June 13, 2018

Best Custom Home Builders in Massachusettshomebuilderdigest.com/best-custom-home-builders-in-massachusetts/

Two years ago, Boston’s leading newspaper ran a headline that asked, “Where have all thebuilders gone?” The article went on to explain how limited credit supplies and stricterenvironmental regulations are drying up the market for new single family construction. This hasforced many of the state’s custom home builders out of business. To make matters worse, theshrinking number of contractors hasn’t spiked consumer demand for new homes. But it hasconvinced the remaining home builders in Massachusetts to up their customer service, rethinkbusiness models, and sell a better product.

Listed below are the best contractors among that group. Each of these Massachusetts customcontractors has no less than a decade of experience, and all have received glowing presscoverage. What separates them are the number and prestige of awards and the depth ofprofessional training. The number one spot went to a firm with a portfolio that surpasses allothers. They also have a long list of clients who happen to be among the Bay State’s mostdiscriminating architects.

15) Colonial Reproductions1/16

Website | 508.627.5100 | 140 Cooke Street, Edgartown, MA 02539

Norman Rankow is a native New Yorker who spent childhood summers in Martha’s Vineyard.After graduating from Long Island Builders Institute, Rankow headed straight for the Cape andfounded Colonial Reproductions in 1978. Almost immediately, he became a prominentmember of the local homebuilding industry. He joined the Chamber of Commerce and servedas a member of its board for 18 years. He is a current member of the Martha’s VineyardBuilders Association (MVBA) and the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Cape Cod(HBRACC).

The homes built by Rankow’s team throughout Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Haven, WestChop, and West Tisbury are described as “storied” by the discriminating Martha’s Vineyardpress. Rankow has also become known for complex historic restorations, such as his work torenovate an 1860s vintage captain’s house along the Edgartown harbor. For this and manyother builds, Rankow and team have been profiled in Vineyard Style, New England’s FineLiving, Ocean Home, Elegant Homes, and Beautiful Homes. The firm’s accolades include aGold Award from BRICC in the single family home category.

14) Cape AssociatesWebsite | 508.557.2088 | 345 Massasoit Road, Eastham, MA 02651

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When World War II vet and self-described “lifelong builder” Lester F. Langhans Jr. opened thiscompany in 1971, he had five employees, and the main office was in his home basement.Seven years later, Langhans had a real office downtown, a warehouse, and a 5,000-square-foot workshop in North Eastham. The same company today has over 120 employees spreadthroughout three offices. It is also one of the state’s top award winners in almost every buildingcategory imaginable. By 1986, the firm’s longtime project manager and vice president, MichaelCole, became president when Langhans retired. Cole runs the company with his threechildren.

In the late 1990s, Cape Associates expanded its services beyond new construction to includerenovations and additions, painting, and property management. The company’s trendy buildsare often profiled in Cape Cod Home, Home Remodeling Magazine, Design New England, andSouthern New England Home. Its plentiful awards through the years include the 40 Under 40honor given to President Cole by Professional Remodeler Magazine and five Building &Remodeling Industry of Cape Cod (BRICC) Awards in 2014 for excellence in building, design,and sales.

13) C.H. Newton BuildersWebsite | 508.548.1353 | 549 West Falmouth Highway, West Falmouth, MA 02574

These flourishing custom home builders in Massachusetts have been in business since 1958.At that time, Founder C.H. Newton had purchased 30 acres in Falmouth, MA, so he couldshow local residents what high-quality construction is all about. Six decades later, the Newton

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family still owns the company, which has expanded across four New England offices. Manyclients today are children of Newton’s original customers. David Newton is chairman and CEOwhile his son, Ryan, is vice president. The firm continues to work mostly throughout GreaterBoston, Cape Cod and Newport, RI.

In 2016, Architectural Digest praised a C.H. Newton Builders home on Cape Cod, noting itsexquisite ceilings and large windows that transformed a common residence with a pop ofelegance. The company has also been the subject of many profiles in Veranda, TraditionalHome, Boston Design, and New England Home. Among its most recent awards have beenBoston Magazine’s Best of Boston Home and Best Contractor on the Cape & Islands, as wellas Gold and Silver PRISM Awards.

