Connaughton Construction

It is a pleasure to write in support of Connaughton Construction whom we employed to connect and renovate two penthouse condominiums in the Back Bay. This was a two year and two-phase project which required swapping living quarters but not leaving the premise. It was a complex undertaking given the age of the building, especially the plumbing/electrical, and the fact that approximately 20 units lay beneath the work zone and were continually at risk for leaks, dust, and noise. However, John Connaughton, the project manager, navigated the various hurdles and obstacles with the professionalism and knowledge that comes from years of experience. John is an honest, forthright and trustworthy individual who is obviously held in high regard by his team and his subs. Although he can be tough, he always had our best interests in mind. Though John is clearly the master mind at Connaughton Construction, we can’t say enough about Mike Richardson and Leo Lermond. I don’t think these two gentlemen have ever come across a problem they couldn’t solve. Their “can do” and “whatever it takes” attitude was inspiring. Not only are they amazing at what they do, they are both just great guys who you can trust implicitly. Although 2 years was a long time to be under construction, the results are more than worth it. We have the home we have always dreamed of and will never leave. By way of example we have included a before and after of the kitchen area. We have purposely delayed writing this review to see how Connaughton Construction dealt with the minor problems that always crop up after everything is done and the team is on to the next job. Well, I’m happy to report that John responds as quickly and effectively as he did when under contract. In our eyes, this willingness to remain dedicated to and responsible for their work is what separates the good from the great. We feel very fortunate to have worked with Connaughton Construction and recommend them in the highest possible terms and without reservation. We would be happy to talk with any prospective clients about our experience.

We used Connaughton Construction for a two phase project which consisted of renovating a row house in the South End of Boston. The first phase we did not live on the premises and was a full demo and renovation of 3 floors. The second phase was two years later and we lived in the previously renovated floors during the construction. A great indicator of how we felt about Connaughton is that we did not hesitate at all to use them for the second phase. Through both phases they treated our project with utmost professionalism and we always felt they had our best interests in mind during the decision making processes. The communication was always clear, we met regularly during the project when we would discuss pros/cons, potential costs and rationale for their recommendations for any issues that arose. Any change orders were documented clearly and sent in a timely manner, I never felt that I was uncertain about what was happening or where we were in the project. During our second phase, the day-to-day interaction with Mike Richardson the project manager was excellent, he was extremely considerate and respectful of our family (my young daughter still talks highly about him!). The follow up even after our project was complete has been attentive and alway helpful. While most people groan when talking about their construction projects, we feel very fortunate to have found such a great group of people to work with and highly recommend them!

We had an incredible experience with Connaughton Construction. We fully gut renovated a South End brownstone (down to the brick, new electrical, HVAC, plumbing, floors and subflooring, etc.). >$1M project and ~12 months. The team kept the job on time and on budget and were a PLEASURE to work with, and honest!

John Connaughton and his team are honest, skilled professionals who deliver projects on time, on budget and with enviable quality. As an architect, I have worked with Connaughton Construction on many projects and every one has been a pleasure. John himself is present throughout the process and his project management team are impressively knowledgeable. Three specific strong points include communication, cost estimating and project foresight. If a problem arises, they communicate it directly to the client and design team immediately. John is the best cost estimator I have ever worked with: I have actually seen him lose out on projects because his estimate came in higher than a competitor, only for the owner to later find that John's number was the accurate one and the project overran the budget. It would have been smarter to reward that honesty and hire him in the first place. And on several occasions, John has saved my hide by looking ahead and foreseeing a potential conflict, giving me time to rectify the problem before it affected the project timeline. I would gladly recommend Connaughton Construction and I look forward to my next opportunity to work with John and his talented team.

Connaughton is a terrific value- they do very high quality work, solve problems rather than create them, price the work thoughtfully and completely, and are a great pleasure to work with. i have had the good fortune to work with John and his excellent supers on many projects over the last 30 years, and keep going back as my clients are always more than happy with the experience.