"I loved working for this family and provided two schemes to remodel their home. It was a joy for me to interact with their charming little daughter and two dogs who enjoyed my treats. The project presented several challenges, and I developed two designs that were entirely different. Once I capture the existing conditions, I used them as a template for the alternative designs, which is cost and time effective. The client has paused the project for a year or so and wants to continue with me to develop the labor and material specifications and act as the project liaison. That time cannot come soon enough."

"In the rear of his home, this client wanted to add a large building that included living space, a workshop, and a garage. He provided professionally prepared plans he wanted me to rework and the originator's release from copyright infringement. Working for him was a delightful experience because he was so responsive and immediately emailed me clear instructions regarding any changes. I use a powerful but complicated design app, ChiefArchitect, and can provide 3D views of any space, which has proven helpful to all my clients, as visualizing is difficult with a 2D drawing. I pride myself on being responsive, listening, and providing a personal and professional service and love my work and the challenges it presents."

"Another wonderful client with a growing family. The project consisted of an attic dormer, and the main construction / structural challenge was the stairs to the new space. All floors were affected, and a structural engineer approved the plan. I am looking forward to the construction and expecting that my client and his family will share many happy and healthy years in their home."

"This client, an experienced construction professional, is helping his daughter and future son-in-law remodel their home by adding a second story. The house provided a number of challenges, especially designing stairs to the new second level at the expense of converting a bedroom into an office. His communication skills are exceptional, as is sense of humor. For whatever reasons, we simply clicked and enjoyed each other's company and working together to fulfill his family's dreams. I look forward to pictures once the project is underway and visiting when it is completed."

"This attendee's summary of the seminar is compact and accurate: a nice mix of fun activities, subject experts, online planning tools, and unbiased information, all blended together by my passion for personal empowerment through consumer education, the missing link in the residential remodeling industry. The course stresses the importance of relationship building and evaluation, the process preceding the project, and strategies to control the budget. Past seminars never included retailers, but this time I invited two, and they discussed products, not their companies, which are well known and respected institutions in the community. Demand for the seminar is high, and I look forward to presenting again in October, 2023, as the Weymouth Tufts Library is interested in two sessions yearly."

"This person recently attended my free consumer education seminar, Planning Your Remodeling Project, which was sponsored by Weymouth Tufts Library. She and her husband purchased a home with many issues, some repair, others maximization of the space, such as a finished basement. They now have a plan of attack to identify the work in logical or critical order in various phases as their budget allows. Their experience certainly reminds me of mine and my wife's when we bought our first home and had no idea where to turn. I am delighted that the seminar provided the information and direction she needs to move forward with confidence."

"This client's, two story, two bedroom and one bath home no longer fits his family, which includes four small, adorable children. Rather than move, he and his wife decided to add to their home and correct its perceived shortcomings. The Metropolitan Boston area is experiencing a shortage of homes for sale, and pricing and interest rates are high. Thus, remodeling makes fiscal and life-style sense. I designed a two story addition that addressed all their needs, and he suggested converting a first floor seating area to a half bath and office, which was a brilliant idea because it made better use of that space. Two frost walls with spread footings were planned to support the addition. He is the first reviewer to stress the importance of process over project, meaning developing extremely detailed, modularized, labor and material specifications that provide the consumer with pinpoint control over the scope of the work as a means of controlling the budget or time frame. The project is the product of the pre-construction research, a factor most consumers fail to consider, and its quality is directly proportional to the planning that precedes it. I am proud to say that no client in more than twenty five years of operation has ever gone over budget, which cannot be exaggerated because decisions would be made on false information. The structural engineer involved with the project designed a foundation with precast piers as an alternative to my frost walls that eliminated a much more costly full foundation of little additional benefit. I precisely and easily determined that the savings for the piers was $8,742, and I controlled for the excavation, foundation, and floor framing and insulation. The client and I are hopeful the project will move forward and his dream for a beautiful, functional home will be realized."

"I did not mind traveling from Weymouth to the project site in W. Yarmouth, as it was easy and pleasant. The client was also easy and pleasant in the sense of being easy to work with and having a pleasant personality. He was well prepared and had drawn on 1/4" graph paper the changes he wanted to make to the house. The project consisted of a rearrangement of the floor existing floor plan and raising its ceilings and an exceptionally large addition on the left side of the house to include a family room, kitchen, and dining room on a full foundation, and large rear deck. Once I captured the existing conditions, I revised them with the guidance of the client's drawing and then developed the addition. As I completed various portions of the work, I sent them to the client for approval and finished everything within two weeks. This client is unusual because he has years of experience in the construction industry and is capable of doing the work himself, although he will hire a framing contractor for the addition. It was fun sharing our many related experiences, and I am looking forward to visiting him as the work progresses."

