I built my home in Maine with BrightBuilt between 2021 and 2022, and I regret choosing them. I recommend considering other companies, such as GO Logic, Unity Homes, or a local contractor experienced in high-performance homes.
BrightBuilt is primarily an architectural firm—they do not directly manage construction. Their role is providing building specs (aligned with the "Pretty Good House" standard) that KBS, their preferred manufacturer, uses. Most construction and finishing work is done by a general contractor (GC) you choose. We hired a GC who had worked with BrightBuilt, but they did not adhere to BrightBuilt’s specs. Many critical details were missing or poorly documented, leaving us with little leverage during construction.
Our home falls short of the energy performance standards BrightBuilt promised. We installed solar panels based on their energy load projections, yet we receive winter electricity bills of $500-$600 per month. Our consumption is double their estimate. Additionally, the house struggles to stay above 60°F on cold nights, despite being told auxiliary heating wouldn’t be necessary. Our heat pumps, designed by the GC, only meet about 80% of the home’s heating load. We had to install an additional heat pump and plan to replace the existing ones when funds allow. For example, a three-head multi-unit was installed across two floors with different heating needs, which isn’t recommended for high-efficiency homes. BrightBuilt claimed they lacked the engineering expertise to handle home systems—a critical component of high-performance homes.
To their credit, John was helpful in installing an energy monitoring system and conducting an audit. However, we were left to interpret the data and figure out next steps on our own. Every fix costs thousands of dollars, which is painful after already exceeding BrightBuilt’s initial estimates. Another issue was our heat pump water heater, improperly installed in a closet under the stairs. Due to improper installation, it consumes nearly double the expected electricity.
BrightBuilt advertised a three-month design process, but it took nearly 12 months. During this time, we were assigned two architects, and it became clear we were a training project for them. This led to a spec sheet riddled with errors, causing confusion and extra expenses during construction. Communication was problematic, with emails often going unanswered for weeks.
Despite everything, John and Anna (Interior Designer) were great to work with. Anna caught key issues with our kitchen—the original designer had missed specs we provided, such as cabinet door fronts and layouts. Without Anna’s attention to detail, our kitchen would have been completely wrong.
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