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 recently built a three-season room and attached deck for one Google customer, who says the worksite was kept clean and organized every day and the project was completed on schedule, with project manager Jamie keeping them updated. The company's website describes it as a general contractor based in Arlington offering additions, kitchen and bathroom remodels, basement finishing, decks and porches, electrical work through McDonald Electric and home maintenance, and says it is owned and run by Ed McDonald, with James and Brenna McDonald also on staff. Its Massachusetts home improvement contractor registration, number 182441, is active on the state registry. A recent customer says the crew finished their basement and built a kids' playhouse under the stairs. A 2023 customer said McDonald Contracting remodeled their basement: removing old plaster, sealing the foundation, installing insulation, framing and drywall, laying a floor, upgrading the electric panel and building custom cabinets and drawers. A 2024 customer said Ed and James refinished an 800 sq ft basement with a new bathroom, and that when a subcontractor made a mistake placing the bathroom's tile floor, the company took full responsibility and fixed it free of charge. A 2026 customer described a project of about seven months after buying a new home: a new bath and office, a usable basement, another bath updated, painting and staining, built-in bookshelves, redone electrical systems and central air. That 2026 customer said Ed McDonald made sure the quote was comprehensive, and mentioned a few hiccups along the way. A 2024 customer said Ed, Jamie and their team rebuilt a 1920s two-story front porch, including replacing the concrete steps and repointing masonry below grade, with demolition done by Halloween and the porch finished by Thanksgiving. A 2026 commenter on r/ArlingtonMA said McDonald Contracting fixed the rotted wood under a gutter instead of replacing the gutter, for less than expected. A 2026 customer gave four stars for a major remodel of a 150-year-old house in Melrose, with steel beams, dormers and matched cedar shingles, and described some misunderstandings and time delays, saying they had to stay on top of the schedule. A 2025 customer said a second-floor gut renovation, two added rooms and re-siding of the whole house took a little longer than expected.
“McDonald Contracting has been great for all my needs. I don’t have a butcher block top but give them a call.”
“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 Contracting did a great job. Instead of overcharging and replacing the gutter, they were able to fix the rotted wood underneath and it was less expensive than I thought.”
“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.”
“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.
1 change recorded — last scanned Jul 4, 2026.
Detailed craftsmanship5.0
Fence & carpentry work5.0
Multi-trade basement finishes4.9
Talked out of unneeded replacements4.5
Careful inspections4.2
Full roof replaced in 2.5 days3.1
Active registrationNot yet rated
Dormers and additions up to $225K3.1