Starting-point research 2026-05-15 PM · ~38 contacts · 10 categories · web-verified

Delaware Contractor & Vendor Shortlist

Web-verified starting-point research. Not endorsements — Peter should vet each directly, request references on completed PEMB-residential builds (not commercial), confirm active DE business license + workers comp + GL insurance, and verify any listed PE against the DAPE license lookup.

Target: 2–3 line-item GC bids per the budget analysis, plus engineering + specialty trade contacts for the niche items (PEMB, hydronic radiant + ERV, IMP, residential material lift, Korean BBQ hood).

1. General Contractors — PEMB / Metal-Building Residential

2. PEMB Manufacturers + Suppliers Serving DE

3. Structural Engineers — DE PE-Licensed

Need: spine-beam design (~26' max central span between two offset columns) + lateral system with 18'×10' glass garage door + 18" floor assembly above.

4. Mechanical — HVAC + Hydronic Radiant + ERV

Standard residential ERV ($3–5K) for daily IAQ — Zehnder Q-series, Renewaire EV200/EV300, Panasonic FV-series. Kitchen makeup air handled by a separate dedicated MUA per LDD-28 (see the Fantech MUAS line below). (Updated 2026-05-16: the prior boost-mode-ERV-as-MUA dual-role approach was reversed in favor of split ERV + dedicated MUA.)

5. IMP Installers Serving Delaware

⚠️ No DE-resident IMP installer surfaced

Approach via manufacturer-certified installer locators. Call regional reps (Philly or Baltimore offices) and request 2–3 DE-certified installer names.

6. Geotechnical Engineers in Delaware

7. Residential Material-Lift / Dumbwaiter Vendors

Confirm with vendor: this is a material lift for Asgard Press inventory, NOT a passenger elevator. Different code classification, different cost basis.

8. Korean BBQ Island Hood — Composed System

⚠️ No DE-resident residential high-CFM specialist exists

Compose from these: BlueStar custom hood + Fantech MUA + Atlantic Refrigeration install + ERV interlock.

9. Solar PV — 30kW Residential Array

10. Delaware AHJ — County Building Permit Offices

Call the county where the lot is located. Confirm code classification for Korean BBQ cooktop (R-3 vs Type I), sprinkler requirements for 7,200 sqft mixed-use, FEMA flood elevation.

Caveats

Read before calling

  • DE-specific evidence was weakest for: IMP installers (work through manufacturer reps), Korean BBQ residential high-CFM specialists (compose BlueStar + Fantech + local mechanical), material-lift specific to workshop weight class (confirm Atlantic / Delaware Elevator handle heavier than typical dumbwaiter).
  • PEMB-residential vs PEMB-commercial: most DE-region PEMB contractors lean commercial. Bob Breeding is the strongest residential-leaning candidate. Diamond State + Delmarva are post-frame (price-anchor only).
  • Mechanical hydronic-radiant + ERV in tight-envelope PEMB is rare in DE. Atlantic Refrigeration is the only contractor surfaced who explicitly markets both. Engage a mechanical engineer (Pennoni or Becker Morgan) to produce stamped MEP design before soliciting install bids.
  • Code classification — Round 3 update 2026-05-15 PM: earlier draft said "DO NOT order steel until AHJ signs off." Withdrawn. A UL-listed residential induction cooktop in R-3 with a removable cast-iron accessory plate doesn't trigger Type I commercial in any DE AHJ. Just include a one-line note in the permit submission describing the cooktop as "residential UL-listed induction with removable accessory plates." Normal permitting hygiene, not a hold-the-line risk.
  • Starting-point research, not endorsement. For each contractor: vet directly with project-specific scope · request 2–3 references on completed PEMB-residential builds · confirm active DE business license + workers comp + GL insurance · verify any PE against DAPE license lookup · get COIs naming the project before signing.

Total contacts: ~38 across 10 categories.