Historic Shingle Style Home Renovation

Milton, MA

Project Details

David and Kris knew from past experience (the bad kind) that when it came to choosing a contractor, “fit” was critical.

When they initially hired the wrong builder to renovate and restore the 1895 Shingle Style home, it proved to be a big headache. After purchasing the Milton home, David and Kris worked with someone who claimed expertise with old houses, but the results were underwhelming, largely because the builder didn’t know how to listen.

Selecting the right builder for any project can be a challenge, but never more so than with a historic house renovation. “Technical expertise is one thing,” says David, “but when someone is in your personal space every day, you better be able to just *talk* to the person or it will be a very long process.” 

Learning from this experience, they set out to find someone they could work with and eventually got introduced to Mark Landry and the Landmark team.

The first test for the new build-team was to restore the entire exterior. The old sidewall shingles (now paper thin) were replaced and porches that had been attacked by carpenter ants for years were repaired and restored. The carriage house was lifted off the ground so a new foundation could be built beneath it.

“For the first time,” says Kris, “We loved our builder at the end of the project.”

With the success of the exterior work behind them, David and Kris asked Landmark back to tackle two more projects. The first was the renovation of the entire third floor, a semi-finished space with interesting roof lines and great potential. Within just a few months, the potential was realized: a kitchenette, full bathroom, and several bedrooms and sitting areas make it a perfect guest suite.

Finally, with two successes under their belts, the team decided to tackle the kitchen. David is a serious cook and the dated and cluttered 1970s kitchen was not meeting his needs. 

“The kitchen would be the heart of the house, a space David and Kris would spend hours in each day,” recalls Mark. “I knew it was essential to have a perfect plan before we picked up a hammer.”

So Mark and David designed the new space together, emailing the design files back and forth over a period of a month or two until both agreed it was just right.

“It was the ideal partnership,” says Mark. “David knew exactly what he wanted the kitchen to do. And with our experience in kitchen renovations, we could provide options for solving virtually every design problem.”

David and Kris agree.

“We continue to enjoy Landmark’s craftsmanship,” says David. “And as repeat customers, we fully appreciate Landmark’s approach to the renovation process,” adding, “Mark’s calm and respectful demeanor eased us through the bumps and snags that come with any old-house restoration.”

After working with a contractor who failed to meet their expectations, the David and Kris met Mark Landry and knew they had their man.

Before
During
New mudroom entrance

Let’s work together.

Have a project on your mind? We would love to discuss it with you.

Please reach out!

Send Us a Message