WELCOME to S+H Construction, one of the premier residential contractors in the Greater Boston area. We are a 65-person company which has been devoted to high-quality craftsmanship in residential renovation for more than 30 years. Please explore a sampling of some of our residential renovation projects. S + H performs large and small residential renovation as well as selective smaller commercial and institutional work.  

OUR MOTTO is “Quality, Integrity, Value”, and lately we have had frequent cause to reflect on what this means for our company.  The environment for residential construction has become quite competitive. All contractors have been forced to find savings in their estimates, whether by lowering their margins, by getting sub-trades bids from more vendors, or by finding ways to improve the their own efficiency and that of their employees.  Prices have gone down.  But how do you make sure that the contractor you are hiring can actually deliver the project you are paying for, at the price they quoted?  Here are a few questions to ask of your contractor that can help you be sure:

• Are they making money on your project? If not, do they have the financial resources to manage unexpected issues or setbacks?  To put it another way, can they complete the project while taking a loss? Certainly every owner wants to get a great deal, but there is such a thing as a deal that is too good.   
• How long have they been in business? Every contractor has “references”, but what is their overall track record? Doing sufficient due diligence on your contractor in advance can save you money.
• Even when companies have their own employees (as we do), as much as 75% of the job may be done by subcontractors!  Does the contractor have reliable subs on whom he can depend? Over the years, we have developed a list of trusted vendors in each sub-trade that value our fair dealing and repeat business.
• Will they give you the best advice possible, whatever the consequences? Our hard earned reputation depends on levelling with the client, even when it’s something they might not want to hear.
• Who is watching the contractor?  In general, that’s the architect’s job.  On projects of limited scope, significant outside design services may be unnecessary. But we believe that most successful projects are a collaboration between designer and contractor, as a team.

MANAGING COSTS - - Over the years, experience has taught us how to manage budgets and expectations in order to make sure that our customer is satisfied with the value that they receive.  Let’s assume that you have asked your questions, done your diligence and have picked your team.  We suggest that you begin by working with your designer to develop a rough schematic concept and then get a “ballpark” price from the contractor. At this point, you will have a working budget figure at a minimum design cost. If the preliminary numbers seem to fit your budget, then continue with the design process and ask the contractor to revise the estimate with additional input from subcontractors.  By proceeding in this way, as a team, all parties contribute to the development of a useful design at a realistic cost.