We did a large renovation project in our South End, Boston brownstone. It involved taking the entire common living floor to the studs, raising the ceilings (and adding sound proofing), moving/redoing the kitchen, moving/redoing a half bathroom, and moving the unit's entrance to create a new mudroom. We had worked with a designer to come up with the plan but weren't happy with the contractors we were meeting to execute it, until we met Dan and his foreman Paul. Dan had a laid-back way about him and made me feel like he cared about doing the project right and ensuring that we were thrilled with the end result. And it wasn't just a sales pitch. They did the project right and we were thrilled with the end result. I have had friends with so many nightmare experiences with contractors and I had none of those with Dan. He was a very good communicator, did what he promised, and he and Paul were always available by text and phone when things came up before, during and after the project.
I also can't say enough about our foreman Paul. When you have someone in your home for 3-4 months (which is exactly how long they predicted the project would take), you need to get along and enjoy their presence. We were living in the closed-off bedroom area downstairs, and I would come up to meet with Paul regularly to discuss the progress and work through any hiccups (which any project of this size inevitably has). Paul is a lovely guy, wonderful to talk to, but also a very hard working and pays amazing attention to detail and takes a lot of pride in his work. Many of the subcontractors told me that Paul is one of the most talented people they've seen do finish work, and I would have to agree.
And speaking of those hiccups, I think one is a particularly good example of how they work. The plan called for removing a column, which nobody thought was load-bearing and seemed to only house some pipes. When they took it out, it turned out it was supporting a section of the building's common stairs. Paul immediately discussed some alternatives, also saying that we would figure it out without adding any cost to the project. We considered other columns, which really was a detriment to the open look we were going for, and Paul and the framers were able to support the stairs without the need for a column. So they seamlessly dealt with an issue that, as many surprises do in the midst of construction, felt significant.
All of the subs Dan brought in were also great. Extremely friendly, respectful of our home, and they did great work. I had extensive interactions in particular with the electrician, the plumber and the painters and they were terrific.
Dan's pricing was fair, and I particularly appreciated that he wasn't trying to make money off of the project (i.e. me) at every turn, which is what I found with the other contractors we'd talked to. If Dan was able to get a discount from certain suppliers, he passed that discount along to us and was also happy to have us work with the suppliers directly. (I'm a bit of a control freak in that way.) In the end, the cost of the project was what Dan had quoted, with the only additions being things that I'd ask them to do that weren't part of the initial plans.
The project finished over the summer so we've had a few months to live in the results. There's little I'd have done differently, and I've continued to be extremely happy with the work Godwin Construction did. I would recommend them to anyone (and already have, on at least two projects).
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