Sustainable Design in Cambridge

“I have used other contractors in the past and can say that I have never had such a positive experience. The job was enormous- almost a complete house gut and I lived in my home while the work was going on- seven months ! Not Fun! But...... I arrived at the office for an interview with only my own scribbled plans. Jane spent a great deal of time understanding how I lived and then totally resigned my plans to reflect what I actually wanted- with many new and terrific ideas. Jeff and I discussed every change I wanted and what it would cost on a regular basis. There was unbelievable communication. I always received a call back from someone within an hour , even on weekends. The crew is lovely and they spent a lot of time screening off my living areas and cleaning up. Once I even changed my mind about a wall and some electrical work just as they finished it - and they redid it all on the spot - no problem. They have a set crew and I got to know them all. Living with them - they became like family. If I requested a particular carpenter for a particular job- he was sent. If they got behind the schedule , they would work on weekends and evenings to catch up. Mike is great and supervises every small thing. I would really like to thank them all. I especially would like to thank Jesse for all the extra little things he did to make my "life in construction" more comfortable. Reading this , it sounds like they paid me - but I definitely paid them:-) I still call if I think something is "funky" and they are over here right a way to take a look. The completed house is more beautiful than what I imagined and everyone seems to have taken great pride in their work. I would never use anyone else.”

“We hired Saltsman Brenzel to build a new house on the site of a demolished house. We had completed 2 construction projects in the past, with different companies, and our experience with SB was superior in every way. The design of the house is sensitive to the neighborhood and the site, while incorporating our requests. The design/build aspect was seamless, from permitting all the way through to finish work. The budget was kept track of with regular meetings & weekly spread sheets. I would highly recommend SB for a productive, low-stress, and enjoyable construction experience.”

“For our project, my wife and I wanted to build a house that "fit in" on a street full of charming 19th century New England style homes. Eric Gilmore, president of Gilmore Building Company, a custom home builder in central MA, worked with us and his architect associates to develop a concept that combined our custom floor plan goals with traditional architecture using the Greek Revival style prevalent on the street to build a "new old home". To complete the look, Eric custom designed many of the exterior and interior trim and molding patterns himself. The exterior design turned out to be so authentic that at one point later in the construction phase, an acquaintance that didn't know we were doing this house project remarked to me as we drove past the construction site, "Aw, isn't it nice that someone is restoring that beautiful old house?" ... but it was this new house: goal exceeded! This was our first custom home, so we were looking for a low risk, low stress process. One option available from Gilmore Building Company that matched our needs was to start with a fixed cost design phase that delivers a firm final construction price, detailed drawings, and full part specifications before digging begins. Once all the design goals were realized and the plans were drawn up, construction went smoothly. Weekly on-site meetings helped review progress and answer the "this or that" questions that inevitably come up during the build of a custom home. We are now moved in and enjoying all the hard work that Eric and his team put in to the painstakingly designed, quality built, energy efficient home that has all the features we asked for -- and it fits right into the neighborhood.”

“Quality builders with impeccable design and attention to detail. Their reputation in town continues to remain strong with many completed and quality builds as examples.”

“: Ryan Norman and Norman Builders were outstanding from start to finish. We come in contact with numerous builders, remodelers, and building professionals on a daily basis and can say without hesitation, Ryan and Norman Builders are in the top 1%. They initially provided a quote that included busting through into the existing master bedroom closet and adding that space to the bathroom and then rebuilding a closet in the master bedroom. Ryan helped us realize that there still wouldn’t be enough space to do what we wanted to, so we asked for a scaled back quote, which we promptly received. Ryan patiently responded to every inquiry and was right on top of things in terms of response time. We asked about the possibility of remodeling a second bathroom at the same time and Ryan was honest, to his detriment, in his response. Every aspect of the project that was within Ryan’s control was handled superbly. The workers picked up after themselves, laid new plastic sheeting to protect the existing carpet daily when called for, and showed up and completed work as scheduled. We ran into an issue with a vendor we had chosen and asked Ryan to handle resolution for us. He did so with professionalism and effectiveness. Everything in Ryan’s control was completed on schedule and without cost overruns. We will definitely call Ryan when we are ready for our next project.”

“Nick is a professor and an artist in the business. He has the skills of a master carpenter but the mind of an engineer allowing him to do the difficult jobs and manage the even more difficult jobs. Very impressed with his work - communication - responsibility and a true professional.”

“There are professionals and then there is David Kane of Kane Holdings Group. The job he did was outstanding, the attention to detail was incredible and the quality unmatched. I would absolutely stand by anything he develops as well as work on any of his projects.”

“We absolutely love the home Mike built for us! His genuine willingness to exceed our needs, even after we moved into our home was best in class--few builders will go above and beyond in the manner in which Mike did for us. Mike was 100% focused on our satisfaction and went out of his way to accommodate. In addition, the quality of work was second to none. We knew we found the right builder and the right home. We highly recommend Woodside Development and Mike for anyone interested in a positive, high quality home and building experience. Thanks Mike!”

“Gold Beech was hired to undertake a project replacing water-damaged wood on a garage. Chris provided a clear estimate of the job, to include the scope of work, with estimated time and cost. He arrived at the site on time (early, in fact) and performed with utmost professionalism. When he uncovered unexpected carpenter ant activity, he addressed the full extent of the damage replacing all the effected wood, as well as interfacing with the exterminator. At the completion of the project, he left the site in immaculate condition! His work was thorough and precise, using superior materials. His equipment (and his assistant) were top-notch! He is available, responsive and provides detailed documentation. It's rare to come across a small business with the level of pride, respect and professionalism he presents. I would hire him again in a heartbeat! I recommend Gold Beech and Chris without reservation.”

“We have worked with Cedar Point Properties on two separate home building projects. I can't say enough about their passion for quality and focus on maintaining a strict adherence to budgets. They have built us two wonderful homes that came in on time and below our budget with incredible attention to detail.”