Reviews

How would you describe Bill’s work and approach?

Quality, Value, Professional

 

Project highlights:

  • Apply main bathroom color match caulking to tile surround
  • Install a new storm door and recommend reorienting door to resolve prevailing wind damage
  • Install crown molding and repair tile in second bathroom

Completing Tricky Projects To Prepare A House For Sale

We put our house on the market last weekend and sold it in the first two days, with several offers above our asking price! We had such positive feedback on the house – it looks amazing. It’s no exaggeration to say that all of Bill’s hard work helped us prepare for the open house and a successful sale.

As a homeowner, you worry about buyers coming through and seeing all those little problems we kept putting off fixing. You don’t want a buyer to walk around the house, thinking, “We’re going to have to do this and do that…” But after Bill’s work, now you walk in and say, “Hey, this is pretty nice!” It made the house look so much more polished.

We do wish we had done this sooner. We would have if we had known Bill earlier!

– Jason A.


How would you describe Bill’s work and approach?

Attention to detail, Meticulous, Craftsmanship

 

Project highlights:

  • Resolve washer/dryer ducting safety issue, resulting in extra usable storage space and more efficient, cost-saving dryer performance
  • Install insulated front door and weather stripping – a simple fix for big difference in comfort and energy efficiency
  • Install a combo storm/screen door for ease of use – no need to change screens
  • Convert mantel piece to accommodate new gas fireplace while keeping original character

A classic craftsman

Bill is a bit of a throwback, to what was at one time referred to as an old world craftsman. He’s not done until he’s happy with the work. It turns out that Bill and I have real common ground through our interest in Shaker furniture. The Shakers up in Maine would take great pride in his work.

Everything he did was golden. Meticulous. He’s neat as a pin. I so enjoy working with him I’m thinking about what else we can have him do so we can have him over here again soon.

– Stephen M.

 


    How would you describe Bill’s work and approach?

    Skilled, Thorough, Perfectionist

     

    Project highlights:

    • Recondition antique glass door knobs and hardware for 4 inside doors – research and source all parts and components
    • Completely recondition front door with various repairs for upgrades – make Dutchman repairs, remove fill large gaps left by mortise locks to accommodate modern deadbolt and new handle sets; reorient door from right-hand to left-hand inswing
    • Install 2 brand new storm doors, eliminating squeaks and drafts
    • Update bathroom with custom color sanded caulking to replace broken grout around bathroom tub surround

    A thoughtful approach to older homes

    We live in a very unique kind of house. There are always things that need to be fixed in older homes – little things that I would do myself, but I was never quite satisfied with how they worked out.

    In the past, I tried to find help with some small jobs, but I couldn’t get anyone to call me back. Until we found Bill.

    Bill treats our home like his own home. He always tries to keep the spirit and character of the house. He just loves older homes, and he really takes care to figure out why things were done the way were, so he can preserve anything that still works well.

    By asking the right questions, doing the research and sharing the information with us, he made me think differently about things too. He had to do some investigating for our restoration and repair projects to make sure all the antique hardware looked authentic; it was quite involved. His attention to detail was amazing. He took care of everything. The results look original, and they work! You would never know by looking that something has been patched or fixed.

    – Robin L.


    How would you describe Bill’s work and approach?

    Creative, Problem-solving, Skilled artisan

    Project highlights:

    • Recondition and paint front door, install new knocker and lockset
    • Rebuild all 8 malfunctioning doorknob passage sets in house, replacing with antique or restoration-quality hardware
    • Insulate kitchen ceiling for comfort and energy efficiency
    • Consult on landscaping plan, and flow of garden beds, compost and shed areas

    A more livable home and an effective partnership

    Our house was built in 1852. It’s very quirky. There’s not a right angle in the place. None of the doorways are square. There are original wide pine floors with square nails, and so on. It’s a good house for people that are really handy… which we are not!

    Bill completely transformed the front door. It was drafty and malfunctioning. He figured out how to fix the draft, reconditioned everything, painted it and found a knocker that fits perfectly with the door. The new door really changed my emotional experience of coming into our house. It looks good, it sounds good and it feels good… It’s a pleasure to use the beautiful, old hardware and have the door close with a solid sound. It feels properly seated. The whole thing works now in a way it didn’t work before. When I come through the door, I feel like my home welcomes me!

    Since we got started, we just keep a running list of projects for Bill. We’ve never had that with anyone else before. It’s an ideal arrangement. To think things through with Bill is very valuable. He’s really a house consultant in addition to actually doing the work itself.

    The biggest difference for us in Bill’s approach is that he actually consults with us. We say, “Here’s the problem,” then Bill talks through the options with us. Together, we decide what’s right for our home. How we look at the problem shifts a bit, and often solves a “better problem” than the one we started with.

    Bill really cares about the process and doing quality work. It’s a very rewarding and very effective partnership. We call him “Value-added Bill!”

    – Becky S. and Dick A.


    Bill really cares about the work he does in our house. When he looks at a project it is as if hes doing the work on his own house. He doesnt just want to get the project done, he wants to do it right. Hes honest and hard working – two traits that are hard to come by these days.
    – Kristen A.


    My husband and I don’t want to spend all our free time together doing all kinds of projects. What takes Bill a week or so to do would take us months.
    – Robin L.


    Thanks for the fine workmanship that you did at our home.
    – Yours Truly, Robert R.