Prime 1 Builders

After several years of searching, I finally located a vacant lot on which to construct myself a new custom-built house. Then I began interviewing custom-built home contractors. Dan Meade of Prime 1 Builders was the second contractor that I interviewed. After one meeting with Dan, I knew that I did not have to interview any more contractors. I had found my contractor and it was Prime 1 Builders. I could tell in my first discussion with Dan that he was honest, had integrity and was a very competent contractor. Dan and his architect clearly understood the custom-built house that I wanted constructed and the constraints of my budget. They made several insightful suggestions in which to modify my original design ideas, not upselling, but enhancing the functionality and usefulness of the design. Dan told me that my house would be constructed in seven to eight months and it was completed in slightly less than eight months. Dan keeps you well informed as to the construction versus scheduled progress. Prime 1 Builders’ employees, subcontractors and vendors / suppliers were competent, quality oriented and a pleasure in which to interact. Every construction project has changes and problems. The construction of my house had very few changes and problems because of the thoroughness of the design and the complete upfront selection of materials. When a change or problem occurred during the construction of my house, whether my responsibility or Prime 1 Builders, Dan timely addressed and resolved it limiting the cost to the responsible party. I would definitely recommend Dan Meade and the Prime 1 Builders team for construction of your new custom-built home or home remodeling project. They do what they say they are going to do!

Prime 1 Builders truly built our dream home- and then some. From our very first meeting, it was clear that Dan, Mary Anne and the whole team were in a league of their own. They didn’t just build our house-they helped us envision it in ways we never could have on our own. They thought through every detail before we even knew to ask. From architectural design to the natural flow of the home, they guided us through decisions that completely transformed what our house could be. Their creativity, experience, and attention to how people actually live in a space made all the difference. Our home is beautiful, functional, and truly feels custom in every sense of the word. What impressed us most was how easy they were to work with. They were incredibly responsive, responsible, and organized throughout the entire process. Building a 100% custom home can feel overwhelming, but Prime 1 broke it down into manageable steps. They gave us clear “homework” at the right times, kept us on track, and made sure we never felt rushed or stressed by the number of decisions. They were meticulous and never cut corners, ever. The craftsmanship and care they put into every part of the build was evident at every stage. They also handled communication with vendors and subcontractors seamlessly, which saved us so much time and energy and ensured everything stayed coordinated and on schedule. We recommend Prime 1 Builders wholeheartedly and without hesitation. We’ve already shared their name with friends and family throughout Pittsburgh, and we’ll continue to do so. If you’re looking for a builder who is thoughtful, trustworthy, detail-oriented, and genuinely invested in creating something special, Prime 1 Builders is it. We are beyond grateful for their work and could not be happier with our home.

Had a wonderful experience with Dan and his crew! They did a beautiful job on our kitchen. Would absolutely hire again

Short story: we had an incredibly good experience with Prime 1 and would hire them again in a second! Longer story: We learned about Prime 1 from neighbors of ours who had a renovation/addition done. The quality of the work was excellent, so we knew that Prime 1 was the right choice for our renovation. We are thrilled that we made this decision because we could not be happier with our renovations! The team was professional and personable, and was on top of every detail. Someone was at our house every weekday during the renovation period. Every single day! Our neighbors were so astounded by how diligent the team was at getting work done all the time, and how organized they were in terms of keeping to the timeline. They also kept our home very clean—as clean as possible during a big renovation. It made it much easier for us. They were very collaborative about what needed to be done and shared ideas with us when we needed them, but also were on board with what we wanted when we wanted something that perhaps was outside the norm. This was so appreciated because we have specific tastes and really wanted what we wanted. A couple of small issues came up, and they were handled very well—Dan and his team made sure that any problems (all minor) were remedied immediately. By the end I felt like we had a new set of friends and was a bit sad to say goodbye to them, but we are thrilled to have our newly renovated home to enjoy!

We had an amazing experience working with Prime 1 Building and Dan Meade on the construction of our new home. From start to finish, Dan and his team demonstrated professionalism, attention to detail, and a commitment to quality craftsmanship. They kept us informed throughout the process, addressed any concerns promptly, and delivered a home that exceeded our expectations. As with any building project, there were a few mistakes made by both the contractor and us as homeowners, which is a normal part of the process. What stood out was how Dan handled these situations—he always addressed the issue and found a solution that worked for everyone. His problem-solving skills and willingness to ensure we were happy with the final result made all the difference. The workmanship is outstanding, and it’s clear that Prime 1 Building takes pride in what they do. If you're looking for a reliable, skilled, and trustworthy builder, I highly recommend Dan Meade and his team. We couldn’t be happier with our new home!

When I embarked on the journey of building my own home, I initially had little knowledge of what it would entail since I had never done it before. Thankfully, I discovered Prime One Construction through glowing reviews on the Pittsburgh subreddit. Dan Meade, the owner of Prime One, guided me through every step of the process, from initial design to estimating costs and securing a construction loan. He took the time to understand my vision for a home where I could comfortably age in place, and he seamlessly integrated these preferences in the plans. While we encountered some unexpected challenges along the way, Dan was always transparent about them and we worked together to find the best solutions. Groundbreaking took place in mid-October 2023, and remarkably, my home was completed by the end of April, 2024----right on schedule and within the budget we had planned. I am absolutely delighted with how beautifully my home turned out; it truly reflects my personality and style. The Prime One team is incredibly dedicated, and their project managers are consistently attentive and responsive.

