Specialized Expertise

Timber Framing

In addition to conventional framing, we have specialized expertise in timber frame construction, a form of sustainable design and construction that has been in practice much longer than green home building has been in vogue. Timber framing is the purest form of post and beam construction. A structural frame is created out of heavy timbers and joined together with mortise and tenon joinery. The frame is exposed on the interior of the home, celebrating the beauty of the wood. With a continuous insulation system, timber frame construction offers remarkably better energy efficiency compared to conventionally built homes. We have built entire timber frame homes, as well as incorporated timber framing into home additions. We also have portfolio of farm buildings where we’ve restored antique timberframe barns or built brand new timberframe barns.

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Green Building

We are Certified Green Professionals (CGP) with the National Association of Homebuilders. This exclusive designation indicates that we are knowledgeable about strategies for incorporating green building principals into homes using cost-effective and affordable options. During the design process, we can guide you on energy, water and resource efficiency; provide information on indoor air and environmental quality; and explore sustainable building options for incorporating appropriate green products that fit the style of your home.

Phius Certified Builder

The Phius passive building certification standard is a rigorous energy standard that produces buildings that use 40-60 percent less energy than conventional structures. The Phius standard is climate-specific, cost-optimized, and includes third-party quality assurance. The Phius Certified Builder logo and CPHB are used under license from Phius.

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apl28

We have worked with many contractors on home renovation projects over the years, and would put Howell at the top of our list for their attention to detail, proactive communication, excellent pre-project planning process (thank you Garrett) and execution of high quality work at a reasonable price. Howell finished our 1200+ sq foot basement including a wine cellar, a full guest suite, and an outdoor shower - and got it done several weeks ahead of schedule and right on budget. Their sub contractors worked efficiently - and even went above and beyond when we had an unrelated HVAC issue come up during the project. We have already recommended Howell to friends and look forward to working with their team again in the future.
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Tim Collins

I was very pleased with the performance of Howell Custom Building in all areas of the project; initial cost estimation, project management, and the quality of the work. They renovated 2 barns and built two new barns; one of which was a very project which included restoring a 1793 timber frame. They dealt with my numerous requests for small 'unique add-on work' professionally and pleasantly.
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baileylab01

If you are looking to remodel your kitchen or bathroom and want quality and reliability call Howell Custom Building Group. We recently remodeled our Boxford kitchen and MasterBath and the results are stunning! From pulling the permit to the help of a knowledgeable project manager to keep things on track the Howell team is the best! Their carpenters, electricians, plumbers and painters are all top notch. They stand by their work.
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Patricia O'Brien

My experience with Howell has been unique in that we started the process right before Covid and entered into the construction faze during the height of Covid. Steve and Susan Howell and all their associates Steve, Leana, Josh, Dave etc have conducted themselves in a most professional, thoughtful and careful manner. Always putting the safety of my family first.
The renovation turned out beautifully. We completely renovated the majority of the second floor with a lot of smaller jobs that needed to be done else where on the property. The same care and attention to detail was given to the smallest of tasks as were the largest! Very impressive indeed. There were also very few surprises on this job. Between the careful planning, design and then scheduling culminating in the completion of tasks we always knew exactly what was going to happen, how much it was going to cost and when it was happening. Usually with a reno this size you might move out for a few months, but we stayed put since Covid was such an unknown and although very challenging with people working and schooling from home the team at Howell made every effort to be quiet when possible and super clean!
I highly recommend Howell Custom Building Group!
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Anne Wakeman

