What does a remodeling project cost in Greater Boston?
Typical Greater Boston range for this kind of work, from regional averages — not a quote from Custom Contracting, Inc.. Use it to sanity-check bids, then get the real number in writing.
— permit history concentrates there, averaging about $104k
Repeat customers — several describe multiple projects across ten to eighteen years
Schedule and budget — 2025 and 2017 reviewers cite on-time, on-budget delivery
Named lead carpenters — reviewers credit specific carpenters who ran their jobs
Active state registration — Massachusetts home improvement registration verified in the registry
Price — a 2023 Reddit commenter called the full-service model significantly costly
Dated reviews — ten of twelve written accounts run 2017 to 2020
Five hundred and nine building permits is a lot of paperwork for an eight-person shop, and it is the clearest thing to know about Custom Contracting: this Arlington design/build firm has been pulling permits on Greater Boston houses for years — a dozen in the last three, typically around $104,000 each, mostly kitchens and additions.
The company says it has served Arlington and surrounding towns since 1990, 36 years by its own count, and that Bill Farnsworth and Scott Blain, who started out as carpenters together, lead it. The BBB names William Farnsworth as president and grades the company A+. Its Massachusetts home improvement contractor registration is active. On Houzz the firm also lists NARI membership, NARI-certified remodelers and lead carpenters on staff, and RRP lead-safe and OSHA certifications — claims made on its own profile there.
What customers write is consistently warm: 14 Houzz ratings averaging 5.0, and what recurs is people coming back. A homeowner writing in 2017 counted 18 years of projects with them, from a built-in bookshelf to a kitchen renovation. In a 2023 r/medfordma thread, a neighbor said the firm had done their bathroom, kitchen and basement as separate projects over ten years. A May 2025 reviewer described an attic remodel/addition that stayed on schedule and budget, and said they had since gone back for more work.
Reviewers also name names. Lead carpenters — Dave, Eric, Terry — turn up by name in accounts written between 2017 and 2020, credited with managing the subcontractors, cleaning the work area at day's end and explaining the next steps. One 2017 account of a gut guest-bathroom renovation described a detailed project timeline and help with product selection inside a stated budget.
Two things to weigh before calling. The same 2023 Reddit commenter who recommended them was blunt about price: this is a full-service firm, not a guy with a truck and a license, and that comes at a significant cost. And the written record is largely dated — ten of the twelve accounts run from 2017 to 2020, with only two in 2025 — so recent customer word is thinner than the permit activity would suggest.
The right call for a planned, drawn-out project: an addition, a gut kitchen, an attic or basement conversion where design and construction under one contract earns its keep. Ask for their two most recent jobs of your type, what the final cost was against the original estimate, and who your lead carpenter would be.
Heard around town
On Reddit
PositiveRecommendations for bathroom remodeling in Medford areaNov 15, 2023
“We have had good luck with Custom Contracting, based in Arlington. They have renovated our bathroom, our kitchen, and our basement in separate projects over the past ten years. Note that Custom Contracting is a full-service firm, not just a guy with a truck and a license, and that comes at a significant $ cost. However, the team there does good work, and they're relatively easy to work with.”
Thanks Bill and your wonderful team for all that you did to bring our dreams to reality. It has been such a great experience from start to completion, our appreciation for your genuine care, attention to detail and quality. We absolutely love our new kitchen and bathroom additions, we are proud to say that you made it all possible !
We had a fantastic experience working with Custom Contracting for our attic remodel/addition project. The team really took the time to get to know us and our hopes for the project -from overall design to every detail. They were easy to communicate with throughout, stayed on schedule and budget, and were flexible with our changes and requests. The subcontractors were all highly skilled and professional. We are thrilled with the outcome, truly life changing addition to our home. We have since reached out to Custom for additional projects and look forward to continuing to work with them in the future!
Our overall experience with Custom Contracting has been fantastic and we would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a true partner in your remolding journey. Our lead Carpenter Dave was awesome to work with and always responded to any questions or ideas we had. The overall team was very high touch and made what could have been a stressful timeline very manageable. We are very happy with the final product.
We are very pleased with how the bathroom turned out. Everyone who worked on the project was professional and responsible. Michael was very helpful and provided guidance that improved the bathroom. He was patient when we waffled on decisions or asked for unexpected things. Terry was conscientious and responsive; it was a pleasure working with him and his carpentry was flawless.