Blue Bell has no borough hall of its own. It's a census-designated place of about 6,500 people inside Whitpain Township, one of Montgomery County's oldest townships, and the name comes from the Blue Bell Inn; until 1840 the village was called Pigeontown. Montgomery County Community College's main campus is here, and most of the township's homes use a Blue Bell address. We come over from Eagleville, about twenty minutes away. Pisasale & Sons is a family-owned, licensed and insured remodeling contractor (PA HIC #186102), and the crew that measures your kitchen is the crew that installs it.
What Whitpain's housing looks like
Whitpain's 2024 comprehensive plan update, using Census Bureau survey data, counts about 7,976 homes in the township. The busiest building period by far was 1980 to 1999, when 47.8 percent of today's homes went up. Another 22.7 percent date from 1960 to 1979, about 20 percent are older than 1960, and only 9.5 percent were built after 2000. About 61 percent are single-family detached houses and 26 percent are attached homes such as townhouses, with apartment buildings making up most of the rest. Roughly four in five homes are owner-occupied.
For remodeling, that age profile is the whole story. A house built in the late 1980s or 1990s is now on its original kitchen cabinets and counters, its original primary bath and tile, and often its original deck. The older neighborhoods from the 1950s through the 1970s have had more updates over the years, but each one is different, so we look at what's been done before we suggest what to do next:
- 1980s and 1990s homes: first-generation builder kitchens, primary baths built around a large corner or platform tub, and unfinished or half-finished basements
- Wood decks from the same era: boards, rails and stairs at the end of their life, and ledger connections we check before reusing any framing
- 1950s to 1970s homes: smaller baths and closed kitchens that may have been updated once, and layouts that can open up where the structure allows
- Townhouses: kitchen, bath and flooring work inside a fixed footprint, with community association rules for anything outside
Remodeling services in Blue Bell
- Kitchen remodeling: replacing a builder-grade kitchen with new cabinets, quartz or granite counters and a better layout (see one white kitchen with quartz and subway tile)
- Bathroom remodeling: trading a big corner tub for a large tiled walk-in shower, plus new vanities, lighting and floors
- Basement finishing: family rooms, home offices and guest suites in basements that were left unfinished (one example: a basement family room with a wood-wrapped column)
- Decks and porches: rebuilding aging wood decks with low-maintenance boards and railings, like our elevated deck project
- Flooring and tile: replacing worn carpet and dated tile with plank or tile through the main floor
- Home additions: a larger family room or first-floor suite where the lot and zoning allow
- Handyman services: fixture swaps, doors, trim, drywall repair and painting
Faucets, toilets, vanities and light fixtures replaced like for like are part of our work. New or relocated plumbing and wiring is done by licensed trade partners we coordinate, and it's spelled out in your written estimate along with any Whitpain permits. Request yours below.
Building permits from Whitpain Township
Because Blue Bell is part of Whitpain, permits go through the township's Code Enforcement Department at the Township Building, 960 Wentz Road. The department administers the building, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, fire, energy and existing-building codes along with the zoning ordinance. It reviews permit applications and plans, issues the permits, inspects during construction, and issues a Certificate of Use and Occupancy when a project is finished.
- Building permit applications can be filed online through the township's Cloudpermit system.
- The township says the maximum processing time for a residential permit is 15 business days from receipt, and that it can run shorter or longer depending on workload and how complete the application is.
- Inspections are requested through Cloudpermit or by reaching the Code Enforcement Department directly. The township notes they can't be scheduled through its voicemail system.
- Fees are set by the township fee schedule, calculated case by case, and paid when the permit is issued.
We put together the drawings, file through Cloudpermit, build the review time into the schedule and meet the inspector. The township's applications and forms page links to the online permit system, and its building code page covers processing times and inspections.
Blue Bell address, different township?
Most of the 19422 ZIP code is in Whitpain Township, but Census Bureau data shows it also reaches small edges of Lower Gwynedd, Whitemarsh, Plymouth and Worcester townships. And some Whitpain homes have an Ambler (19002) address instead. Each township runs its own permit office, so we confirm where your house actually is before the estimate and apply there.
Photos from our job sites
These are from our own job sites around Montgomery County and Philadelphia. See the full gallery for more.
Blue Bell remodeling questions
Who issues building permits in Blue Bell?
Whitpain Township. Blue Bell isn't a separate municipality, so permits come from Whitpain's Code Enforcement Department at 960 Wentz Road, and applications can be filed online through Cloudpermit. A few homes with a 19422 address are in neighboring townships, and we confirm that before the estimate.
How long does a Whitpain permit take?
The township lists 15 business days as the maximum for residential permit processing, and it can be quicker or slower depending on workload and how complete the application is. We submit complete drawings up front and plan the start date around the review.
Can you replace the corner tub in a 1990s primary bath?
Usually, yes. Removing a large tub often frees enough room for a walk-in shower with a bench and niches, and sometimes a bigger vanity. We check the floor framing and drain location before we design it.
How far are you from Blue Bell?
About twenty minutes. We're based in Eagleville, in Lower Providence Township. We reply within 1 business day. The walkthrough and written estimate are free.