Blackdog Design/Build/Remodel

Blackdog remodeled our kitchen and most of our first floor this Spring and we love the finished product. It was our third project with them over the years. We knew what we wanted the kitchen to look like to prior to the remodel, but our designer, John, kicked it up a notch. Our lead builder, Bill, did a fantastic job, and our project manager, Bree, kept things rolling along very smoothly, even as we experienced the typical hiccups that all remodels go through.

We all have ideas and dreams about how our home can work best for us. Having someone you can work with and trust to make those dreams a reality within your budget is why we chose Black Dog for our renovation and expansion. After several meetings we decided that Black Dog would be the best partner for us. One of the other contractors we interviewed told us “If you need someone to hold your hand then go with Black Dog”. EXACTLY! We needed guidance and a full service company. The Black Dog team was patient and worked with us on all aspects of our project from planning, design, construction to full implementation of our ideas.
The Black Dog team hit the mark. The design team worked cooperatively with us to help make our dreams a reality. All products were selected before the project began in our home. We chose cabinets, floors, doors, appliances, hardware and set construction parameters and more. We saw this initially as a daunting task but the design team helped us focus within a world of choices. We had a confident feeling as the actual work began. The ability to see our new spaces virtually on a large monitor reassured us that every detail had been carefully planned. It brought our project alive for us. Our Project Manager, David, kept faithfully to a weekly update meeting. He listen to our questions and concerns and resolved every problem to our satisfaction. With David at the helm we always felt that matters were progressing and under control. Most importantly, were blessed to be able to work with a very skillful Lead Carpenter. Matt was terrific in every way. He was very knowledgeable, kept our home areas clean and safe and responded to all our questions immediately. For the many months of the project Matt was a daily part of our lives and he was a brilliant communicator. We could not be happier with the end result of our renovation and expansion and give Black Dog the highest recommendation.

Excellent job by master carpenter Bill McAllan and his assistant Ted reframing and installing a new front door and garage doors. I wouldn’t hesitate to use them again for any carpentry job. Highly recommend!

Working with Blackdog on our kitchen remodel project was a pleasure. Every member of their team was skilled, reliable and showed a superlative attention to detail. They didn't submit the lowest bid for our project, but their price was firm and they delivered value far beyond the cost. Best of all was the peace of mind knowing that we had their talented team working hard on our behalf. When the time comes for our next project, we will use Blackdog.

We hired Blackdog to design and renovate our kitchen. Our designer, Melissa, worked with us over a period of several months to get our design to exactly where we wanted it - and we are thrilled with the results.
Once the design was complete and the schedule set, Blackdog went into action. Jason was our project manager and met with us on-site once a week to make sure the project stayed on track and was meeting our expectations. Our lead carpenter was Dave; his work was excellent. He was punctual and was forward thinking, avoiding potential issues.
The subcontractors that Blackdog selected were excellent - particularly the plumbers, electricians, and drywallers. Everyone on-site was respectful and helpful answering our questions along the way.
Another important plus was Blackdog and all subcontractors cleaned up the project site daily. This was particularly important since we remained in the house for the entire renovation and our kitchen is located right in the middle of the house.
Our project was completed on schedule and on budget. Their work is excellent, and their process is very effective. All in all, it was a good experience.

Their staff was outstanding, so professional and personable at the same time. They took our wants and needs into account while designing our project. They worked around our busy schedules and were so flexible with meeting times. We never felt unheard or misunderstood with our vision. We would absolutely recommend them for any project!!

I just wanted to thank you and Chad and John for my/our new kitchen! It’s lovely and was done so quickly and efficiently and we got to escape the first 2-1/2 weeks of it. That was because we trusted Blackdog to do a great job and you all did! Picking the right contractor made us able to relax, as much as possible before and during the process. Chad was particularly patient with our last minute dithering over flooring for which I’m particularly grateful. John was actually fun to have around and we came to look forward to finding him quietly working away when we got to the kitchen each morning. Everyone was helpful in letting me know when things were planned to happen so I could arrange to have all the pieces (drawer pulls, lights, appliances, electrical outlets) needed at the right time. They kept me hopping but I was able to keep up. Now, we’re just amazed at how nice it is! Thank you!

