Custom Basements of New England LLC

great, on time, direct attention

Best decision I have ever made when I hired this company to finish my bare bone basement. Lisa and her team are truly experts in this field. When Lisa explained to me what materials will work for the basement and why we do not use certain materials proved to me they really know what they are doing. The price quote was also reasonable in comparison with other contractors because they make the process seamless and easy for you as the homeowner. From the moment you sign your contract with them, you really do not have anything else to worry about. They secured the permits and city inspection. I cannot be any happier with my choice. Everything was seamless and they finished the project 10 days ahead of time! When usually there are project delays. They deserve an A+, really. Lisa and Joel (project manager) are very approachable anytime you have questions. I definitely recommend Custom Basement 100%.

Lisa and her team just finished our basement and we could not be happier! Pricing was comparable and to other national companies and Lisa was here every day checking in on progress and (aside from a small delay due to covid) the project started and ended exactly when she said it would! She kept us up to date and informed, every step of the way, and had some great ideas for the space when we first started the design. We have a huge finished basement space for the kids to use as well as a home gym. Their team also added a door with safe stairs in place of a bulkhead and our 4 kids can come in from the pool and play in their new play space. We would highly recommend Lisa and her team!

Highly recommend Lisa and team. We had an awful basement that I didn't think we could do anything with. Lisa visited us and shared ways we could greatly enhance the space. The before and after pictures speak for themselves but I'll also add that the project was on budget and on time. Lisa and crew were great to work with.

My wife and I are very happy with basement built by Lisa at Custom Basements. She was very good at communicating and keeping track of the whole project, both things she was responsible for and also things that we or other subs were responsible for as well. This allowed for a very efficient and timely completion of the project. We are thrilled with the result and can thoroughly recommend Custom Basements!

We were referred to Custom Basements via a posting within our town’s Facebook group. Lisa came to draw up a draft blueprint of our basement, and to offer a quote for the project. It was a thorough meeting, and I’m surprised that she didn’t charge a fee for it. Lisa came with insightful comments about how to lay out our floor plan. The quote for our renovation was mid-range compared to others, but we chose Custom Basements given the very strong references from other customers who I contacted directly. Note that the quote has an “expiration” within 10 days, and if you respond after that date, you can expect a price increase. We responded 25 days after the quote, and were quoted a 5% price increase. I wasn’t happy about that (over $2k additional). So shop Custom Basements last to ensure that the quote remains valid long enough for you to make your decision. After the contract was signed and just prior to construction, Joel came by to look at the more nitty-gritty details of the project. He had the knowledge to see where additional plumbing or electrical work would be needed, which did have some impact on the originally quoted price. I was surprised that Joel didn’t have a blank notepad at this meeting, so be prepared to take notes and email them to Lisa afterward so she can update the contract. Joel otherwise was awesome. Super knowledgeable and made us consider things that we hadn’t thought about before (e.g in which direction should the doors open, where light switches should be located, etc.). The work itself kind of just unfolded without us having to do much. Lisa / Joel are great about texting so if you ever have any questions, that’s the way to go. Lisa did say something to me in the beginning about not micro-managing – which I admittedly have a tendency to do – but if something doesn’t look right to you, please say something! We had framing for soffits that didn’t look quite square, and I wish I had just said something instead of worrying about coming off as fussy. We also had a 2-week delay while we awaited an electrician, and then he nicked our water main which I wasn’t pleased about. But otherwise, the work was generally done well. They cleaned up after themselves each day even though they really didn’t have to. They installed a liner to cover exposed insulation batting in the unfinished / utility spaces, which we weren’t anticipating but appreciated. Joel even installed a little shelf for our boiler pump which was falling off the wall which wasn’t at all in the remit of his job, but he just did it because he’s thoughtful. We were the most pleased when it came to the process of working through the “punch list” – the list of unresolved details at the end of the project. We have been through a bathroom and kitchen renovation, and Custom Basements was BY FAR the best about being attentive to the “punch list”. We provided them with a list of bullet points to address: areas that required repainting or caulking, doorknobs that weren’t working quite right, the aforementioned soffits that seemed askew, etc. Everything was resolved within a week by Joel. Overall, we would definitely recommend Custom Basements to anyone looking for a well-organized, knowledgeable, and thoughtful contractor to handle their basement renovation. Other notes that might be helpful to prospective basement-renovators: I wish we had received more direction for our built-in bookshelves. We were given ¾” board for the shelving which looks a little cheap, but I didn’t know to ask for anything thicker. I also wish I had installed electric outlets within the shelving so I could store our Sonos speaker there, but that’s my own oversight. We are pleased that we did a plaster ceiling instead of the suspended ceiling. We’ll have to wait for summer to know if the wall panels were worth it (if they help the walls “breathe” more in the humidity so that the dehumidifiers can do their job). We fretted over the drywall color that would best coordinate with the wall panels. We LOVE our choice though: Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist lightened 25% with Simply White for the trim. Highly recommend.

