Tongue & Groove Carpentry

I called Mark Judge the day after Thanksgiving hoping he would get back to me the following Monday. Not only did he return our call the same day, but he was at our house that weekend to look at the work that needed to be done. He and Allen were out the following week and took care of everything in one day, and then told us the good news: they had come under budget! Mark Judge and Allen are excellent craftsmen, dependable and honorable. Thanks so much guys!

Mark was very thorough, courteous, prompt and knowledgeable. We have not yet decided how we will proceed with the repair, but I would not hesitate to hire Mark to perform the work!

After our initial contact in early September, we communicated through Angies List. I set up an appointment for him to go and look at the projects we wanted completed. He did go to see the jobs on September 29 as promised. On Oct. 4, I received a message through Angies List asking for my email address so he could send along the estimate. I responded immediately. When I did not receive the estimate within a week, I messaged him about it. Then, on October 13, I received a message that he had "taken on so many other jobs he would be unable to help us". Now we have to start the process all over again. I am very unimpressed with him and his lack of professional courtesy.

Mark Judge is EVERYTHING you want in a contractor: a consummate professional who will do his best to stay within your budget AND complete the job on time. I tend to be a perfectionist, and my husband is an experienced DIYer, and quite frankly we've been disappointed by the lack of professionalism and talent in the Burlington area, especially considering the number of old fixer uppers in town... that is, until we found Mark. Not only is Mark knowledgeable, but he understands the various pitfalls that come with these older houses. (Our home is a 1950s ranch in the NNE.) All this to say, Mark will be our contractor for any future home renovations!

It was our first renovation project. Mark took his time to explain the process to us and helped us with the vision in terms of how things would look like after the renovation was completed. Initially we wanted the part of the wall to stay but as the demolition process started we saw that the removal of the whole wall will be more functional to us and Mark made sure that it happened and tried his best to keep us in our budget as it was important to us. To speak of his carpentry skills, I had an armoire/entertainment center in the living room that would have been useless after the removal of the wall but Mark modified and added shelves in the armoire for my pots and pans and installed it on the kitchen wall next to the refrigerator. Now I have added space in my kitchen. He is a Pandora box of ideas and his carpentry skills shone throughout the process.

Helpful, efficient, punctual, pleasant, knowledgeable and made great suggestions on design and repair needs.

He wanted to replace the door as well as a frame, even though there is nothing wrong with the door. He wanted to use a fiberglass door. He only gave a quote over the phone, and said that he could not get to the job until December.

We are very happy with the result. Mark was honest about possibilities and limitations of the project and materials we planned to use. They were in our house for 3 separate days and left the place clean after each. Also, responded to all calls and showed up right on time each day. When we realized we could open up the wall wider than planned, Mark custom built a small shelving unit onto the side of the breakfast bar cabinets to extend them to match the new opening.

They did a FABULOUS job!! Their attention to detail was fantastic and we are so happy with the finished look. They were punctual and professional at all times. We would definitely work with them again.

Mark did a fantastic job, paying close attention to details, cost and our living comfort. He was so dependable, honest and hard working. All of his sub-contractors were top quality and always there when needed. The total job came in under Mark's estimate. We are in our late 70's and our house is 49 years old and Mark made sure things were right right from the start. A port-a-potty was put outside for contractors use, a temporary wall was installed to the back of the house where we were staying so we had privacy and to keep the dirt down. He made sure things were cleaned up every night, that we had a way to prepare food, using a microwave set on our table. The job entailed taking down part of a major wall between our kitchen and living room, totally gutting the kitchen; walls, cabinets, counter-tops. A supporting beam was installed, new insulation and walls were installed, old kitchen window removed and a new one put in in a different area. He relocated the gas stove, putting in a new microwave with an outside fan, installing new cabinets, ripping up the old kitchen linoleum and installing hardwood, putting slate floors in the entrance areas, putting up crown molding in the living room and around the kitchen cabinets, painting walls, rewiring the entire kitchen, installing new lighting. As he did the work and saw things that needed to be strengthened or fixed, he did them. Mark and his helper, Allen were always on time and worked hard all day. Whenever questions or concerns came up they were addressed and worked out to everyone's satisfaction. Mark was considerate of our needs and always available to answer any questions or concerns. All the sub-contractors Mark hired were non-smokers, did not use foul language and were a joy to have in our home, including Mark himself. Everything was completed in a timely manor. We absolutely love our new space. We have more work that we need done and Tongue & Grove Carpentry will be our Number One choice. We would recommend Tongue & Groove Carpentry 100%. He is worth waiting for to get him to do work for you.