We recently completed a major renovation project with Howell Custom Building Group and couldn't be happier. We tried to kick off the project 3 years ago but due to family situations and then Covid struck we had to keep rearranging things. Howell could not have been more patient and flexible with us. Once we finally got to kick things off we were surrounded by such amazing and talented people. Steve our architect is so good at what he does and so easy work with. When we then moved into the actual construction period the team at Howell made sure we were set up comfortably as we would be living in the house while our family room, kitchen, laundry and mud room were torn apart. Every day we felt comfortable and and were able to maintain our privacy. Brad our lead carpenter was so easy to be around and was meticulous at keeping the job site clean. Everyone that came to work on the house were professional and kind and knew exactly what they were there to do. While timelines always get moved around due to materials or changes to the original plans (always due to us making tweaks!) communication was always handled in a very timely manner. We now have the home we dreamed of and feel so grateful that we decided to work with Howell.
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HU-342448369

HCBG did an exceptional job renovating our home. Stellar customer service! Superb craftsmanship! The entire HCBG team was professional, courteous and treated our home like it was their own. The project manager, lead carpenter, and all of the subcontractors were knowledgeable and took pride in their work. We have already recommended HCBG to several of our friends! We absolutely love our newly renovated home.
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HU-390485

We have done many projects at two houses over more than a decade with Howell Custom Building Group and cannot recommend them highly enough. Projects include a new front entrance, a complete kitchen gut remodel, the gut and remodel of a cramped attic into an amazing home office and gym plus several smaller projects. The process is always clear and concise, the work impeccable and the people - both HGB employees and subcontractors - top notch!
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arnoldry

We worked with Howell Custom Building Group in the extensive renovation and update of our Royal Barry Wills inspired home over a 2.5 year period. The team at Howell was highly recommended, yet still exceeded our expectations in all phases of redesign and renovation. Starting with thoughtfut consultation throughout the design process leading into the detailed work by the contractors, the team at Howell was consistently professional, highly skilled and visionary in the re-immagination of our home. Our design team of Ben, Rick (Benjamin Nutter Architects) and Steve P, and Steve H worked closely with us to design a home that our family could enjoy for years to come. The project team, led by Bill and Blaire, was always enjoyable and easy to work with throughout the process. The highly skilled expertise of Emile, George, Brian, Tim and Steve D, brought the design to reality with quality craftmanship that thoroughly impresses everyone that has seen our home. We are so thankful to have worked with such a great team, full of amazing people that truly care. Thank you Steve, Susan and all of the team at Howell Custom Building Group for helping make our dream home a reality.
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Bob Gore

For virtually all of 2019 we worked with the Howell group on an extensive renovation to our 1830 farmhouse. We knocked down an entire wing of the house and rebuilt it. We also took the opportunity to modernize the heating and AC systems and a number of other related projects. We lived in the house while all this was going on!

This was a big project complicated by the age of the house and other factors. We are pleased to report that the project was done precisely on schedule and under budget!

For a project of this scope you quickly realize that you are living with the contractor and his various teams. The Howell team could not have been better in terms of just being pleasant to be around , Doing work of the highest quality in a very efficient manner. Of course, issues come up that were unanticipated and the Howell team does a great job of keeping everything on track and communicating in a clear and proactive manner.

We could not be happier with the results. Our home is much more attractive and comfortable.. we can use rooms now that were freezing before.

We highly recommend the Howell team. They have a tremendous depth of resources and they deliver on all their promises. We received many wonderful complements about our house and the project.
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Marla Glanzer Curtis,AIA

As an architect I have worked with many building contractors and Howell Custom Building Group
is among the best. I hired them to do the work on my own personal residence. They built a new deck and had several major structural issues that they addressed. They were detail oriented, kept me updated on their progress and presented alternative materials or methods which was really helpful. I appreciated the whole format that they used;weekly meetings, scheduled invoices. Everyone that worked on the project was professional and extraordinarily helpful.
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Sumi Dolben

Howell was a pleasure to work with. From the design process to the continued support after the end of the project has been nothing short of perfect. They have developed relationships with subcontractors that are reliable and professional and some that even go beyond expectation. Once my walls were opened up they saw and cleaned up pipes and wires that were not in use and the painters returned twice to repaint a color I didn't like. The crew are highly qualified and experienced and a pleasure to work with. I would not work with anyone else now.
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Beth Smithson

