--- title: "OUR HOUSE design+build — Design-Build Firms | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/design-build-firms/our-house-design-build-pfvwus-pf~847340166 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~847340166.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "OUR HOUSE design+build" category: ["Design-Build Firms"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/d443d8b20cae04d8_0998-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "59 High Street, Reading, Massachusetts 01867, United States" latitude: 42.528 longitude: -71.109 phone: "(781) 888-1111" website: http://ourhousedesignbuild.com rating: 4.9 review_count: 14 best_of_houzz_awards: 8 followers: 71 last_updated: 2026-09-07 --- # OUR HOUSE design+build Original Houzz profile: [OUR HOUSE design+build](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/design-build-firms/our-house-design-build-pfvwus-pf~847340166) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Design-Build Firms - **Location:** Reading, MA - **Serves:** Cambridge, Lynn, Somerville, Malden, Revere, Medford, Peabody, South Peabody, Everett, Arlington, Salem, Beverly, Woburn, Chelsea, Andover, Lexington, Melrose, Saugus, Danvers, Belmont, Wakefield, Burlington, Reading, Wilmington, Stoneham, Winchester, Marblehead, North Reading, Swampscott, Bedford, Lynnfield, Middleton, Nahant, Manchester-by-the-Sea - **Houzz rating:** 4.9 out of 5 (14 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 8 awards (2018–2026), for Design, Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Star Houzzer - Recommended on Houzz - 1,000 Ideabook Saves OUR HOUSE design+build is a full-service general contracting firm specializing in distinctive home improvement projects. We began in 1984 as Galaxy Contracting, and have grown to provide comprehensive remodeling services that include planning and design, construction, product selection, and project management. As a design/build firm, we integrate our design and construction services to provide you with a smooth and seamless renovation. OUR HOUSE design+build is committed to making your home-improvement project a good experience for you. That is why, above all, we focus on guiding and advising you through the remodeling process. Our talented designers will help you plan your new space and collaborate with you on each detail and design element of your project. Then, under the supervision of licensed construction specialists and project managers, our team of fine craftsmen, plumbers, electricians and artisans will build your vision into reality. OUR HOUSE design+build provides these services and more. -Planning and Design -Kitchen Design & Remodeling -Bathroom Design & Remodeling -Additions & Interior Spaces -Exterior Renovations & Decks -Construction & Project Management -Product Selection & Provision -Universal Design ### Services Provided - Home Remodeling - Kitchen Remodeling - Home Additions - Bathroom Remodeling - Kitchen Design - Bathroom Design - Basement Remodeling - Deck Building - House Plans - 3D Rendering - Flooring Installation - Floor Plans - Universal Design - Custom Home Bars - Laundry Room Design - Porch Design & Construction - Sunroom Design & Construction - Attic Conversion - Space Planning - Mudroom Design - Drafting - Demolition - Construction Drawings - Custom Cabinets - Window Installation ### Areas Served - Cambridge - Lynn - Somerville - Malden - Revere - Medford - Peabody - South Peabody - Everett - Arlington - Salem - Beverly - Woburn - Chelsea - Andover - Lexington - Melrose - Saugus - Danvers - Belmont - Wakefield - Burlington - Reading - Wilmington - Stoneham - Winchester - Marblehead - North Reading - Swampscott - Bedford - Lynnfield - Middleton - Nahant - Manchester-by-the-Sea ### Typical Job Cost $25,000 - 300,000 ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | OUR HOUSE design+build | | Address | 59 High Street, Reading, Massachusetts 01867, United States | | Phone | (781) 888-1111 | | Website | http://ourhousedesignbuild.com | | Followers on Houzz | 71 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/ourhousedb/ ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [OUR HOUSE design+build](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/design-build-firms/our-house-design-build-pfvwus-pf~847340166) - **Website:** http://ourhousedesignbuild.com - **Phone:** (781) 888-1111 ## Credentials - **Best of Houzz:** 8 awards (2018–2026), for Design, Service. ## Reviews **Overall rating: 4.9 out of 5 — 14 reviews** *Aspect averages:* - Work Quality: 50.0 - Communication: 50.0 - Value: 50.0 ### Reviews **★★★★★ — HU-577308491, July 2022** > Our House recently completely renovated our new home, including over 4000 SQFT. Steve, Amy and the team are fantastic, and brought our vision to life. The greatest part of working with them was the balance of achieving a high-end, gorgeous