Green Building Services in Gloucester, MA

“We worked with Foley Fiore Architects on a custom home in a suburb west of Boston. As the general contractor's site supervisor I worked very closely with them and can attest that their approach is collaborative, solutions oriented and client driven. Their staff is highly professional and pays tremendous attention to detail and client service. We look forward to working with them again.”

“I have hired Ernie DeMaio on numerous occasions over the last 20 years for both residential and commercial architectural services. To me it's very basic. He delivers a great product for a fair price. On time. Everytime. He can handle anything from large scale commercial projects to simple sun room additions. His designs incorporate all that I request and more, he gives me all the details & specifications I need to build it easily, and my clients are always happy at the end. I would gladly recommend Ernie to anybody.”

“The team at Innovative Collaborations (IC) has done a fantastic job with our project in Newton! With their guidance, we were able to maintain our house's traditional Victorian character while adding a major third-floor addition and opening up the interior to create a spacious, modern home. From the double-height entry foyer to the elegant balcony overlooking the back garden, every detail was carefully designed to look beautiful and to function well for our family. More than that, the overall flow of the house really feels and works great; it seems like a simple thing, but to get both right makes a huge impact. IC's excellent recommendations for interiors, including fixtures and finishes, helped us to give the house a modern day upgrade without losing its historic quality. It has a great transitional feel, balancing old world European elegance with simple, modern lines. This relationship carries throughout the house, from the hand-scraped dark maple floors to the simple silver Travertine marble walls. However, the master suite takes the cake. We just love this the most…from the relaxing spa bathroom and very functional marble dressing area, down to the integrated cubbies in the white stained wood walls. What more could you want! It was also convenient to have IC run the entire project -- dealing with the Historic Commission, handling the permitting, and overseeing all construction project management. Their oversight of the many contractors and vendors involved with the project ensured that the construction and finish quality came out superbly. We could not be happier with the outcome. Many thanks to the IC staff!”

“We are on our second project with this firm and only have good things to say about them. They are a versatile and professional company with many talented architects and designers in house. We are currently collaborating on an 18,000 sf Tudor style house from the 1920s. There are a lot of moving parts involved in this project from historic restoration to engineering to kitchen design and finish selections. They have risen to all challenges. A pleasure to have as a team player.”

““You can't turn a sow's ear into a silk purse” - Maybe not, but Doug Okun and Associates did succeed in turning what was once attic space in a Victorian house into a third floor modern suite. Indeed, by moving walls, and re-configuring space, he managed to create two bedrooms, a bathroom, a sizable closet and a gracefully curving staircase from the second floor. What had been dark, even claustrophobic, rooms became the bedroom level of a two story condo unit in a very desirable location in Somerville, Massachusetts. Doug worked closely with his contractor to see us through an at times arduous permitting process. In every respect he was indispensible.”

“ZeroEnergy Design (ZED) designed a new construction primary residence for our family beginning February 2012. We were interested in building a passive solar home within a very strict budget. Throughout the design phase, ZED was considerate of our ideas for the home and ultimately provided us with architectural plans that exceeded our expectations. The design was modern, minimalist, and environmentally friendly on every level. The plans included a mechanical design and a renewable energy plan. They were well thought out and extremely detailed, leaving nothing left to guessing by anyone reading them. This attention to detail has been recognized by everyone on the project, including the land use planner of our city, the building department members, our general contractor, the subcontractors, and the suppliers. We are now in the construction phase and ZED members have been an integral part in construction planning and overseeing the construction itself. They have also been a strong advocate for us. We, along with everyone on the project, have been completely impressed with ZED and in agreement that ZED members are extremely professional, knowledgeable, experienced and able to meet deadlines and budgets, and work well with others. ZED has proven to be a full service green architectural firm for us. The firm created a whole house system and has assisted us in making almost every decision in the process down to the final finishes for the house. ZED has not only been respectful of our budget, but also found a substantial energy rebate for us that will completely pay for our PV system - a system that we did not think would be in our budget at all. It is obvious to us that the members of ZED take great pride in their work. We are so glad we found them. We couldn't give them a higher recommendation.”

“Sam is a thoughtful, creative, and driven architect. His passion and professionalism drive his designs and interactions. In my experience, I sometimes encounter individuals who care to see their vision come to life, however, one of Sam's greatest skills is actively listening. This trait allows me to share my preferences and ideas in a forum where they are thoughtfully considered, (improved-upon), and integrated.”

“David Clough Construction LLC has worked with Olson Lewis + Architects on several projects from complicated renovations to the construction of large detailed new homes. As a builder it is important for me to have the necessary information to make a project a success. Olson Lewis + is always one step ahead with collaboration between the client, builder and architect. I feel confident to highly recommend Olson Lewis + Architects as one of the most creative, efficient and professional architect firms that I have worked with! Their tremendous design sense, enthusiasm and organization make the building process a pleasure for all involved.”

“"Coming in here is like being on holiday" - a comment by an infrequent visitor upon entering our superbly-renovated Cape Cod cottage, designed by Siemasko + Verbridge - our sentiments exactly! Siemasko + Verbridge pay great attention to detail and they listen and also sense just what we needed and would like. We enjoy open spaces, an abundance of sunlight, and wonderful colours, as well as touches that surprise and amuse. This is my favourite home of all time and we take pleasure in it every day and in all seasons. Working with Thad and Jean was a delight and great fun.”

“Mark Hammer and Don DiRocco (Hammer Architects) listen for what their clients seem to want - and then deliver - responsively, but boldly. I wanted a great big, airy, open style living, kitchen dining area - for a house where we would entertain. What I had was a house with low ceilings, tired finishes and no front door. Mark put pencil to paper and in very short order, opened up the space, raised the ceiling, added beams and pendant lights, and designed an inviting and exciting entryway that sparks a "Whoa!" and a "Wow" from everyone who gets through the front door. Don designed the kitchen and bathrooms, helped us choose and place all fixtures, paid attention to the smallest details, and made no mistakes. Our house got built on time and on budget. We're thrilled.”