From start to finish, the entire team of HCBG and all their selected subs were second to none: truly excellent. The project was budgeted accurately, the team highly professional and expert in their respective crafts. They really cared about the outcome of the project and it showed. We lived in the house during a massive kitchen renovation, and they took the utmost care to ensure our lives were disrupted as little as they possibly could be. The super on our project was at our house daily for 6 mos, and that isn't enjoyable with just anyone. We would highly recommend this firm to anyone looking for expert craftsmanship, attention to detail, and a superb process.
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Yana Barton

Craftsmanship, originality, creativity and professionalism all in one!
We hired Steve Howell and team to help us redesign the most important room in the house, our kitchen. The end result has transformed our home of more than 10 years. Every person we interacted with, from project developer, project manager, designers to carpenters, were committed to one and only thing, seeing our vision come to life. Incredible craftsmanship was complemented by business savviness and genuine pride in their craft! Couldn't be happier.
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Steven and Jessica Garten

Howell is an exceptional business to work with. They are completely competent in their planning and process. They met every deadline and communicated with us constantly to keep the project on-time. Every person on the job was professional and an expert in their trade. Our renovation is perfect and we hope to use Howell in the future!
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bluelakehouse

The design and execution of my complex kitchen rehab was excellent. The staff and subcontractors were highly skilled and very professional.

I am a little reluctant to post a “rave review” for fear that Howell will get too busy to return to my house for future work. But there is no denying that They earned every one of the five stars I gave them.
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Steven A

Project was beautifully managed from end to end. Design phase was thoughtful and construction went without a hitch. Work was meticulous and on time. Communication was excellent throughout the project. Highly recommended!!!
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Xiaoying Zhong

We remodeled 3.5 bathroom using Howell Custom Building Group and it was a very pleasant experience. What I liked most about Howell was

- Attention to detail. This is reflected in both how they approached the design and the day-to-day construction. Nothing is too much trouble for them as long as it is the right decision from a functional and aesthetic perspective

- Project Management. Our project was more than six months, but we never felt any inconvenience. The crew were friendly, professional and very careful in protecting the property. More importantly, this is not a crew that just rigidly follow the schematics. sometimes something that looks great on paper may not be the best idea in practice and the crew will always give suggestions on workarounds / better ways to address.

- Communications. We were always kept abreast of the latest progress / next steps. So even though the whole project was longer than we expected, we just never had that anxiety. Also, they never "disappear". Text or email, we always had full and very timely access to the project manager.

I am so glad we found Howell and look forward to working on more projects with them in the future
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B K

Lead carpenter and assistant carpenter were exceptional. Can't beat the attention to detail and professionalism of this group. They remodeled/created a mudroom, kitchen, and 2 baths for us.
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pejenkins

My husband and I first met with Howell Custom Building Group based on several personal recommendations we received from people in our area. They have a reputation for high quality work, completed on time and in a very professional manner. We wanted to do a pretty extensive renovation of most of the first floor of our home. After meeting with them, we were impressed with their great design ideas and decided to move forward with them after exploring several project scopes, complete with budgets (a large portion of which was fixed). We are absolutely thrilled with the outcome- Howell delivered on everything they promised, with great quality work and delivering on time. There were many details where they could have skimped but didn't- can't recommend them highly enough and won't hesitate to work with them on our next project.
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marysu

