Pasadena · Altadena · South Pasadena · San Marino · Arcadia
Pasadena General Contractor
MKW Homes is a licensed Pasadena general contractor (CSLB #1074934), owner-run by Michael Ward. Bathroom and kitchen remodels, artificial turf, paver driveways and outdoor living across the San Gabriel Valley, one crew at a time.
ServicesInside the house and out the back door.
All services
Artificial Turf
Proper base depth, compacted sub grade and real drainage, so the lawn stays flat instead of rippling in year two.
Bathroom Remodeling
Full gut remodels, wet room showers, and tile set to a joint you can run your hand along without catching.
Paver Driveways & Walkways
Driveways, walkways and turf ribbon inlays, cut and laid so the pattern still lines up at the edges.
Outdoor Living
Patios, pergolas, stone pillars, built in barbecues, and the lighting and irrigation that make them usable.
Landscape Construction
Grading, drainage, borders and planting. The unglamorous half that decides whether the pretty half lasts.
Pool Surrounds & Decking
Coping, decking, and the turf and hardscape around the water, detailed to sit level with the pool edge.
Featured projectThe details you notice last.
The backlit mirror and the recessed glass shelving read as if they were always part of the wall, with no visible trim and no cords. That only happens one way: the wiring goes in before the board does, so the reveal stays clean once the travertine is set around it.
It is the kind of decision you cannot make later, and the kind most people never see being made. The full write-up, from the floated walls to the floating cherry vanity, is on the project page.
PortfolioFinished jobs, not renderings.
It was reassuring to have such a competent, reliable and overall stellar contractor and crew.Teri Craft · Google review
Our methodA remodel is months of people in your house.
The finished room matters. So does what those months feel like. There is no version of a bathroom remodel where your home stays normal for six weeks, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something. What we can control is whether you know what is happening on any given day, whether the site gets cleaned before the crew leaves, and whether the work still looks right in five years.
About Michael Ward
Michael is from Liverpool. He learned the trade in England, where the tolerance on a finished wall, a joint and a reveal is tighter than most of what gets built here, and he brought that standard to California with him. It shows up in the parts clients notice last and remember longest. Tile that lines up at the corners. Grout joints the same width across a whole wall. Doors that shut the same way in August as they do in January.
ReviewsRated 5.0 on Google.
Read all reviewsHired Mike and his crew to redo our entire backyard and driveway. Removal of the asphalt and existing landscaping, running water lines and electrical, artificial grass, plant borders, a paver driveway, raised the patio gazebo, added a paver patio, landscaped borders, irrigation and outdoor lighting.
Teri CraftLocal Guide · 33 reviewsFrom start to finish the job was handled with the utmost professionalism and attention to detail. What stood out most was their communication. Mr. Ward kept me informed every step of the way.
Angela Adams5 reviewsMKW Homes just painted our home. We are very satisfied with the work. During the process everything was clean and organized.
Jake Baloian3 reviewsMike and his crew were great. They did a wonderful job on the stucco patching and painting, and we were very pleased with the results.
Jen B1 reviewHired Mike and his crew to redo our entire backyard and driveway. Removal of the asphalt and existing landscaping, running water lines and electrical, artificial grass, plant borders, a paver driveway, raised the patio gazebo, added a paver patio, landscaped borders, irrigation and outdoor lighting.
Teri CraftLocal Guide · 33 reviewsFrom start to finish the job was handled with the utmost professionalism and attention to detail. What stood out most was their communication. Mr. Ward kept me informed every step of the way.
Angela Adams5 reviewsMKW Homes just painted our home. We are very satisfied with the work. During the process everything was clean and organized.
Jake Baloian3 reviewsMike and his crew were great. They did a wonderful job on the stucco patching and painting, and we were very pleased with the results.
Jen B1 reviewMy backyard fence was damaged and his crew replaced the damaged sections. They were done so well that you could not tell they were different.
Janet Owens8 reviewsMike and his team did an outstanding job on our front and backyard. We have continued to use him on other projects since then.
Phil Feghali2 reviewsMike and his team came over to paint our house and set up a shade sail. Price was competitive. The team left the house clean after the job.
Lily Hua2 reviewsMy backyard fence was damaged and his crew replaced the damaged sections. They were done so well that you could not tell they were different.
Janet Owens8 reviewsMike and his team did an outstanding job on our front and backyard. We have continued to use him on other projects since then.
Phil Feghali2 reviewsMike and his team came over to paint our house and set up a shade sail. Price was competitive. The team left the house clean after the job.
Lily Hua2 reviewsService areasEleven cities, one drive time.
We work Pasadena out to Bradbury and stop there on purpose. It keeps Michael on your street the same week, and it lets one crew finish your job before starting the next.
ProcessFour steps, no surprises in the middle.
You call or send the form
Tell us what you are trying to do. If it is not work we do well, we will say so and point you to someone who does.
Michael walks the site
Usually the same week. He measures, looks at what is behind the wall where he can, and tells you what the job actually involves.
A written scope and price
Line by line, with the allowances stated. You should be able to tell what is included without having to ask.
We build it and clean up
One crew, start to finish. Walkthrough at the end, punch list closed out, three year labor warranty on what we installed.
QuestionsStraight answers.
Who is the best general contractor in Pasadena?
There is no single answer, and anyone claiming to be it is guessing on your behalf. What you can check is concrete: an active CSLB license, general liability and workers compensation, reviews that describe your kind of project rather than generic praise, and a written scope that states allowances instead of hiding them. MKW Homes is owner run, rated 5.0 on Google, and backs labor for three years.
Do you charge for an estimate?
No. Estimates are free, and Michael usually gets to the property within the same week.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. California license CSLB #1074934, plus general liability and workers compensation. You can verify any California contractor license yourself on the CSLB website, and you should, for us and for anyone else you are considering.
What areas do you cover?
Pasadena, Altadena, South Pasadena, San Marino, Arcadia, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, Alhambra, Temple City, La Crescenta and Bradbury. We keep it tight so the crew is on your job rather than on the freeway.
What does the three year labor warranty cover?
Our workmanship on what we installed, for three years. If something we did fails in that window, we come back and make it right. Manufacturer warranties on the products themselves are separate and usually run longer.