"This client is a medical professional with a demanding schedule, and we communicated frequently by phone, text, and email. Once he became a client, I completed the plans in three weeks. He provided me with architectural drawings he wanted to revise, which I was willing to do as long as no copyright infringement was likely. The final plan was nothing like the original. He clearly indicated any changes to the plan, which made it easy for me to implement them. When the garage is built, I will visit and meet him for the first time! My hope is that he will have another project because I loved working with him."

"Although this client's project was quite a distance from my home, I was happy to undertake it. Once I captured the existing conditions using a 3D modeling application, I had no need to visit the site repeatedly because the program produces a replica of the house. The project consisted of changes to the interior space and additions in the front and rear of the house, which had ceiling heights that would not pass code today. A structural engineer configured beams that allowed proper clearance under them from the kitchen to the new rear addition and living room to the front addition. Narrow, steep stairs with winders to the second floor were straightened and widened to meet code. I contacted the contractor the client had hired to discuss the issues involved with the installation of the beams so that he would realize they required far more work than was typical. This client was wonderful to work with and intimately involved with the design as it evolved. She is looking forward to entertaining relatives and friends and enjoying her life in a home that suites her needs now and for many years to come."

"This client's project is complicated because the property is located on a cliff overlooking the ocean. It requires hard to find environmental engineers who can prepare the proper documentation for the conservation commission and EPA. The client wanted to make many changes to the house but could not increase its footprint on the rear and sides. Not knowing what the town or state would allow, the client opted for the Full Monty, which was a two story addition on the left side of the house and the same in the front. I provided many schemes and 3D elevations of the interior space so that the client could see the areas before the project was built. I am looking forward to the next phase, which will not take place until all the conservation and EPA requirements are met."

"This person participated in my six-week, adult education seminar, Planning Your Remodeling Project, sponsored by the Weymouth Tufts Library. I assume the comment relates to the seminar, as the category does not apply."

"More than anything, I love helping people with their projects even when they are not likely to become clients. I never fail to learn something. It cost nothing to treat the public with respect, and the rewards are substantial. All this person needed was some guidance because she certainly had the determination to realize her dreams for her home."

"This client recently decided to close her home-based hair care business and convert the space into an in-law suite consisting of a living room, kitchen, master bedroom with a walk-in closet, and full bathroom and laundry facility. She will be the occupant of the in-law suite because she sold the home to her son and his growing family. It took approximately six hours to develop the existing conditions and several more to make them perfect. After studying the house, I created a plan that meet her needs exactly and did so economically by adding several walls, removing others, and retaining the rest, all with an eye towards minimizing demolition. The drawings included four side elevations, existing conditions, demo and revised plans, and cross-sections. As I completed the work over the next ten days, I sent the drawings to the home owner for her input and made changes accordingly. I have been involved in a number of projects inspired by changes in a family’s dynamics, whether it means converting a garage, basement, or other space into beautiful, functional living quarters or an addition to a home. I love knowing that I have contributed to the quality of a family’s life, which is yet one more reason why I am so passionate about my work."

"Several years ago, this delightful client hired me to design, build, and install panels between the posts supporting their deck in the rear yard. The area exposed the foundation, and I wanted to create a finished appearance that also allowed easy access to the unused space. I took careful measurements, drafted them on my computer, ordered the client-paid materials, and built the panels in my shop. I designed a support system that attached to the posts, which made the installation easier and faster. When done, the panels looked engineered, and each was perfectly centered within the space. I am passionate about my work, which sometimes includes undertaking the labor, and love creating beautiful spaces."

"This project consisted of adding a second floor to a one story house without changing the footprint. The client placed many constraints on the design due to concerns about filing for a variance. For example, the first floor plan could not exceed the original foundation, which made the installation of a stairway to the second floor extremely difficult. I recommended a manufactured staircase because the tolerances were not likely to be met by onsite construction. An open balcony and a roofed deck that was accessible from the master bedroom presented additional design challenges, as did the floor system, which had to be supported on the outside walls only and not rely on the center beam. The client did not want to disturb the basement by adding columns and their footings because it was finished. My client'[Member Name Removed] decision to delay the project may be a wise choice because the cost of lumber has skyrocketed since the spring of 2020. Perhaps 2021 will witness a drop in prices. This project challenged me to deepen my knowledge and skill with ChiefArchitect, the 3D application I use. Nothing excites me more than a challenge that causes me to rise to the occasion by solving difficult problems in a manner that is cost effective and produces a beautiful result."

"I emphasize in my online book, How To Avoid Remodeling H***, the importance of consumer research to ascertain the viability of a project before involving others, which saves everyone valuable time while avoiding false starts and frustration. Working for this client was delightful because she had researched her project and discovered from the building department that it required a variance, even though no structural changes were planned. Before contacting me, she hired a structural engineer to certify that her garage’s trusses would support a new office she was planning. My mission was to produce the existing conditions and revised space, which I did within several days of her first contacting me and at half the cost I originally proposed, even though she had accepted it. For all my designs, I use ChiefArchitect, an incredibly powerful application that allows me to show a client the finished product before it is undertaken. No matter the size of a project, all present challenges, and this one required me to replicate the truss system that allowed the new office above the garage without changing a thing. I am compulsive about checking my work and visited the site a second time, which was not a problem because the project location was only a ten minute drive away. As I completed phases of the work, I sent the client PDFs so that she could see my progress. She asked me to include an electrical layout, which I did for free because it was really simple to do and took only minutes. This project was fun, as was my client, and yet another reason why I love my work."

