As a follow-up to you request for a detailed recommendation on Custom Building Solutions, below is an overview of our involvement with John Buckley of Custom Building Solutions (CBS) and the efforts undertaken by his company to successfully create a beautiful addition to our Newton home. This project included removal of our garage and creating a large sunroom, building a first floor bathroom, adding a deck and updating our second floor bathroom. We have been pleased with the quality of work, expertise, creativity, and personal service of Custom Building Solutions.

From the inception of our project, John met with us and presented a budget and made recommendations on designers and manufacturers. He communicated every major step in the construction process. Due to John’s breadth of experience and knowledge working in Newton, we felt confident in our decision to use CBS. Our project consisted of two phases.

Phase 1: 2nd fl. Bathroom. Work included gutting existing room, installing new shower/tub, pedestal sink, toilet, tile, fan, lighting, painting, etc. It was completed in 6 weeks and was on time and on budget. We did not encounter any problems with this renovation and we are delighted with results.

Phase 2: Garage/Sunroom Reconstruction: Work included demolition of garage, build new foundation, update electrical, create 20x25 sunroom adorned with ceiling beams, custom built book shelves and wainscoting, and create/install a large bathroom with walk in shower. Phase 2 was recently completed and we are overjoyed with our new addition.

Through both phases of this project, John was actively involved in the design and construction, utilizing an adept group of subcontractors. Based on his expertise and demonstrated commitment to craftsmanship, we would highly recommend CBS. I hope this recommendation addresses your questions as outlined in your detailed email. Good luck with your renovation project.

Warm regards,

 - Heidi Tobin

John Buckley of Custom Building Solutions is a pleasure to work with in every respect. He provides high quality, well managed construction that is executed in a professional, timely and conscientious manner. He keeps one of the most orderly construction sites I have ever witnessed and his loyal subcontractors are first rate. John has an unwavering sense of integrity and is responsive and accountable to meeting the expectations of the design and clients. Jon is always at the top of my list to call for residential construction and renovations.

- Deborah J. Crossley, Architect

John Buckley is a top notch contractor/designer; the real deal. He has done many projects with us including: a large kitchen, two bathrooms, and transforming our second floor into a veritable retreat, with a bright master bedroom, a lovely sitting/dressing room, and awesome walk-in closet. He also created an extraordinary, sky-lit reading loft, and a study with an integrated washer/dryer closet - doubling the square footage of the second floor without changing the footprint of the house itself. John has an exceptional group of sub-contractors, many of whom have been with him as long as we've known him. All of the them professional, neat, and first rate. John transformed each vision into something both beautiful and deceptively simple, looking like it's "always been there,". That is what John is all about: Good design and good craftsmanship. Straight forward, and passionate about what he does, I hope we never are faced with having to break in someone new. In our experience, he is simply the best.

- Kate & Mike, Newton, MA

John Buckey has done absolutely first-rate work on our house for 30 years: major kitchen renovation, roofing, gutters, deck replacement, painting, and other projects. He's reliable, professional, and really cares about quality - and he has always completed his projects on time. We're delighted to recommend him.

 - Rob Evans

We knew John Buckley had the capacity and judgement, as well as relationships with quality subcontractors, to manage the large renovation project on our 1919 center-entrance colonial. Nearly every surface of the house is new, yet because of the attention to detail and quaility of work, it is difficult to tell what's been refinished and what's been added. We would not hesitate to recommend Custom Building Solutions because John not only does quaility work on time and on budget, but he shows up when he says he will and is easy to work with. Based on our expereiences working with other contractors at our first house we know these are uncommon but essential traits in a general contractor.

- Jan Goldstein and Garrett Van Siclen