Located just a few miles off to the northwest of Boston and north of Cambridge, Somerville is one of New England’s most densely populated municipalities. It is often regarded as one of the best places to live in Massachusetts and provides its residents with an urban, suburban mix feel.
Visitors may find solace in its splendid bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks, while families looking to move into the area can expect to mostly live alongside young professionals. This list showcases 10 of the best custom home builders in Somerville behind some of its most beautiful homes and spaces. They were chosen based on merit and their respective backgrounds, portfolios, and industry distinctions.
Aureli Construction
9 Eugene Rd., Medford, MA 02155
Aureli Construction offers a full and comprehensive range of both custom home building and remodeling services. Its portfolio depicts an extensive range of excellent projects that vary in design and perfectly showcases its expertise. From permit processing and initial design to construction and completion, the firm’s experienced team assists throughout the entire process. It collaborates with some of the area’s best artisans and architects to produce quality homes. On occasion, the firm also uses a design-build approach for clients hoping to keep the entire process in-house. The firm is capable of taking on any project regardless of scale and complexity and is noted for its excellent ability to transform whole unused spaces into entirely new and functional rooms.
The project featured here best encapsulates the firm’s expertise. For this space, it crafted a unique kitchen island with see-through cabinetry and opted for matching granite countertops. Several unique overhead lighting can also be observed.
Fallon Custom Homes & Renovations
171 Reservoir St., Needham, MA 02494
Founded in 1976, Fallon Custom Homes and Renovations specializes in new home construction, cabinetry and millwork, and multi-room remodeling. Having built several Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified homes in the past, the company also provides its clients with the option of building green to expand its sustainability efforts further. The firm now has more than three decades of experience and collaborates with charitable organizations to give back to its community through its work. The firm’s most recent project was a field rebuild in Wellesley for its local little league team. Timeless and elegant, the firm’s work brandishes an array of Colonial homes remodeled to keep up with the times, while still managing to maintain its rich and authentic historical look. Its work has been recognized both in print and in the media throughout the years. The firm has been on the pages of Remodeled Homes, Wellesley Weston, and Builder/Architect magazines, and was featured on local Boston TV Channel 5’s Chronicle for a profile on its team.
The project above is an example of one of its classic New England homes. Its team used traditional English shuttered windows, shingled roofs, and various dormer windows for this home. The house’s exteriors are made of clean paneled walls, with hints of blue.
Gerry Dunleavy Construction
P.O. Box 363, Winchester, MA 01890
Operating out of its office in Winchester, Gerry Dunleavy Construction extends its services throughout the Greater Boston area. It specializes in both new home and large-scale remodeling projects and is noted for its excellent handyman services. The firm draws inspiration from more than four decades and adheres to only the highest of standards. Its team handles every phase of a project from start to finish and has been decorated with numerous awards for its homes and services on multiple occasions. Gerry Dunleavy Construction works with only the area’s best architects and designers and has established an excellent clientele list for itself throughout the years. Although it is a relatively small firm, its size allows it to work closely with homeowners and get to know them better. Additionally, the firm infuses sustainability efforts into its homes, ensuring that its projects are highly sufficient and environmentally friendly.
Showcased here is the complete renovation of a magnificent Victorian. The home features a shed roof, a side porch with columns, and a radius porch with a turret overhead. The porch sits atop stone arched pillars. On top of the radius porch is a beautiful bedroom addition on the second floor with a slate turret roof and custom curved copper gutter. Additionally, a custom brick chimney was installed with multiple flues. On the exterior, new wood steps, wood railings, and posts add to the beauty of the home. Cedar shingles with custom designs, double-hung windows, and shutters were installed.
M.F. Reynolds
125 E Albion St., Medford, MA 02155
M.F. Reynolds is the oldest firm on this list, with its history dating as far back as 1890. It offers a complete and superb range of custom home building and remodeling services and, given its 100 years in the industry, also specializes in historic preservations. The firm maintains solid relationships with some of Boston’s best and leading subcontractors and carpenters and has on its team a group of talented and experienced professionals. The firm extends its services throughout Boston and surrounding areas, and it prides itself on planning, coordinating, and delivering quality projects of all sizes. The firm’s carpentry crew is always customized and tailor-fit for each of its projects, ensuring that its homes get the proper attention they need throughout the entire process. M.F. Reynolds has secured relationships with hundreds of clients throughout its years in business and is the firm behind some of the area’s best luxury homes. The contemporary home featured here best depicts the firm’s work.
For this home, its team opted for unique curving roofs. The home’s exteriors are a combination of textures, with its front doors finished with stucco touches coupled with wood-paneled floors. Varying rectangular and square windows can also be observed to give the home a more modern appeal.
MBA Builders
599 North Ave. Door 8, Wakefield, MA 01880
Founded in 2010, MBA Builders is the by-product of the collective efforts and talents of Allen Carpenella and Keith Forlizzi, two friends who established the firm and have since secured a solid reputation for the company for its excellent custom home and renovation services. With more than two decades of experience, Carpenella has worked in all aspects of the construction industry. He first got his glimpse into the industry by working alongside his father and other skilled artisans. Keith Forlizzi, on the other hand, holds a degree in business management and marketing as well as a Massachusetts real estate license. He handles the business aspect and finances of MBA. Under their leadership, the firm also offers an extensive array of specialty services that include custom millwork, tile, masonry, and hardscape work. Further, it is also noted for its excellent decks, entrances, and porches, and home maintenance services.
