Hartwell House Renovation- Customer Review
My property consists of a large antique home that at one time had been converted into a multi-use building, housing both commercial offices and residential living space. Initially constructed in the late 1700's and then expanded in the 1850's during the Greek Revival Period, this converted home is centrally located in Bedford, Massachusetts Historical District and is also listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings under the name Hartwell House. Being a historically significant building it was very important to us (as well as the Historic District Committees) that we work with a builder/contractor who was familiar with early methods of construction and the techniques required for their proper repair. For obvious reasons it was also imperative that the builder be up to date on all aspects of the current Massachusetts State Building Code and it's implications in both commercial and residential construction, as this building would require significant upgrades in areas relating to fire code compliance and handicapped accessibility. Finally, the builder would have to be familiar with non-conventional methods of construction, such as the use of modern engineered lumbers and would need to be able to work well with architects and engineers as the building required "Controlled Construction" and the involvement of a professionally licensed Structural Engineer. Mr. Chesna's level headed approach to the project, combined with his ability to clearly communicate the needs of the building to us, made him an easy choice for the project. In his role as head carpenter and contractor, Mr. Chesna has been responsible for selecting and managing various sub-contractors including roofers, electricians, and plumbers. For each of these roles Charlie conducted a formal quoting process and presented bids to us, along with his own feedback as to the individuals character and their level of interest in the project. As a result, all sub-contracted work has been performed in the appropriate stages of construction and we have been very pleased with the quality of work that has been performed on our building. We have been further impressed by Charlie's attention to detail and his genuine interest in seeing that the proper choices are made at all points on the project. Charlie insures that any and all issues relating to the integrity of the building are brought to light and addressed appropriately. In short, we consider Mr. Chesna to be a valuable resource and feel fortunate to have found him. We look forwar to working with Mr. Chesna again on additional real estate development projects.
Charles Chesna Carpentry
and Woodworking