dream home that is SO functional and livable for a family with three young kids. They really listened to our needs as a family AND our design preferences and married the two into our dream home that has the floor plan of our dreams. They worked around plenty of challenges, from supply chain to some unexpected water damage, to keep the project moving forward. They also pivoted when we felt like something needed new direction, and were always responsive. Steve was on site all the time and knowledgeable about all facets of the project, which was critical since we were managing it from 5 states away. We are thrilled with the results and know that our kids will love growing up here! **★★★★★ — HU-357991348, Dec. 2021** > Our family had Steve, Mike and the rest of the Our House team replace a dated and ugly set of decks for us. They were able to completely transform the use of our outdoor space with two great looking decks and even a set of stairs into our yard. The final product is beyond our expectations. We were always kept updated from the consultation to the extensive design process to the build out with responsive emails. **★★★★★ — Eli Stickgold, Sept. 2020** > We used Our House for a complete renovation of our basement. From start to finish, the whole team was responsive, easy to work with, and extremely thorough, despite multiple problems getting uncovered during demolition. All of the contractors who worked on the project were knowledgeable and happy to talk through any issues that came up, and the whole team repeatedly went above and beyond to make sure the final product was everything we wanted. **★★★★★ — Alexis D, May 2019** > We were really impressed by the team from start to finish. The project ran smoothly, the quality of the construction and design work was high, and the communication was excellent throughout. Highly recommend. **Comment from OUR HOUSE design+build:** > Thank you Alexis! We are so happy you are pleased with our services. It was a pleasure working with you on this project. Enjoy **★★★★★ — Peter Botteas, Nov. 2018** > Despite some glitches along the way, I appreciate the thoroughness and integrity that Steve and the team brought to my renovation process. I had my kitchen entirely redone and a great deal of painting and repair in other parts of the house. Our House Design + Build makes every effort to coordinate a team of skilled craftspeople and consultants suited to each step of the project. They are able to work with complex needs and configurations, and the quirks of a mid-century house. They stand by their work and are conscientious about coming back to make adjustments and do final touch-ups (unlike some contractors who will vanish before everything is finished). **★★★★ — Charles Farnum, Aug. 2018** > I hired Our House to do a small remodeling job in our kitchen that would allow a dishwasher to be installed. The job from initial estimate to finished job was about a month. All members of the company I interacted with were responsive to questions and during the design phase I was given a good set of choices. This experience was the exact opposite of all scary contractor stories. The work was clean, timely, and free of additional stress. It was complete by the agreed upon deadline. **★★★★★ — Phil Dobbyn, Aug. 2018** > These guys are pros.... > We live in a 200 year-old house and redid our kitchen soup-to-nuts with their help. Our House put together an awesome plan of action, and was creative throughout. > > Amy and Alex were flexible as this was not a cookie-cutter job. Their idea to remove the ceiling and use the existing wooden beams not only gave us more room, but also now has the kitchen mirroring the balance of the house. > We would definitely recommend Our House for the high quality of their work, creativity, and ability to keep the project on-time **★★★★★ — Diane Abraham, Feb. 2018** > It's always a scary endeavor choosing someone to work on your home and our choice of Our House Design and Build was a perfect decision. We truly felt as though we had a team working for us. The project quotes were on point, the design team really listened to what we wanted and needed and all of the sub contractors were professional, polite and their quality of work was excellent. It was an extensive project and there was never a delay; things moved along well and they even got us back into the kitchen before Christmas. **Comment from OUR HOUSE design+build:** > Thank you for the thoughtful review Diane, and for sharing the photos! We hope you and your family enjoy your new kitchen and deck for years to come. It was a pleasure working with you! **★★★★★ — Dan Schummers, Dec. 2017** > Great from start (design and scoping) to finish. Everyone from the OUR HOUSE team was fantastic. Prompt, courteous, neat, and clearly good at their job given the wonderful outcome of our bathroom project (addition