In this highlighted project, the MBA team used several dormer windows and a trellised porch. Its team crafted intricate and inviting pillars to complement the home’s neutral and paneled exteriors by its main entrance. Several of its windows also showcase various eye-catching details.
McCabe General Contracting
285 Bunker Hill St., Unit 3 Charlestown, MA 02129
McCabe General Contracting specializes in both residential and commercial construction services. It is a full-service design, build, and remodeling contractor and is regarded as one of the area’s best companies. McCabe extends its services throughout Charlestown, Boston, Metro-West, and other surrounding regions. The firm is personally led by its owner Sean McCabe, an experienced professional under whose leadership his eponymous company has delivered exceptional work. From its kitchen and bathroom remodels to new home additions and custom homes, the company assists throughout the entire process and provides superior preconstruction project analyses, budgeting, and scheduling. That said, it is often regarded for completing all of its homes on time and within the agreed-upon budget.
The space shown here best embodies the firm’s work. For this sunroom, the firm’s team opted for the extension to be crafted entirely of glass and wood casing. This allows in a generous amount of light and makes the space appear larger than it is.
S+H Construction
26 New St., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
S+H Construction specializes in residential renovation and construction projects. It primarily works in Greater Boston and eastern Massachusetts and has been in business since 1978. With a team of 60 talented and experienced professionals, S+H produces projects that are often regarded for their complexity and the firm’s innovative approaches. It has mastered every aspect of the entire process and has even developed its very own basement waterproofing technique, which works from the inside out to prevent moisture from entering a home’s walls. The firm’s team assists throughout the entire process, from securing the proper permits and inspections to various analyses and conducting regular budget reviews. In addition to its in-house staff, it has an excellent network of building artisans, project partners, and architects who often collaborate with the firm in some of the company’s projects.
S+H is a proud recipient of a multitude of industry awards, such as several PRISM awards. Its work has also been featured in publications like Modern Luxury Interiors, Boston magazine, and New England Home. Located in Belmont, the custom home above was designed and crafted into two main structures. It sits on a landscaped courtyard and features seamlessly blended indoor-outdoor spaces, a quaint room, and its own study. The exterior is constructed with energy-efficient roofing that, along with high-quality windows, doors, and insulation, ensuring that the entire home is environment friendly.
The Lagasse Group Custom Builders
73 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116
The Lagasse Group offers high-end home construction, renovation, and customization work. It uses a highly hands-on approach and mainly specializes in large, small, city, and suburban construction. The firm anchors its excellent projects and methods through meticulous pre-planning and coordination, which involves close collaboration with its design team and building professionals. It further bolsters this by using three-dimensional building programs, ensuring that all of its homes require minimal to no revisions. Additionally, the Lagasse Group has developed a very loyal and extensive network of subcontractors, all of whom are individually experienced working on challenging projects with the company. Lagasse is also noted for its excellent home care and maintenance. Additionally, it takes great pride in its safety record and ratings. All this being said, it comes as no surprise that the firm is the proud recipient of numerous awards, some of which include multiple PRISM accolades.
The Weston modern project here won the PRISM Silver Award in 2016. It spans 10,000 square feet and is composed of simple, overlapping forms with broad expanses of glass. These lines and the use of glass windows emphasize its contemporary theme and allow a rich amount of natural light into the home. Its garden terraces extend from interior spaces and connect to the gardens from the house’s private areas.
Top Quality Construction
301 Edge Water Place Suite 100, Wakefield, MA 01880
Top Quality Construction offers extensive custom home building and remodeling services. It adheres to all building codes as well as industry standards and guidelines. The firm works with only professional, licensed, bonded certified installers and guarantees that all of its projects receive a one-year craftsmanship warranty covering each of its installations. Even if a homeowner should decide to sell their home, this warranty will cover the next owner’s needs for five years from its initial installation date. Further, the firm provides its clients with detailed and accurate strategic planning and budgeting. This ensures that nothing will exceed the agreed-upon costs and to assure minimal revisions. The project below depicts one of the firm’s best transitional works.
This home above also uses an open floor plan from brick backsplashes and finishes and unique overhead lighting to an infusion of wood and iron. It features the project’s living, kitchen, and dining areas.
Youngblood Builders
830 Moody St., Waltham, MA 02453
Youngblood Builders provides its clients with a complete and comprehensive range of custom home building services. It formulates high-quality designs and uses top-of-the-line materials. Its construction managers and supervisors are highly experienced and closely oversee each of the firm’s projects. Additionally, Youngblood only works with select subcontractors and suppliers who offer the best services that ensure the quality of its work. The firm adheres to the highest standards and offers clear construction schedules and regular, detailed status and financial reports to keep its clients informed during every phase and aspect. At the firm’s helm is its namesake James Youngblood, a professional with more than two decades of luxury home building experience in Massachusetts and Northern California.
He first gained experience working as an independent contractor and a project manager for two impressive residential construction firms. Further, he has worked on numerous architecturally significant homes and renovations as well as restorations. This experience showcases itself in all of the firm’s projects, with its portfolio depicting an excellent range of varying architectural themes.
