Verified record
Typical Greater Boston range for this kind of work, from regional averages — not a quote from McDonald Contracting, LLC. Use it to sanity-check bids, then get the real number in writing.
Estimated range
$23,000 – $35,000
Typical remodeling project around $29,000
McDonald Contracting is an Arlington general contractor run by Ed McDonald, with a review record — 63 reviews from 2021 to 2026, plus repeated organic recommendations on r/ArlingtonMA and neighboring subreddits — that reads less like marketing and more like a town's default answer to "who do I call?" One Reddit thread asking for handyman recommendations got the reply that McDonald "finished my basement 5 years ago and everything has held up A+," and several reviewers describe using them two or three times over multiple years, for everything from a car charger install to a full second-floor addition. The core of the work is kitchen and bathroom remodeling and custom carpentry, and the range of projects is wide: full basement finishes with custom bathrooms, kitchen guts that open up walls, porch and deck rebuilds (including a 1920s two-story front porch with new concrete steps and repointed masonry), and additions that turn a house into what one reviewer called "basically a new home," with only the original foundation and framing kept. Reviewers consistently point to the same things — project managers (Shawn, James, Jamie, Sue) who communicate daily and in detail, subcontractors who take ownership when something goes wrong (one review describes a tile mistake fixed for free with no pushback), and job sites kept clean throughout. It isn't a flawless record. In a January 2026 review rated 4 stars, a homeowner described a complicated remodel of a 150-year-old house in Melrose — steel beams, months of engineering coordination — and noted "some misunderstanding and time delays" along the way, alongside being nervous at first about the contractor's age. A couple of other reviews mention projects running a little longer than expected, generally attributed to permitting or supply-chain issues outside the company's control rather than to the crew's own work. The company's Massachusetts home improvement contractor registration is active, and it carries an A+ BBB rating and a 4.9★ Google average from 142 ratings.
“We used McDonald contracting in Arlington for a third floor addition. The final product is very good. They weren’t perfect in every single regard but they were they beat by far of any contractor we have used.”
“McDonald Contracting did a phenomenal job finishing my basement. Highly recommend.”
“McDonald worked with us to remove a few lally columns and then we installed some C channel steel beams along the existing LVL beams. I also worked with an engineer. Feel free to DM me for more info. I removed 3 or 4 columns.”
“The McDonald business is A+. Great team of trusted contractors and handyman. They finished my basement 5 years ago and everything has held up A+. They also have fixed a bunch of random other things around the house like gutters, electrical, etc.”
“Anybody use McDonald Contracting for handyman services or can recommend others?”
“We highly recommend Ed and his team for any project!”
"We recently hired MacDonald Contracting to build a Three season room and attached deck, and we couldn't be happier with the results! From the design phase to the final walkthrough, their professionalism and expertise were unmatched. The craftsmanship is incredible—the screen tension is perfect, the deck boards are beautifully laid, and they seamlessly blended the new structure with our house. They kept the worksite clean and organized every single day. Communication with Jamie the project Manager was stellar; he kept us updated and addressed all our questions immediately. The project was completed on schedule. We now have a beautiful new living space, and I highly recommend MacDonald Contracting Company for any outdoor renovation!
We had our basement finished and all of the crew was friendly and knowledgeable about what they were doing. They fulfilled some custom requests and made a perfect kids playhouse under the stairs. It tuned out great!
I've used McDonald Contracting for the past few years for snow removal. The team really goes above and beyond - Ed always texts to see if I need snow removal, and sends a team out in a timely manner. The teams are excellent - efficient, effective, and they do a much better job of clearing snow than I could ever do. I plan to continue working with McDonald Contracting now and in the future.
We had an excellent experience working with McDonald Contracting from start to finish.They built new cabinets and a beautiful bar area, created a custom closet and bench, and also added new electrical outlets and light fixtures throughout our space. The entire process was seamless and professional — communication was clear, timelines were respected, and everything was handled with care. Most importantly, the craftsmanship was truly outstanding. Every detail feels intentional and high-quality, and the finished work exceeded our expectations. If you’re looking for a contractor who is reliable, skilled, and easy to work with, I can’t recommend McDonald Contracting enough.
We worked with McDonald on a large project (~7 months) after buying a new home. They built a new bath and office, made the basement useable, updated another bath, painted and stained everything, did built-in bookshelves and some other custom projects like dog-proofing the fence and adding gates to the front porch so we could keep said dog out of the road, redid the electrical systems and added central air. Like I said, big project. From the outset, they made us far more comfortable than any other contractor we talked to, in large part due to Ed McDonald making sure the quote was comprehensive such that we knew every element of what would need to happen. There were a few hiccups along the way, which I think is inevitable for a project of this scope, but at the end of everything we have a house we love and a contractor we’d come back to. Whenever an issue did come up, we were able to quickly discuss and make a plan to get to where we needed. They were more than fair on cost and left us with a great final product. We particularly loved the folks who worked on electrical, plumbing/HVAC, floors, and carpentry. Would recommend working with McDonald!
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Certified attributes are verified against the public registry. Others are the business's own statement.
Established 5.0 rating
Basement, bathroom, and porch projects start to finish4.5
Customers return for 6+ years on big jobs3.8
Repeat clients3.5
Public-building renovation2.6
18 windows replaced in a single day3.1
Rescued a 2024 stalled job4.3