of a 1/2 bath). **Comment from OUR HOUSE design+build:** > Dear Dan And Christina- Thank you for the kind words! Your review reflects our company's mission. We are so glad you are pleased with the finished product. It was a pleasure to work with you. > > Amy, Steve and the OH Crew **★★★★★ — elasabth, April 2017** > We used Our House Design + Build for a whole-house renovation, completed in June 2016. From the start, our discussions with Steve, the owner, put us at ease - he has had a lot of experience and was able to speak to us about both the big picture and the details of the job, letting us know what was and was not a "big deal". For example, I had thought that relocating a bathroom was going to be more trouble and cost than it turned out to be. His manner of communication is very no-nonsense and direct, which we appreciated. We didn't do a "gut reno" but it was pretty close - all three floors of the house had significant remodeling work done, and we had to have some structural work done too. Steve was able to give us a clear idea on the order of operations, told us about other issues that might potentially come up (i.e. asbestos abatement, lead paint removal) and give us what turned out to be a pretty accurate estimate. Since it was such a big job, we wanted to go with a design-build firm, and the OHDB's design team of Amy and Alex were extremely professional and helpful. In particular, we were really impressed with the way they re-worked an awkward floor plan on the bedroom level. The process took a number of iterations, and they were very patient with us. Much of our day-to-day communication was with the design team, and also with Max (Steve's son) who was in charge on site. One of the strengths of this company is their accessibility. If something came up we were always able to get a hold of the appropriate person; phone calls and emails were \*always\* returned in a timely manner. The quality of the work is great - they matched the moldings of the new sections with the older moldings that remained, they uncovered and saved the 100-year-old heart pine floors, the kitchen cabinets are of high quality, and much more. There were a relatively few things that needed fixing or re-doing in the final "punch list" but they were taken care of right away. The whole job took from October until mid-June, about six weeks later than originally estimated, but unanticipated issues cropped up as one might expect when opening up walls in an old house, so we were ok with the timeline. Overall these guys are great: honest and upfront about things, good quality work and they stand by their work. **Comment from OUR HOUSE design+build:** > Thank you, Julie and Rob, for the rave review, but more so for the opportunity to do a great project with you. You were fantastic to work with. The pleasure was ours! > > Amy, Steve and the OH Crew **★★★★★ — Christopher Merullo, April 2017** > Our House design+build renovated our kitchen and reconfigured our powder room, in addition to some smaller needed projects. Amy and Alex presented some great options and tweaked based on feedback provided for some must haves (we have a closet on our first floor after 16 years!). The final layout has just been awesome for our daily living including an unanticipated mud room with a side door that we used all winter. For the first month after completion I'd sit at our new island in amazement of the results. The experience is somewhat overwhelming from all the decisions one needs to make based on all the different style options (raised panel, no panel, etc, etc.) and Amy was always available to guide us through the process. On the construction side, Reid who was the construction project lead provided daily updates from the start of demo until the last bit of paint was brushed. His temperament and thorough explanations reassured us to make informed decisions. As was previously mentioned by others, the daily cleanup during construction minimized the amount of dust and dirt throughout the house which was greatly appreciated. Finally, it was refreshing to have friendly faces in our home who take pride in what they do which shows in the finished product. **Comment from OUR HOUSE design+build:** > Dear Christy and Chris, > > I want to thank you for your truly awesome Houzz review. Not only was it generous of your time, but the sentiment was so genuine and heartfelt. Positive reviews are obviously important for creating new business, but knowing that we've done our job well and that you are pleased with our efforts is means so much to us. Hearing your feedback has made our whole crew beam with pride. You were both such a pleasure to work with. Your gratitude throughout the entire process made our work that much more rewarding and pushed us all to do our very best for you. We wish you the best and hope you will have many happy years in your home. > > Amy, Steve, and