Initially I was thinking this business was amazing. Then the Electricians came. It was a mess! I went through 2 electricians and still fuses are constantly blowing out. The 2nd man was lovely but he made an incredible mess gluing in wires, which then needed to be covered over under my cabinets. I went through 2 painters, the first left brush strokes and unfinished patches. NEVER sanded and my rooms look like stucco.Black Dog fixed portions here and there. They painted over nails and never filled nail holes. The crown molding in the kitchen is separated in every corner. My cabinets under the sink have a door hanging off which in turn knocks the dishwasher out of alignment. I found a block of wood unaffixed that was used to push the whole unit in place and it fell out thus creating nightmare for cabinet and dishwasher. In my bathroom upstairs the crown molding never made it to the ceiling , I complained and they added about 10 inches of plain board where another shelf should have been, thus it all looks out of place . The ceiling is peeling and chips fall into the tub. The tub was cracked during installation and Black Dog truly bullied me into accepting a “fix” which of course did not work and I have a cracked tub. The tub was not properly installed and water pools and spills out over the side.This project is 1 year old! Make sure you ask what the cost of everything !!! I was charged for plastic to cover the doors.
In short the design was amazing the execution a joke. I know I left complaints out but this was overall experience.I respectfully disagree with with the owner of this business in that one does not spend over $300,000 on 2 rooms and paint and not pay the balance of $10,000 or whatever we’re up to with interest.

We want to thank the awesome Blackdog company for our major remodel. We had contacted a few of Blackdog’s competitors and Blackdog found solutions where the other firms only found problems.

We have a large two story home built in the 90s with an in-law apartment on the first floor and the family unit on the second floor and what had been a badly finished attic. The project encompassed gutting the in-law apartment and attic with new insulation/sheetrock and finishing, installation of ductwork and a geothermal heat-pump system, addition of a mudroom entryway, installing a beam to open up the in-law, new in-law kitchen, new flooring almost through the entire house. There were additional complications in that we independently contracted for the geo-thermo system and ductwork, and there were four adults weighing in on the decisions. Blackdog did the design and build. It was a big job!

Our project is complete and we are extremely happy with the outcome. Blackdog really listened to us and worked with us to develop a project that met our needs and our budget. Everyone at Blackdog was a pleasure to work with, professional and skilled at what they do. We won’t individually call-out the team – except for Kenny the lead carpenter who was on the job everyday (for six months) and kept an eye on everything and came up with great ideas and solutions. The subs were first rate as well.

We set a budget, they found a project that met the budget, and they kept to it. We had a few small but necessary budget adds to deal with found conditions like wood rot and the like. We did elect to expand the scope (replaced older windows with bigger windows, for example) during the build that added about 10% to the original budget, but reasonable and fair.

Thank you!

Fantastic one-stop shop for home remodel and building needs. Blackdog was wonderful to work with and took the stress out of working directly with and setting up each vendor throughout the process. Top notch and top class building work and dedicated team members helped us through the project. They were very honest and up front about any bumps in the road we may encounter and did everything they could to keep our project on-track, and with high quality. We are very pleased with the work, would highly recommend and will work with this team again in the future.

Blackdog Design/Build/Remodel did a beautiful job on our renovation of multiple spaces (pantry, laundry room, primary bedroom and primary bath). During the design process, our needs were heard and the the presented ideas were excellent. Our site was left in an orderly and clean state at the end of each day. The final selection of materials including the cabinetry are gorgeous. All of the subcontractors did excellent work - we were highly impressed with the final tile work and painting. We love the final results and they fit seamlessly with the rest of our home. Throughout the project, there was clear lines of communication. There are always challenges in home remodeling, but Blackdog anticipates those sticky spots and does their best to handle the challenges.

My first major home repair. Bathroom shower tile walls completely falling out with a big hole in the wall. They did an extremely good job demolishing and replacing the walls with a more modern non tile wall. I am so happy with the results of their work. I will definitely return again in my next repair. Heath is the best and a very nice guy. Trust this company!!! A+++

Pete

Just finished our 3rd project with Blackdog and could not be more pleased! This time it was a bathroom remodel and the results were outstanding. From the design sessions through the remodeling, the project management was great, the communication was outstanding and the work excellent. We've had Blackdog also rebuild our screened porch and remodel our kitchen and the results were equally great. As a repeat customer, it says it all!

I am so grateful we chose Blackdog for our kitchen remodel. I am beyond happy with the outcome and the entire team along the way has been an absolute pleasure. Would trust them with any future project, and I look forward to planning the next one!

Beautiful job on my kitchen! John N, David L, and Matt G and all the workers who came into my home were very knowledgeable and respectful and I trusted them completely. Always showed up on time and answered my calls. Thankyou so much!