12) Kistler & Knapp BuildersWebsite | 973.635.9700 | 916 Main Street, Acton, MA 01720

Over 35 years ago, Dennis Kistler and David Knapp combined their construction experience tocreate this Massachusetts firm based in Greater Boston. Both men have since retired. Kistler &Knapp Builders is now run by Douglas Stevenson, a graduate of Boston College, who hadbeen the company’s vice president for over a decade. When Stevenson took over thecompany, he was joined by his partner, Principal Renee West, who herself had two decades’worth of home building experience. The two are assisted by a team that includes three seniorproject managers and 13 project supervisors.

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The firm builds throughout Cambridge, Newton, Harvard, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and theCape. Prices range between $500k and $10M. In 2016, the firm was profiled by New EnglandHome Magazine. Its work has also been featured in Boston Globe Magazine, US BuildersReview, Builder + Architect, and Architectural Digest. Among industry affiliations, Kistler &Knapp are members of the Boston Society of Architects (BSA), National Association of HomeBuilders (NAHB), Builders and Remodelers Association of Greater Boston (BRAGB), and theAmerican Institute of Architects (AIA).

11) J.W. ConstructionWebsite | 617.547.2800 | 12 Garfield Circle, Burlington, MA 01803

Jon Wardell’s career started at a Boston realty that he had founded. A graduate of MaineCentral Institute, Wardell switched to residential construction and spent the 1980s learning thetrade with various builders. By 1993, he was ready to own again, this time with J.W.Construction. The company has become so widely known for superb home builds that in one10-year period, J.W. Construction more than tripled in size. Another growth spurt — from 8 to30 employees between 2004 and 2009 — Wardell attributes to his preference for in-houseprofessionals over subcontractors. Much of that success also comes from his solid reputation,as 95 percent of the business comes from referrals.

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Press coverage from Design New England, Builder + Architect, Boston Design, and NewEngland Home has been complimentary. For industry recognition, Wardell has received fourGold Contractor of the Year (CotY) Awards from the Eastern Massachusetts chapter ofNational Association of Remodeling Industry (NARI), as well as a Bechtel Award in 2014 fromthe Lexington Historical National Association of the Remodeling Industry. J.W. Constructionserves the areas of Boston, Cambridge, Medford, Weston, and Lexington.

10) McPhee Associates of Cape CodWebsite | 508.385.2704 | 1382 Route 134, East Dennis, MA 02641

Known throughout the Bay State for classic cottage-style homes in both traditional and moderndesigns, McPhee Associates of Cape Cod is sought after by many residents on the Cape. Thefirm has been around since 1972, when founder Bob McPhee moved to Cape Cod afterreceiving a bachelor’s degree from Nichols College. Once he opened the business, McPheebecame board certified in building regulations and earned a Construction Supervisor License.He is a past member of the Cape Cod planning board.

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Son Rob joined the firm in 2000, after receiving a bachelor’s in business management fromBryant University and working as a builder for several years. Rob also received statecertification in building regulations and a Construction Supervisor License. Rob is pastpresident of both HBRACC and NAHB. McPhee Associates builds its signature Cape Codgetaways throughout Hyannis Port, West Hyannis Port, Brewster, Osterville, Chatham. It’soften featured in Home Remodeling, Home Builder and Remodelers Association Magazine,Southern New England Home, Builder + Architect, and Cape Cod Home.

9) E.W. Tarca ConstructionWebsite | 508.435.4290 | 1 Avenue C, Hopkinton, MA 01748

Ed Tarca founded this company in 1989 and has never stopped looking for ways to improvethe business. Tarca received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from WentworthInstitute of Technology. He then opened E.W. Tarca Construction with the desire to build one-of-a-kind custom homes throughout Boston metro. As his signature designs gained a localfollowing, Tarca added a 1500-square-foot design center, where clients can samplecountertops, flooring, lighting, cabinets, and molding. A few years later, he opened an adjacentmillwork shop for contractors to build the architectural components that go into the homes.

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The extra effort has paid off. Publications such as Builder + Architect, for example, havefeatured a custom build in Milton for a California-styled contemporary residence with a low-pitched roof and stucco exterior topped off by exquisite trim. Another of Tarca’s homes waspraised for a custom designed glass-contained wine cellar separating the kitchen and diningrooms. Publications such as Boston Magazine, Greater Boston Builder, and Beautiful Kitchens& Baths have also profiled Tarca’s team. The company is affiliated with BRAGB and NAHB.