the OUR HOUSE Crew **★★★★★ — katrinajoy0, March 2017** > Hiring Our House was overall a great experience. Working with Amy as she helped us design our space was fun and exciting; she was there every step of the way to make sure her design and our ideas were executed as planned. Having a designer as part of their team is really what makes these guys stand out. Steve and his crew of guys were professional and tidy. They were friendly and respectful and lovely to our kids who always wanted to see what they were up to. They made great suggestions when we had questions about the direction of our project and helped us make smart decisions as we updated our old house. They may not be your cheapest option but you get what you pay for and these guys are certainly worth it. ## Selected projects - [Youle St. Kitchen & Bathrooms](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/youle-st-kitchen-and-bathrooms-pj-vj~7448615) - Location: Melrose, MA - Photos: 14 - [Preistley St. Kitchen & Living Room](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/preistley-st-kitchen-and-living-room-pj-vj~6669162) - Location: Reading, MA - Photos: 7 - [Louanis Dr Kitchen & Bathrooms](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/louanis-dr-kitchen-and-bathrooms-pj-vj~6669171) - Location: Reading, MA - Photos: 9 - [Robbins Rd. Kitchen Addition](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/robbins-rd-kitchen-addition-pj-vj~5768243) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 7 - [Maple St. Kitchen](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/maple-st-kitchen-pj-vj~5768284) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 9 - [West St. Kitchen](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/west-st-kitchen-pj-vj~5768205) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 6 - [Madison St. Kitchen](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/madison-st-kitchen-pj-vj~2441382) - Location: Medford, MA - Photos: 7 - [Avalon Rd. Kitchen](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/avalon-rd-kitchen-pj-vj~2667118) - Location: Reading, MA - Photos: 14 - [Palmer Ave. Kitchen](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/palmer-ave-kitchen-pj-vj~2774804) - Location: Swampscott, MA - Photos: 9 - [Lake Ave. Kitchen](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/lake-ave-kitchen-pj-vj~1821105) - Location: Melrose, MA - Photos: 5 - [Common St. Master Bath](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/common-st-master-bath-pj-vj~1059763) - Location: Belmont, MA - Photos: 7 - [Van Norden Rd. Laundry & Bath - Laundry & Bath](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/van-norden-rd-laundry-and-bath-laundry-and-bath-pj-vj~2338459) - Location: Reading, MA - Photos: 9 - [Van Norden Rd. Master Bath](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/van-norden-rd-master-bath-pj-vj~1821123) - Location: Reading, MA - Photos: 5 - [Kenmore Dr. Laundry & Bath](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/kenmore-dr-laundry-and-bath-pj-vj~1731161) - Location: Danvers, MA - Photos: 6 - [Avalon Rd. Dormers & Front Entry](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/avalon-rd-dormers-and-front-entry-pj-vj~1988510) - Location: Reading, MA - Photos: 5 - [Ware St. Kitchen & Bath](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/ware-st-kitchen-and-bath-pj-vj~660829) - Location: Wakefield, MA - Photos: 6 [See all 16 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/design-build-firms/our-house-design-build-pfvwus-pf~847340166) ## Community Q&A **Q: Where do you buy the wallpaper? I live in Victoria BC Rhonda** *(in Photo Questions)* lawnbowling66@gmail.com A: The wallpaper is Hygge & West, Foret (Cornflower) https://www.hyggeandwest.com/products/foret?variant=39256644059274 **Q: luv this kitchen.** *(in Photo Questions)* What type of wood was used for island countertop? A: Hi Lisa, The top is Reclaimed White Oak, with Black Epoxy filling the natural holes in the wood. Hope this helps! **Q: Gorgeous tile** *(in Photo Questions)* I am in California and I love that tile. Will you share the specs? Thank you! A: Thank you! It is a 3x12 ceramic tile from the WInchester Co, Residence collection. The color is Rioja. **Q: Dimensions of kitchen** *(in Photo Questions)* Hello, can you share the dimension of this kitchen as well as the island? Thank you! A: Hi there, The island is 90" x 38". The sink wall is about 17' long. The kitchen is approximately 17' x 14'. **Q: what is that subway tile on the wall** *(in Photo Questions)* A: It is a ceramic faux carrara from Fitzgerald Tile in Woburn. **Q: Kerri** *(in Photo Questions)* What is the countertop? A: Steel Grey Granite - Leathered finish It's become a go-to of ours because of how beautiful it is and how nice it feels! --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-09-07.*