d. a. kinsella Co

Description of Work: Dave was our architect and contractor for a 2nd story addition, foyer, outside siding, windows, front porch.

Description of Work: Nothing was needed

Description of Work: .....

Description of Work: I got a quote from d. a. kinsella.

Description of Work: Our house was a 1955 ranch-style house with 3 bedrooms, one bath, kitchen, and living/dining room that we moved into in 1995. We had been looking to add a second bathroom and had originally worked with an architect from NH to do a modest front and rear bump out to give us more room to fit in a second bathroom. This architect had to withdraw from the job and recommended David Kinsella of TBC. David initially made some modest changes to the plan that made sense. After some further discussion, in which my wife and I raised the possibility of a larger scale project to modernize the style of the house, David developed a plan that essentially rebuilt the house except for our previously remodeled kitchen and original foundation. This new plan converted our house into modern design with a more open floor plan, completely new roof line, loft space, re-finished basement (and the second bathroom).

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Description of Work: Design and build me a nice,nice garage.30X30,extra high ceilings for me. A heavily framed roof so i will not have trusses but a usable storage area.A good quality roof so i would not have to replace it in my lifetime.Extra tall and wide garage doors to fit my work truck with room to spare. Basic electrical service. and vinyl siding with aluminum trim that I never have to paint. I had wanted to have my self a garage for years and years and years.I had bought myself a better house with space for a garage,had saved money for it. Had swapped land with my next door neighbor to build upon. took down many trees (Marquis tree service)to clear the space and refinanced my mortgage to get a better rate and cash back to pay for it. I had used the backyard collaborative a few years earlier for structural work and was pleased with the job.The price was good and as I wanted a real nice job for me ,I did not concern myself much with getting a cheaper price and cheaper job. A week after I signed the contract and paid the deposit they were ready to begin.The first problem occurred when they brought the backhoe to my site and saw 2 tree stumps where the garage was to be located. For some unforgivable reason they had given me an ironclad contract and a fixed in stone price for excavation,but no one in the office had traveled the 3 miles from their office to my yard to see what they had given a fixed in stone price on.Before they would begin the job I had to pay an additional $718 for them to remove the stumps. Had they figured this into the fixed in stone price a week earlier when I signed the contract,I would have had no objection to the cost. The stumps were removed and the hole for the foundation was dug. The footing forms were installed and I asked if the foundation wall would be Keyed into the concrete footing. The answer was no as the space would be filled in,would be plenty stable and would not need to be keyed.Having asked though,the concrete guy did lay 2x4 into the footing concrete so when removed ,I would have a continuous keyway in the footing before the wall was poured. I am pleased with this.I asked if there would be ReBar in the foundation walls.The answer was no as it would be a short stable wall and would not need ReBar. this answer is fine with me as ReBar over many years would rust and expand and cause its own problems. The walls were poured with bolts to hold the sill in place. The inside was filled with gravel and sand and stone dust and generously sloped towards the front so that the floor would drain water if i wash a vehicle inside.The slab was poured and and finished next but when poured there was not quite enough concrete delivered to also do the concrete pad at the entry door. this was later finished with bags of quickcrete concrete mix. The framing was done,It all looks very sturdy,very straight and very neatly done.The roof is heavily framed with Joist rather than trusses giving me a useful space upstairs. It is also very sturdy so that I will not fear the snow loads as I had done at my old house. When the job was proposed 6 windows were figured into the price.I asked for a 7th window upstairs in the back. as it was framed 2 windows were given me upstairs in the back. These I am pleased with as it is well lighted upstairs by these 2 additional windows. The roofing was done next,the proposal was for a 25 year roof.I asked to upgrade to a 40 year roof and was later offered an upgrade to a lifetime roof.This was good as I was happy to pay extra for better shingles. I should not have to hire the more expensive labor of roofers when I am 90. When installed they were short by a bundle and a half.finishing was delayed until more of this color could be gotten. They must have gotten a precise number of shingles as I had hoped a few full shingles would be leftover as spares. I might someday install a chimney. The yellow siding was installed.I had picked the brightest yellow possible in the hope that it never will fade.the 3 guys doing the siding and aluminum trim did a very neat job. Electrical was done next.a subpanel in my house,a panel in the garage and wire through an underground conduit from house to garage.I only purchased basic electrical,2 lights and one outlet. Later I will be able to afford more lights and more outlets. The garage doors,Extra wide and extra tall were installed with electric openers. The last thing done was to be the driveway.This became a problem,and a very unnecessary problem .I wanted a driveway sturdy enough for my work truck that will not develop ruts in a few years.I was offered 2 contracts.1for a driveway base of 10 inches thick of gravel ,sand and stone dust. 2nd for the driveway paved over the base with asphalt. I paid for the base 10 inches thick consisting of 3/4 gravel,sand and stone dust compacted to 10 inches thick.This would support my work truck. This was installed and I dug a hole down into my new base to confirm the full 10 inches thick.I was disappointed to find that the driveway had been dug down only 5 inches and filled with base material gravel sand and stone dust to 5 inches thick.I called the project manager and he met me the next morning with another member of the backyard collaborative. He admitted that it could be thin in a few places. Wondered where I had gotten that 10 inch number from. Did not think that I was going to hold him to 10 inches. After much discussion, I am promised that the Base material would be carefully removed. the hole would be dug down deeper,and filled to the full 10 inches of material that I had paid for. This was done 2 days later.I then dug many test holes in the new driveway base and found that it had been dug only 8 inches and filled with 8 inches of base material.I called the project manager and met with him and another member of the backyard collaborative the next morning,He suggested that he would refund me back some of what I had paid.I asked him to dig it out for a 3rd time.To dig it a foot deep put 10 inches of material in it and leave it 2 inches low for the asphalt. his reply I quote. "Aint gonna happen" "You are way over the tonnage I figured" "I can show you the tonnage tickets" "I can put more on top" I did not want more on top as the 8 inches was already level with the garage slab.2 inches of this would have to be removed for asphalt and leave 6 inches of base gravel,sand and stonedust right in front of the garage doors where the truck will always tend to drive over the same spot entering and leaving. The next day more material was added on top and the job was ended. I wish that I had not paid them to do the driveway base. Next spring I will get it paved and hope that I do not have ruts sinking into the driveway in a few years. All Said,It is a professional company and the Garage come out very very nice. The Steel beam in my house came out well a few years ago.If I can do another project someday to connect the house to the garage,I would use them. If anybody wishes to see my garage so that they can have one just like it built,you will be welcome call 978-670-6459

Description of Work: Removed the main beam that runs the length of my basement. Removed 2 wood post that were set into the dirt. installed a Steel beam and 3 iron lally colums. installed earthquake straps to tie the beam to several of the floor joist

Description of Work: Addition Garage & Bedroom

Description of Work: I asked The Backyard Collaborative out for an estimate. We are possibly putting an addition on our house.