Our experience with Custom Basements was superb. Lisa, the owner is a miracle worker. She was able to take all of our wish items and make them come true. My husband has an office area and I have my sewing nook. In addition we have a beautiful full bath, a den, a lovely laundry room and tons of storage. Lisa listened intently and made our dreams materialize. Lisa always handled any roadblocks that were from external or unforeseeable sources such as inspections or very old plumbing issues with calm and intelligent solutions. We trusted Lisa and her team completely. Joel is an attentive project manager who gets it done. Humberto amazed me with his competence and work ethic. He never took a break and worked tirelessly throughout his long workday. Finding honorable and competent contractors can be tough but with Custom Basements our major renovation was delightful.

Custom Basements did a wonderful job finishing our basement. The results are fantastic - better than we imagined! Lisa and her team were great to work with as well. Highly recommend!

Custom Basements helped us transform our "semi-finished" basement to a 550 sqft living space. We worked with Lisa, drawing from her experience on what would work and what wouldn't, we were able to pull together a design that met our needs - keeping it an open area, the various spaces (entertainment, play, work) connected while maximizing our otherwise small area. Joel brought in his expertise to the project and was always on top of things. When issues arose (as they do for every project don't they?), we worked on them and resolved them together. Overall, it was a very good experience that left us with a wonderful extension to our living space.

Lisa and Custom Basements of New England, LCC renovated our basement and did an amazing job! Lisa and her team are very detail oriented, hard working, dependable and accommodated all of our specific requests. We are thrilled with the result and would recommend Custom Basements of New England wholeheartedly.

Loved Lisa and her team! They were on-time and on budget. The crew was extremely clean, respectful, communicated well, and just all around awesome. From the first appointment with Brian, where he helped us envision our dream basement, to the final walkthrough with Lisa, all our expectations were exceeded. Any questions or concerns we voiced were promptly addressed either via text, call, or sometimes with Lisa driving right over. The finished product was even better than we had hoped for or expected! We would recommend Custom Basements of New England to anyone considering a renovation, especially in the basement!!!

Spoke w/ Lisa. Nice; Professional on the phone. Scheduled an appointment. She texted that morning to confirm. Left work to meet her. Nobody comes. Ten minutes after arrival - no phone call; no text; no Lisa. I called her to find out if she's coming - no apology; "I'm on your street." When I asked for an ETA she says "Your street is only 1 mile long" and won't tell me. (My street isn't only 1 mile long). 9 minutes later, Lisa walks up to the door and comes in. No acknowledgement that she's over 15 minutes late, no apology. Hoping to solicit some kind of human response I comment "I don't know who told you my street was only 1 mile long, but it's actually several miles long." She promptly storms out, calls me obnoxious and says she doesn't want to work with me. TL;DR - Rude; Tardy; Unapologetic. Steer clear. P.S. In case she bothers to try to lie and deny any of this, I thankfully have camera footage of my home and call/text logs. I'm happy to upload them here.

