CCI and Local Remodeling Association Collect Toys for Tots
The Custom Contracting Team always looks forward to our monthly meetings of the Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (EM NARI). We all agree that the December membership meeting is the most exciting of the year as we welcome United States Marine Corps Reserve members Peter Manning and Kevin Crowley. […]
Preserving Historic Details In a Home Renovation
We started writing about a historic home renovation and addition that we’re working on last week. One of the things that was most important to the homeowners was to maintain the historic detail found in their circa 1810 home while expanding and updating it. To the greatest extent possible we saved as much of the […]
Adding on to an Historic Home
We’re so excited about a project that we’re working on in Sudbury that we couldn’t wait till the project was completed to start telling you about it. The original farmhouse was built in 1810 and expanded in 1860. The historic home features gorgeous post and beam details, wood floors and several brick fireplaces – all […]
Two CCI Team Members Awarded Expert Remodeling Certifications
We’re proud of the Custom Contracting team! At a recent National Association of the Remodeling Industry (EM NARI) meeting, our own Michael Daniell (center) received his Master Certified Remodeler certification while Tyler Beauregard (far left) received his Certified Lead Carpenter certification. NARI Master Certified Remodelers (MCR) are veteran Certified Remodelers (CR) who are recognized […]
Recreating a Carriage House/Garage in Historic Lexington
Tim and Sara Wondolowski love their circa 1810 home in one of Lexington’s historic districts, but it was missing one thing: a garage. A painting they found hidden in their attic proved to be the inspiration for constructing a new carriage house to serve as their garage. After many months and meetings with […]
CCI Management Memo – Valuing Long-term Client Relationships
At Custom Contracting we really value long-term relationships with our clients. Once you’re in the Custom family, we want to stay in touch – so we mail out newsletters and post blogs. Plus, we want to keep you up to date on what we’re doing and what’s going on in the remodeling industry. Of course, […]
Buying a Home with an Eye to Renovate
You know the old saying, “There are three things that matter in real estate: location, location, location.” And for Arlington’s Sally Royce and Craig Hunter, location certainly did matter. Their 1922 colonial sits on a corner lot with an expansive view of lower Mystic Lake. It’s a quiet spot; in fact, a large cemetery abuts […]
Kitchen Expansion
It’s always great when homeowners return to us for another job. In this case, we had previously worked on their bathroom…it turned out so well…and they liked the tile so much…that they hired us to do a kitchen addition and use the same eye-catching tile as a backsplash. Excellent! The original kitchen was small […]
The Bold Tile Trend
If you’ve stopped by a tile store lately you may have noticed a growing trend: BOLD tile, often in striking colors, has surged in popularity over the last year or two. Patterns, colors, new shapes and sizes, and intricate designs are all the rage in tile these days and they’re being used throughout the […]
MacHarrie Marks 10 Years at Custom
Congratulations to Brenda MacHarrie, who is celebrating 10 years as Custom’s office manager. Brenda, who grew up in Arlington Heights, spent 20 years supporting sales teams before joining Custom in 2009. While she hadn’t worked in the remodeling industry before, she picked up things fast. If you call Custom, chances are Brenda will […]
Management Memo: 7 Questions to Ask About ADUs
In case our last post has sparked your interest in an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), here are seven important questions to ask yourself before moving forward. Can we even consider building an ADU? Some communities have certain districts that are zoned for single-family dwellings. In these areas, ADUs may be prohibited or may require […]
Accessory Dwelling Units Are Having Their Day
Do you worry about an elderly parent living on his or her own? Do you have a child who has graduated from college but doesn’t have the financial means to rent an apartment in your community? The solution in cases like these might be an accessory dwelling unit (ADU). The Commonwealth of Massachusetts defines an […]