ZAThere are multiple reasons which make Howell Custom Building Group the first-class operation that they are, but after contracting them to design and build our 3-season porch with 4-season connector to the house, the word which best describes our experience of this project is "painless". With meticulous attention, Steve and his associates guided us through the complicated process of isolating our design needs and articulating our desires into a clear project. From the outset, Steve's friendly, down-to-earth manner put us at ease, removing any note of intimidation. From there, our project manager, John, facilitated every aspect of the building process. Our weekly meetings with John were an invaluable feature in keeping us informed and anxiety-free.
The carpenters assigned to our project with whom we "lived" from day to day were just plain delightful people. Their commitment to the project was personal and we couldn't have hoped for a more professional, respectful, or conscientious group of workers! The subcontractors were equally first-rate which further convinced us of the Howell's absolute commitment to quality and perfection.
The project remained on schedule throughout and the result is a gorgeous custom living space which we couldn't have conceived of without the careful expertise provided by HCBG.
Since its completion, visitors to our new space have echoed 2 sentiments repeatedly -- that the addition looks so natural to the house, "like it's always been there" and secondly, that when we told them that we added a 3-season porch, that they never could have imagined the kind of detailed artistry that they encountered upon actually viewing it. The results of this project far exceeded our expectations and therefore, we can recommend Howell Custom Building Group unreservedly and enthusiastically!
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Amy Finegold

We are just in the process of finishing our first floor remodel, including a total kitchen re-do and addition, and I have never been more impressed with a company. The professionalism, attention to detail, organization, general skill and talent of Steve Howell and his team have blown me away. We never lost our sink, stove or dishwasher during the entire process due to the engineering of our project manager Brian Hollenbeck. And the finished result is exactly what I was hoping for. I cannot say enough about Howell and only wish I had hired them earlier for previous projects.
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Liz Fortino

We wanted to reclaim some unused attic space to expand our master bathroom and closet. Steve Howell and his designer helped us figure out what size dormer made sense to accomplish our goals within our budget. Once we settled on a design, there was a lot of thought put into how to build it with as little disruption to the rest of the house as possible. As part of the project we also replaced the carpet in our entire upstairs with wood floor, so it has been like having a whole new house. We were very impressed with the care taken at every phase of the project and we love our new upstairs!
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mavid123

Howell Custom Building Group is a very professional, competent, and flexible operation. Steve Howell is knowledgeable and skilled in assessing possibilities and project costs. He is willing to tailor the project to your lifestyle and inclinations and is open to collaboration.
The subcontractors were also professional and competent.
Additionally his business offers expertise to the local community and spearheads an annual Habitat for Humanity project.
One very positive project aspect is a weekly meeting with the project coordinator to keep communication and expectations in line with goals.
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mfates

We have lived in our home for 12 years and wanted to redo the entire basement. It was finished, but not with any real thought for a family of 6. HCBG did a superb job listening to our requirements and desires, scoping out the project in detail, sharing the designs with us, talking through options and costs, and then laying out a specific schedule for completion. The people involved in the planning and work were all very friendly and professional, and always happy to answer questions.

We are very pleased with the results. We now have a much more usable basement (which is the way we come into the house everyday through the garage) with some great woodwork and a beautiful built in Murphy bed in the new bedroom. The work is very high quality.

We are already thinking about future projects and will very likely work with HCBG again.
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gupfee

We did a major kitchen renovation/addition project with Howell and are super pleased and happy with the results. From design, budgeting, demolition, materials selection, excavation, framing, and subcontractors to finishing details, they were there for us with advice and support and a complete willingness to go over options. The quality of the build is just beautiful, and any minor hiccups along the way were addressed quickly and fixed to our satisfaction. We love our new kitchen, and are also enjoying our new mudroom, screen porch and refurbished family and dining rooms. They may be more expensive than other contractors, but they are worth every penny. We felt taken care of and respected every step of the way.
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karad11

We have just completed our second project with Howell Custom Building Group (master bed/bath renovation) and we are as thrilled with our results this time as were with our kitchen renovation 4 years ago. From beginning to end the Howells are detailed oriented and very professional. Every person who steps through the door is very respectful and makes life living through a renovation as easy as possible. I absolutely love the transformation of our new space and feel like we finally have the bedroom retreat we have always dreamed of. I would highly recommend Howell Custom Building Group.
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ziggyjoe