We had a great experience with Lisa and Custom Basements: they transformed our disgusting, damp unfinished basement into a space we love to spend time in. They gave a detailed quote when they said they would, they started and finished work within their predicted timeline, despite the fact that we added on to the project, they were responsive when we had questions or concerns, and they did very high quality work. All their craftsmen/tradesmen were skilled, punctual, and a pleasure to work with. I agree with the other glowing reviews posted here and only want to add that I feel that Lisa is very trustworthy, and I would unquestionably hire them again.

The team at Custom Basements of NE were professional and prompt from beginning to end. We chose CBNE after being very impressed by their comprehensive initial consult and competitive pricing. They began almost immediately and finished in five weeks (a week ahead of schedule) and on budget. Even more impressive is that our project was completed through the holiday season, without delays. Thanks to the professionals at CBNE (design consultant, project manager, carpenter, electricians and others) our basement was transformed to a far better space for our family than we imagined it would be. We now have 700 additional square feet in our home that includes a gym, play area, and entertaining space along with the addition of three spacious closets. Lisa and Joel designed a detailed floor plan and were more than accommodating to changes we requested along the way. Our carpenter, Humberto, paid very close attention to detail, had a great work ethic, was polite, pleasant, neat and clean. Overall we are beyond satisfied and grateful to everyone who contributed to building out our awesome new basement! We highly recommend them for your basement project.

Lisa and her crew at Custom Basements transformed a completely unfinished basement into a beautiful space for my son, daughter-in-law and brand new grandson, including the addition of a full bathroom and wet bar. The work was finished on time and in plenty of time for the new parents to get settled before the arrival of their baby. From the first meeting with Lisa until the last punch list item was completed, I was extremely satisfied with the project. I can't say enough about the project manager, Joel, who pointed things out to me that needed attention in my basement that weren't necessarily in the scope of the project but that they took care of. I met a lot of the contractors - plumbers, carpenters, electricians and painters who were all polite and professional and did great work. We looked at two other basement companies and I know we got the best value with Custom Basements of New England!

Thank you to Lisa and the team at Custom Basements of New England, LLC. for your hard work toward finishing our basement! We are very happy with the results and looking forward to use over the years to come. Lisa and her team went the extra mile to make sure we were happy and everything worked out perfectly. From reframing a space to accommodate a piece of furniture to resetting some flooring after we raised a concern, we knew we were working with a great group of people. Also everything was done so quickly, with the project finishing earlier than planned. Everyone was very nice and helpful. Thank you Lisa, Joel, Nate, Humberto and the rest of the team!

The entire team at Custom Basements of New England did an amazing job finishing our basement! The project started on time, was completed on time, and was within the quoted budget. Throughout the project, Lisa was quick to respond to any questions I had along the way. All the workers were amazing to work with. The overall construction process was very efficient. Considering that the space is not huge so staging materials could have really been an issue. The workers were extremely neat and very efficient. The clean up was done very well between phases and material deliveries were coordinated for the upcoming phases so the basement was never overcrowded. Custom Basements of NE helped us take that “final step” to make our dream space into a reality. The final product far exceeded any expectations we ever had and we are now enjoying furnishing our beautiful extra living space, including the additional full bathroom. We would highly recommend Lisa and the entire team at Custom Basements of New England as they were professional, courteous, and extremely capable.

The job was extremely well done and very easy. The team was incredibly professional and quick to respond to any questions or concerns. I would hire them again and I recommend them without reservation.

The project went extremely well and was completed in a very timely manner. The crew was extremely professional and efficient. We now have a wonderful living space and an additional full bathroom. It is the perfect space for our teenagers and their friends! I would highly recommend this company to anyone thinking of finishing or remodeling their basement. We are very pleased.