stock, where hidden structural or water damage often derails standard time-and-materials projects.