We had shopped around for a while, talking with other contractors and design services before landing on Blackdog for their full service capability under one roof for our garage and primary bedroom suite addition. We have a 100 year old house and it was of the utmost importance that not only do we have a functional living space that meets our needs but the design was integrated into the vintage New England craftsman style. Working with our lead designer was a truly pleasurable experience. Our requirements were not only met but exceeded expectations. Doing any kind of home improvement in the post-Covid era is going to have some kind of “supply chain” issue, but Blackdog handled all of the setbacks with professionalism and really had our needs first in mind. Everyone is wowed by our new space and we know we made the right choice in selecting Blackdog for our partner. No one else could’ve pulled this off at this quality.

It is with pleasure that my husband and I write this review for Blackdog Builders. We recently had Blackdog remodel our first-floor bathroom. We wanted a bathroom that was simple, easy-to-clean, and made with good quality materials, all without breaking the bank. Our designer, Ron, was wonderful and stayed with us every step of the way. Ron genuinely listened to us and made excellent suggestions on everything from materials to colors, never pushing for something that we didn’t want. When it came time for the remodel itself, the project manager (Jason) sat down with us, Ron, and the carpenter (Tom) to make sure we understood the scope of work and the schedule. Tom was amazing and handled everything with a high degree of craftsmanship. He took care of our house like it was his own home, keeping things impeccably neat and clean. Additionally, all of Blackdog’s subcontractors (e.g. the electrician) were great and respectful. Jason and Tom kept us up-to-date on a daily basis and were never more than a phone call or email away.

On top of all that, Blackdog came to our rescue when a pipe burst in our basement (NOT related to Blackdog – it happened before the bathroom work started). They were able to add the basement fixes to the schedule and even bundled some bathroom/basement jobs to save us money. We are very grateful for Blackdog’s quick and compassionate response during that stressful time.

Now our bathroom looks and feels fantastic, and our basement is in great shape as well. We would gladly recommend Blackdog to anyone looking to have work done on their home. Their dedication to quality, honesty, and customer satisfaction is unlike any other contractor we have encountered. The only question now is when we will have them remodel our kitchen.

UPDATE, 2024: We updated our kitchen! Blackdog did an amazing job again. Their care and quality work is the same - or better - than when we did our bathroom a couple years ago. Blackdog transformed an awkward first floor into a beautiful new kitchen and pantry. All the little details Ron designed (hidden storage space, quiet-close cabinets) make a huge difference. The lead carpenter, Mark, was outstanding. He treated our house like his own home, adjusting the smallest things to make sure everything was perfect. Our quality of life has improved infinitely and we couldn't be happier. There is no doubt in our minds that our next house project will be done by Blackdog. Can't recommend them enough!

Blackdog was the most professional business that I had worked with. Everything from the beginning of the project to the end was handled exceptionally and I felt confident that the project was going to get done correctly as they continually strived for my satisfaction. Scheduling and budgeting a large interior remodel is challenging and with the experience of the team at Blackdog they were able to maintain expectations as well as results. I will admit the cost was higher than I expected but there quote was very accurate and they were able to accomplish everything while staying within their established budget. Blackdog's approach of initial design to construction was seamless and world class as all the details were outlined in their project proposal. All the team members that I consulted with were very friendly and easy to talk to. Never once was I pressured into anything that I wasn't comfortable with. Based on my experience with Blackdog I would recommend them to anyone who is looking for home design remodel/construction.

This was a complete kitchen overhaul — strip back to the studs and start new. Blackdog did the design and build. On the whole, we had a very good experience with Blackdog. The work was finished within the proposed cost, and the three-month schedule was kept — work went over about one week due to difficulties not under Blackdog control, that is, getting inspectors in to approve work. The workers were very conscientious, left a clean area, and were very friendly. The kitchen designer, Jane, was very easy to work with and suitably creative. Our house is contemporary, and not the usual colonial style, and she adapted well to what we wanted. The project manager, Jim, was always on top of things, and responded quickly to our requests. We are VERY happy with the final result.

We are in the middle of finding a GC to finish our basement and it occurred to me how important these reviews are in that search. To that end, I felt compelled to write a review of our experience with Black Dog last year during our kitchen remodel.

During the design process, they promised the world. Telling us how they were different from other GCs and put a premium on professionalism and quality. However, our actual experience lacked both.

Professionalism - The lead contractor on our job was routinely late and overbooked on several concurrent projects. A job that was scheduled to complete in 2 months lasted more than 5 months and involved more than a few empty promises about wrapping up 'in the next week'. Additionally both the lead designer and contractor were routinely rude to my wife and I and acted as if we were being unreasonable as they fell further and further behind their own timeline.