I highly recommend Prime 1 Builders. The quality of work is top notch! They completed an addition and turned a side porch into a laundry/mudroom along with several other projects within our home. They completed the project within 3 months. They were timely and adept throughout the implementation. The Prime 1 employee’s and the subcontractors on site were courteous, kind, and professional. Excellent communication! Always keeping us well informed. They came everyday at 7am and kept the project moving along efficiently. We are overjoyed with the results and love our new spaces!

We did a significant renovation that included a new structure as well as renovating portions of a 100 year old house. It was a challenging project due to the age of the structure (i.e. they don't build them like that anymore). Dan and his team were the pinnacle of professionalism throughout the entire process. Like any significant project, there were some unexpected challenges, but Prime 1 always approached them with a practical rationality and calmness that you only get with years of experience. You can tell he truly cares about his reputation and customer satisfaction is his primary goal. There was constant communication throughout the process and there was never a time that I couldn't get a hold of Dan or one of his foremen. The final result is exactly what we envisioned and is magnificent. I’ve done many projects over the years with a variety of contractors (see old house above), and I put Prime 1 at the top by a wide margin. I highly recommend them.

From the quote and design phase through project completion, the Prime1 team has been a pleasure to work with and did an outstanding job on our home addition. Our project scope was ambitious, demolishing the neighboring house and adding a new: -Living room -Master bedroom -Master bathroom -Mud room -Powder room -Expanded deck -3 car garage with long driveway -Full basement with bar and dance room Dan and his team were onsite each day during the 6-month project, using a combination of Prime1 employees and sub contractors to quickly move through the build. They took great care to minimize the impact to our family during construction. Like Dan, the project managers, crew and office staff at Prime1 are not only skilled craftsman but nice, caring and empathetic individuals. For such a large project, it was an enjoyable experience for my family - largely because of the employees at Prime1. A few items to highlight: -We really appreciated the extra effort from Dan and the team throughout the project. Whether it was making sure our house was protected before a large rain, removing extra dirt from the site or coordinating with the gas company on our generator as just a few examples – Dan, Adam, Houston and the rest of the team were always available and willing to help. -The team of project managers (Adam and Houston) added tremendous value to the overall project. Coordinating between us, the Prime1 team and subcontractors ensured things moved smoothly and items were not missed. -Having worked with other contractors, I can say Prime1 has impressive finishing skills. All of the little details from carpentry and drywall to pavers and decking were designed thoughtfully and then executed at a craftsman quality. -Prime1 was upfront with any challenges or changes during the project. We worked together to problem solve when needed and they would always would error on the side of more/better/quality. -The team consistently started on time, completed on time and make sure the job site was safe and clean each day. As mentioned above, it was hard to imagine this much work could be completed in 6 months but they finished on time and within the budget we set. We are extremely satisfied with the quality and value Prime1 provided during our project. I would highly recommend them and would be happy to be a reference now or at any point in the future. Thanks again Dan and everyone on the Prime1 team!

The team at Prime1 made our dreams come true! Dan was so knowledgeable and his whole team worked together seamlessly to create a custom home that exceeded our wildest expectations. Their attention to detail, careful planning, and expert execution produced not just a house, but a home. We will be forever grateful.

Summary: If you’re looking to build a custom home or addition in the Pittsburgh area, I would strongly recommend Prime1 after a positive multi-year experience beginning July 2021 and continuing to present day, April 2023. Note: This was our first time working with a custom builder. My husband first contacted Prime1 in July 2021 when we were looking to buy a house in the Pittsburgh area and build a small “mother-in-law” unit on our future property. From the beginning, Dan and his staff were very responsive in answering our questions. When we were seriously considering a house, they would come out to determine the feasibility of building the in-law unit. We worked with Maria, their architect, during the design phase with construction scheduled for early 2022. This was a long, mostly passive/async phase punctuated with a sync meeting every month or so as our preferences were transformed into professional drawings and engineering plans. Construction ultimately began in May 2022 with Eddie as our project manager (this was his first time as the lead project manager) and completed in mid-October 2022. While the build phase was not perfect, I never expected it to be, and Prime1 was quick to notify us and resolve any issues that came up. Again, the completion time of this phase was within the original estimate provided, and Prime1 actually anticipated many of the supply chain issues in advance to keep things going very smoothly with very little in the way of delays. We are now 6 months into our one year warranty period, and I have been largely happy with them as they completed the agreed upon follow-up work and have come out twice for minor warranty fixes.

We completed a two story addition on our 1930s home with Prime1 this past fall. We absolutely love our new kitchen and master bath and couldn’t be happier with the results. The foreman that was here each day was wonderful. He was patient and kind with our dog, our kids, and our endless daily questions. The entire crew was fantastic. They were respectful and took time to explain everything to us in detail. We are thrilled with the addition and are thankful to Prime1 for helping us to realize our vision and for their commitment to quality craftsmanship.