8) The LaGasse GroupWebsite | 508.686.5040 | 77 Main Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748

In less than 10 years this residential contractor has become one of the Bay State’s preferredbuilders for luxury homes. It was founded in 2010. President Nancy LaGasse is a constructionlaw attorney. Executive Vice President Kevin LaGasse, who studied Engineering at bothSwarthmore College and Northeastern University and has over 30 years’ experience in homebuilding in nine states. Kevin is a former executive of Payton Construction, MaverickConstruction, and Suffolk Construction.

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In its short lifetime, the firm has been honored with many awards, such as a PRISM SilverAward in 2016 for a modernist custom home in Weston. They also received a PRISM GoldAward in 2015 for a rustic estate in Wellesley. The project featured an indoor pool under adramatic wood high-arched ceiling, and 10,000 square feet of glass-to-floor interiors encasingan open floor plan with views of a landscaped terrace. The LaGasse Group, which servesHopkinton, Boston, Wellesley, Marstons Mills, and Brookline, has two locations inMassachusetts.

7) Sanford Custom BuildersWebsite | 781.416.7007 | 310 Washington Street, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481

President Marc Kaplan credits his parents for instilling in him the skills that have made him atop contractor among Massachusetts custom home builders. He learned the trade whileworking at his father’s contracting firm, Sanford Construction Company, where he put up a500k-square-foot condominium development. His mother helped him overcome the challengeof learning how to graph his construction ideas onto paper. Armed with that experience and adegree in civil engineering, Kaplan decided it was time to go solo.

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The homes built by his own firm have price tags running up to $8M. Many have been featuredin Southern New England Home Magazine, Boston Home Magazine, New England Home, andBuild + Architect. In 2017, the Boston Design Guide did a cover story on the firm for itsanniversary issue. National architecture magazines consistently praise Kaplan’s home designsfor traditional and classical styles that display modern overtones and marks of glamour. Proofof Kaplan’s building skill is that many clients are prominent New England architects.

6) Polhemus Savery DaSilvaWebsite | 508.945.4500 | 157 Route 137, East Harwich, MA 02645

The founder of this East Harwich custom home contractor is a Harvard-educated architect witha Master of Architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). PeterPolhemus, a native of Pennsylvania, started the company in 1996 after a 10-year stint as leadarchitect with a Cape Cod construction company. Soon after, Partner John DaSilva, AmericanInstitute of Architects (AIA), came on board. The firm is now headed by Polhemus’s son,Aaron, a Licensed Construction Supervisor with a business degree from the University ofVermont. Polhemus, Savery, and DaSilva’s main office is located on Cape Cod and then asatellite office in Hingham.

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The industry recognition and press coverage this firm has received underscores itsprominence in the coastal Southern New England luxury home market. In 2017 alone,Polhemus and crew received three PRISM Awards, were named to Ocean Magazine’s Top 50coastal architects, and were chosen as Massachusetts Family Business of the Year. The yearbefore, the firm won a Gold Award from BRICC and a Best Business Award from BostonMagazine. Also in 2016, Partner John DaSilva was inducted into the New England Design Hallof Fame.

5) Cataldo Custom BuildersWebsite | 508.548.1133 | 172 East Falmouth Highway, East Falmouth, MA 02536

This residential contractor has been a preferred home builder among ritzy Cape Cod clients forover 25 years. Before Owner and President Ralph Cataldo opened the East Falmouth firm, helearned the trade through side jobs and pursued a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineeringand graduate studies in business management. Today, Cataldo holds licenses as aMassachusetts Construction Supervisor and Home Improvement contractor. His team is noless qualified: all three of Cataldo Custom Builders’ construction supervisors — PeterSarkinen, Kevin Piesco, and Jason Rebello — hold the same licenses and have decades ofon-the-job experience.

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Most of the team’s builds are along the shoreline through Popponesset Island, Sandwich,Chatham, Osterville, and Falmouth. Home prices start at $500k and go up into the double-digitmillions. A recent build on Cuttyhunk Island, featured in Cape Cod Life, boasted a transitionalexterior strong enough to handle Cape Cod winters while also providing a 360-degree view ofMartha’s Vineyard. In 2012, Builder Magazine recognized the firm as America’s Best Builder.Other honors include awards from BRICC and membership in the NAHB 20 Club.