Quality - The work they did was average at best. They severely miss cut a custom counter (which they did reimburse us for) and the cabinets they set were ok but definitely not perfect. I had foolishly expected a perfectly finished kitchen at the end and instead they handed over a ton of small jobs that required me and my wife to do installations to finish the job including installing hinges on cabinets, installing the baseboards, touching up the paint, etc.

In total, they were not worth the money we spent and I would not recommend them to anyone looking for a contractor in the north shore. Beyond the fact that their work is not great, their customer service is abysmal.

[UPDATED RESPONSE]:

Thank you for your response. Entirely possible that after the project we gave you 2 stars instead of 1 star. Since our project with Blackdog we have had a local custom carpenter build us some cabinetry and through that experience realized that although our house and designs are unique they are not unreasonable. Throughout the experience with Blackdog our requests to have things done to stylistically match our home were routinely met with short cut solutions that could be delivered quickly and without the requisite skill of a true carpenter.

Moreover you failed to address (both then and now) the way your team treated my wife and I.

We are not looking to have anything corrected by Blackdog and are happy to have that temporary working relationship behind us.

This review was purely to provide an alternative perspective to some of the very positive experiences shared on google b/c people should appreciate that not all projects have met the customers expectations.

Jay

Blackdog Builders built a 2000+ sq. ft. post & beam addition to our existing 1960 home. Right from our initial meeting with Blackdog, we knew that this was the general contractor for us. We felt at ease and confident with our designer, Ken, our project manager, Jim and the rest of the top-notch trade contractors selected for the project. We were especially impressed with the electrical contractor that Blackdog used. This was our first experience with construction and we learned so much along the way. To be expected, there were weather and scheduling delays, but Blackdog kept us informed by phone call or text each time. Attaching a new, large addition to an older existing home has it tricks and challenges. Blackdog was really on board with figuring out these curve balls. The end result is spectacular! We began our relationship with Blackdog as strangers, but feel that we ended as friends. The quality of the end product is simply amazing and we are so thrilled to live in our new homr! Thank you Blackdog!

We hired Blackdog to remodel our master bath and we could not have been more pleased with the process from start to finished product! Our designer was awesome and took into consideration all of our requests. It was a pleasure to see the design she crafted come to life in our home. We look forward to additional projects with Blackdog!

Has nothing to do with quality of work. I would wasn't even able to get them to the house for an estimate. I was asked what I wanted to do. Gave him a quick overview and he quickly threw out a number twice as high as my highest estimate. I asked how they were able to understand the scope of the project without seeing it, and told him he was 2x more than my highest estimate. His response "let's not waist any more time". Really? 2 doors and 4 windows are more than 100k? Your are correct "don't waist anymore of our time".

We needed some siding repaired on the front of our house and they did a great job! I was worried that I would not be able to find someone with a good reputation to come out for a fairly small job but Blackdog gave us a prompt quote and a schedule that worked for us. Thanks

We love Black Dog Builders! In 2018 we renovated our front hall creating a mudroom & remodeled our kitchen taking a wall down to create an open concept first floor. Lastly, we put in a dormer on the second floor to create an upstairs bathroom & a master suite with walk in closets. Black Dog was fantastic in every aspect. From design and planning (ask for Jane!~) to the demolition and remodeling (ask for Chris and Mike!~) they were helpful, professional, on time & on budget. Plus, they have done an amazing job of partnering with fantastic sub contractors who were all first rate. Two big thumbs top for the entire Black Dog team!

If you're looking for a truly full-service contractor, I cannot recommend Blackdog Builders highly enough! Blackdog is the perfect combination of integrity, professionalism, and craftsmanship.

I'm sure all their designers are terrific, but we had the pleasure of working with Sabina for both our renovations (kitchen; and bedroom-bathrooms-offices). Her ability to see the potential and possibilities in any raw space is something to behold. She is an artist and a visionary.

Our carpenter, Joel, was literally and figuratively a MASTER. There was nothing he couldn't do with wood. He was a perfectionist who had both the desire and the skill to blend beauty and function into something so lovely you never want to leave your house.

As with any successful business, it's the leader who sets the tone. Dave Bryan was the first person we spoke to, and it was the impression he made that convinced us that Blackdog was the company we wanted to demolish our home and rebuild it again from the rubble.

And in case it's not obvious.... we're SO GLAD WE DID...!

A year ago I had them convert my attic into an office. It was a walk up attic, but uninsulated and other than having plywood to walk on was totally unfinished. Blackdog builders converted it into a really nice and comfortable office with a built in desk, shelving, and lots of under the eave storage space.

They were great to work with and I would totally go with them again on future jobs.

Putting together an estimate took longer than expected, so they refunded my design fee while I went with another company to do the work.