Construction defects … overshot deadlines … miserable owners shuffling into “finished” remodels with seven-page punch lists. For a group of master builders from the Boston area, the era of “bigger, faster, cheaper” must end.
Representing the four companies that came together to form the Custom Builders Guild are, from left to right, Finley Perry of F.H. Perry Builder, Andrew Goldstein of Thoughtforms Corp., and Ken Vona of Kenneth Vona Construction. (Unavailable for this photo was Gary Gallagher of Gallagher Home Builders.)
The Custom Builders Guild — a two-year-old collaborative group of four high-end builders and remodelers who believe that quality building practices are being lost — challenges the industry to improve its reputation by sharing best practices and encouraging craftsmanship.
This peer network is unique because it represents businesses that compete head-to-head in the same market. “We're using camaraderie to make a difference,” says Guild member Ken Vona of Waltham, Mass.–based Kenneth Vona Construction. “We're some of the more high-end [companies]; if we address quality, others will follow.”
To spread its message, the Guild launched a series of seminars on best building strategies to create homes of exceptional quality. In a recent seminar about sustainable building, the group invited architects, builders, and building inspectors to hear about issues such as the correct installation of vapor barriers and high-quality sustainable products.
As a practical matter, being a member of the Guild is smart marketing: Architects who become familiar with the member builders through outreach efforts are more likely to refer them to clients.
“These are first-class craftsmen,” says seminar attendee Mark Hutker, AIA, of Falmouth, Mass.–based Hutker Architects. “They'll pursue things like the best flashing detail or how a window should be put in a wall.”
But, above all, it's the Guild's push for ever-higher levels of workmanship that captivates Hutker: “Any time you see people at the top of their game trying to get better, it's impressive.”