I am not a person who takes the time to write reviews. My experience with Howell Custom Building Group was everything I hoped it would be. My husband and I were completely satisfied with their work. I cannot recommend them highly enough. We needed the assistance of a building group that could offer ideas, options, & design work. We wanted help with a vision that came in conjunction with good, solid workmanship. This is exactly what we received. Howell Custom Building Group is the most professional contractor that we have ever hired. We had meetings discussing the designs and made changes accordingly throughout the process. Once it came time to start the construction, there was no doubting the quality of their work. The lead carpenter was so knowledgeable that I never felt I had to be present or stay on top of things. Their work was meticulously neat every day. The project manager was in constant contact with me and responded to any of my questions right away. I can honestly say that they treated our house as if they were working on their own. Their work ethic was undeniable. We experienced no disappointments and I would not only certainly recommend them but also hope to work with them again in the future.
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donhauser40

Howell provided complete design-build services for a major renovation/addition to our 1954 cape home. We started approximately 1 year prior to the project to complete early design concepts and order of magnitude pricing. This was critical as we were contemplating moving vs renovating/adding on. We loved the location, the lot, and the original home. All the houses we looked at needed significant work and Howell guided us through a custom analysis for our predicament that provided an unbiased solution that proved to be the right one. Once we decided to move forward, it was clear that between us and Howell we were confident that they could provide complete design-build turnkey services. We worked hard up front to
complete a very comprehensive design/spec package that once bid to the subcontractors, paid off in dividends. The scope was captured to a T, and the prices were very competitive. Howell kept us informed
through the whole process. We started construction in fall and had concerns of construction through the winter, as well as performing major surgery on our house during the winter while working around
2 year old twins. Two examples of how respectful and amazing the workforce at Howell was...the first was when I was away traveling on business and my wife's car had a dead battery, one of Howell's staff helped my wife get her car started, and without asking hooked up my battery charger over night to insure her battery was ready for the next day, the second example was when I was traveling we had a major storm, Howell had our driveway plowed so my wife could make the boys Dr appt. Our boys, fell in love with the guys and knew the workers by names, the workers worked around the boys nap time and checked in on them from time to time. The project was built identically to the renderings and design that were completed during early programming phase. The project was completed on schedule, the quality was great, and we now have a home we can live on for the next 25 years. We would highly, highly recommend Howell to anyone.
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dcegan

We hired Howell Custom Building to renovate some of the exterior elements of our beachfront home. Specifically we wanted to replace the weathered pressure treated decking with Ipe and replace the rotted pine railing columns with Azek. Howell provided us with good suggestions on how to design the replacement deck and then performed the work on schedule, on budget and with outstanding workmanship. The job was progressing so well that we expanded (doubled the scope) to include an additional deck that we wanted done in a composite and replacing the railings with a high end glass railing as well as replace some weathered aluminum coil stock trim. Howell was very accommodating of the increased scope and did it all on a very demanding schedule that we established. Replacing the existing aluminum trim was a huge challenge that they met with flying colors. The entire project lasted about 6 weeks and the final product exceeded our already high expectations. We can't wait to dream up another project so that we can hire them again!
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Don and Mike

We hired Howell Custom Building to renovate some of the exterior elements of our beachfront home. Specifically we wanted to replace the weathered pressure treated decking with Ipe and replace the rotted pine railing columns with Azek. Howell provided us with good suggestions on how to design the replacement deck and then performed the work on schedule, on budget and with outstanding workmanship. The job was progressing so well that we expanded (doubled the scope) to include an additional deck that we wanted done in a composite and replacing the railings with a high end glass railing as well as replace some weathered aluminum coil stock trim. Howell was very accommodating of the increased scope and did it all on a very demanding schedule that we established. Replacing the existing aluminum trim was a huge challenge that they met with flying colors. The entire project lasted about 6 weeks and the final product exceeded our already high expectations. We can't wait to dream up another project so that we can hire them again!
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