"This client lived quite a distance from my house, but I happily undertook the designs, which consisted of the existing conditions, demolition, and revised plans. Although not included in this phase of the work, a potential suite over the existing garage looms in the future, and the designs will not require a second trip, which saves the client time and money. I pride myself in total dedication to the work at hand and completing it as quickly as possible. The client knew what he wanted and provided an itemized list that made it easy to execute a plan. I use ChiefArchitect for all my designs and produce 3D pictures of the project as it will look before the work is undertaken. Chief also has a walk-through functionality that anyone connected with the project can use. My client and his children and dog made me feel welcome in their home. If the client lived closer to my base of operations, I could provide the full range of my services. I look forward to his pictures of the completed work."

"This client is a nurse who was working in the ER at Mass General Hospital when the pandemic broke in March 2020, and her project had been underway since December, 2019. She is a special person who treated with kindness and respect everyone involved with the project and the first client to benefit fully from iCornerstone’s technology, a proprietary application that networks all parties so that everyone knows what everyone else knows. No such application exists in the industry, and it separates iCornerstone from GC’s because they control the flow of information, not the homeowner. She hired the subcontractors according to their profiles on the platform, and they included references and insurance certificates. This project will remain the most unforgettable one I have undertaken due to Covid and the complications of working with the city's various departments because they do not coordinate with each other. She never asked me to research permitting, filing for a variance, or securing a bond for street parking or permission from the traffic department, but I did so to understand how the system works in the hopes my knowledge would benefit future clients. To monitor the project, I provided camera access to everyone, and the client could check its progress throughout the day. One was trained on the street to show available parking or deliveries. As the client noted, the key to the success of the project are the labor specifications, which are so detailed that they serve as invoices. Subcontractors are paid as their work is completed, which protects them and the homeowner. The client provides proof of their effectiveness: an electrical subcontractor who had completed the rough was replaced by another who assumed the remaining cost of the contract without missing a beat. This client is evidence that a homeowner with little construction knowledge and limited time can undertake successfully a complicated, challenging project with the innovative technology and support of iCornerstone."

"This person is a trash removal subcontractor with exceptional professionalism who leaves the site whistle clean and makes sure that no debris drifts to adjoining properties. He takes pride in his work and never fails to respond to a phone call, email, or text, and usually does so in minutes. He has had an opportunity to see how I operate, and I welcome his approval."

"Rarely does a client hire me for designs, labor and materials specifications, and competitive bidding and not undertake the project. This client is at a point in life where adding debt made no sense, even though he was pleasantly surprised by the cost projections for the project. Another factor was the cost of the work versus a return on investment. As I have noted in my booklet, Real Projects by Real People at Real Prices, the rate of housing inflation over the last twenty five years was 125%, while the rate of inflation for labor and materials was 75%. I provided him and his wife exactly what they needed: hard data to make a decision in their own best interests. Of course, the plans and specifications would have allowed them to scale the project or undertake it over longer time, but doing so would have unfavorably changed the design and purpose of the project."

"Health care and high home prices are changing family dynamics, as parents move into the homes of their children and vice-versa. I have been involved in several such projects and love knowing that I have improved the quality of life for all involved. Unfortunately, the original intent of this project - an in-law suite for the homeowner's elderly parents - changed when they were admitted to a facility. Several elements of the project, such as a new kitchen, garage, and addition are likely to materialize, as they are long over due in this beautiful, Federalist house built in 1786. All the design work done so for will not be wasted, and I look forward to making their other dreams come true."

"I loved working for this family, which consists of the reviewer, who worked days, her husband, who worked nights, and their little girls, ages four and two, who are lively non-stop. I undertook the framing, interior finish, and painting because subcontractors in my network were committed to other projects and I did not want my clients to wait months before theirs started. While at work, my client accessed cameras I had installed so that she could monitor progress or listen to my music, a mixture of classical and standards. A working mom and a tired dad sleeping upstairs do not always have the time to go to a hardware store or pick up small items at a supplier, so I did it for them, even though not required. When a large tree limb fell on their fence, I removed it without prompting or payment. I simply do whatever is necessary to alleviate stress my clients may feel because they are more than just my clients. I treat them the way I would want to be treated, as I am always a guest in their home. To my delight, they are planning to finish the room over the garage sometime next year, and I look forward to seeing them again. This project did not go over budget or time, and the clients received the highest quality at the lowest price without sacrificing performance. This client affirms the high standards I have set for myself and others involved in my company, especially dedication, trustworthiness, and working relentlessly to meet or exceed expectations."