4) Fallon Custom Homes & RenovationsWebsite | 781.237.0505 | 171 Reservoir Street, Needham, MA 02494

New construction by Fallon Custom Homes often makes the cover of local publications, suchas Wellesley Weston Magazine, or even a national one like Builder + Architect. The firm wasfounded in 1976 by Peter Fallon, who still owns and manages it today. During those fourdecades, Fallon worked closely with Beacon Hill Civic Association (BHCA) and Back BayArchitect Associates (BBAA). He is also a member of the Builders Association of GreaterBoston (BAGB) and is licensed as a builder and Home Improvement Contractor (HIC). Fallonemploys professionals who handle all of the millwork that goes into the building components.

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A typical Fallon Custom Home features a stone facade, wood-paneled foyer, open floor plan,gourmet kitchen, and marble fireplace in the great room. The team is also known for expansivearched doorways and custom ironwork stairways. More extravagant amenities include anelevator and automated radiant heating system that were added to a home in Weston. Thecompany serves Cambridge, Boston, Brookline, Newton, and Wellesley. It was featured on anepisode of the New England cable news show Dream Homes.

3) Merz ConstructionWebsite | 978.371.9148 | 168 Bingham Road, Carlisle, MA 01741

Before establishing Merz Construction, Jonathan Merz learned the boatbuilding trade and tookside jobs in carpentry and architectural millwork. With no other experience, he started this firmin 1986 to serve the Greater Boston area. Thirty years later, his firm is among the leading high-end custom home contractors in the Bay State. Merz works throughout Belmont, Cambridge,Concord, Newton, and Nutting Lake to erect elegant structures. These homes are amplycovered by local publications, such as Boston Magazine, Boston Globe Magazine, NewEngland Home, and Boston Design. The homes typically cost between $250k and $5M.

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A Merz home in the $2M range would offer 7,000 square feet of living space, “public” areas forentertaining crowds, and private quarters for the owner. Bridges might connect different floors,and winding passageways could open up to enclosed courtyards. For clients with artcollections, skylights are built into cathedral ceilings. In 2010, a home by Merz Construction inLincoln beat 63 other entries to win both a PRISM Award and a Boston Society of Architects(BSA) Honor Award for Design Excellence.

2) S&H ConstructionWebsite | 617.876.8286 | 26 New Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

In its 40-plus year history, S&H Construction has gone through two sets of owners. Alex Sliveand Doug Hanna founded the company in 1978. In 2016, they sold their shares to presentowner Sarah Lawson, who had served as their project manager and ran her own constructioncompany. Though it’s changed hands, S&H Construction has maintained the same high-qualitycraftsmanship that earned the company 34 awards between 2005 and 2017. Those accoladeshave been for Best General Contractor, Best Classic Contractor, Best Transitional Contractor,Best Builder, and, in 2017, Best Contractor for New Construction — all from Boston HomeMagazine.

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S&H Construction is a favorite of regional design magazines, which have featured builds like arecent one in Belmont Hill where the team installed a geothermal heating and cooling system.For another Belmont Hill project, S&H designed a home around a courtyard that transitionsseamlessly between interior and exterior structures. The crew even built an in-home elevatorand corridor to connect different sections of the home. The company serves Greater Bostonand Eastern Massachusetts.

1) Sea-Dar ConstructionWebsite | 617.423.0870 | 580 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118

President and Founder Jean Abouhamad was already enjoying a lucrative career as astructural engineer and real estate developer when he founded Sea-Dar Construction in 1991.He had received a bachelor’s in civil engineering from Columbia University and a master’s inengineering from Cornell University. After graduation, he eased into a career with a prominentengineering firm in Boston. But his passion for the residential construction market led him toopen this firm. Since then, Sea-Dar Construction has enjoyed a level of success that fewcontractors experience.

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Press coverage has been lavish, with spreads in Veranda and Architectural Record. In 2014,the Boston Preservation Alliance honored Abouhamad with its esteemed PreservationAchievement Award for erecting a four-story modern townhouse in an empty lot in Boston’sBack Bay neighborhood. In 2015, the company received the New England AIA Honor Awardfor an environmentally efficient home with an exterior of zinc panels and dense hardwoodrainscreen. Among the firm’s clients are dozens of Boston’s most prominent architects, suchas CBT Architects and Anmahian Winton Architects. Sea-Dar has two offices in Massachusettsand one in New York.

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