Mark Judge was one step below wonderful. Can't say he was perfect as he's human. We love our deck which is on the front of the house. The compliments we receive have never ceased. Our neighbors are still in complete admiration. He worked too hard to do a fantastic job. He went above & beyond to please us. He even gave us a jobs to do to assist him. It is his pride of workmanship & ours that made this project turn out exquisitely. We recently had a market evaluation done on our home. The real estate agent couldn't give Mark enough accolades for a job well done. He is a bit of a stickler in his desire for perfection. What the heck great artists are the same way aren't they? Paying him wasn't hard. Wish we could have afforded to give him more. He was well worth it. Do get on his waiting list. He won't be a disappointment. His pride in his workmanship & dedication to the job matter to him & his customers. Can't ever thank you enough, Mark. Come on by whenever our apples are ripe again. We'd love to bake you another pie!

Our home was built in the 1800's, so many "surprises" were revealed as they went about their work. They met every challenge with creativity and problem-solving energy and tons of knowledge. And stayed on budget and on schedule. What struck me was how the way plumbing, electric & carpentry was integrated so seamlessly. The result is beautiful craftsmanship, great style & the personal touches we asked for! We couldn't be happier!! Nice people, too - even nice to the cat :). Recommend highly!!

Professionally I have been hiring contractors for over 30 years. I of course use the same criteria when hiring them for my home, in this case a complete demo and install of a higher end bathroom. The criteria items I employ are pretty straight forward, Honesty, Strong Product Knowledge, Ability to ?Think out of the Box?, Pride, and Easy to work with. Mark Judge and his crew met all of the criteria, and in most cases exceeded expectations. They were both courteous and thoughtful in dealing with the busy schedule of two working parents and three young daughters? ages 6 to 14. Additionally the work was completed within the time frame agreed upon by Mark and me. This is an important note as additional work was added by my wife and I as the project went on. This included siding work and rerouting of a dryer duct that previously had been vented into the garage, and now thankfully exits on an exterior wall. In all categories I give Mark a thumbs up and say job well done!

A little more than a year ago, Mark and Scott put in two bathroom fans in a Duplex I own. The installation was difficult because the area was very tight and the venting run fairly long. Late last night, one of my tenants reported they had moisture dripping from their fan. I called Mark at 7am this morning, told him what the tenant had reported, and he said that he would call me around 12pm to let me know what time he and Scott could stop by. True to his word, he called and said he would be there at 3pm.I said I would be there to let him in. I lost track of time and my phone rang at 3pm and it was Mark...already at the Duplex. Fortunately, one of the tenants was there to let them in. I arrived shortly and Mark, Scott and Allen were already hard at work, diagnosing the problem...which they did, told me what had occurred, rectified it and after vacuuming,were out of there at around 4pm. PROMPT SERVICE AFTER THE SALE! Remarkable in today's world! Thank you Mark, Scott and Allen!

I wish more people were like Mark Judge of Tongue & Groove Carpentry. Mark is the most hard-working, thoughtful and talented contractor I have had the pleasure to work with. He treated my home the way he would his own, always making sure his work was thorough, to specifications and to my liking. I can count on Mark to do what he says he is going to do. He is a good communicator. He is mindful of a budget. He brings with him tremendous experience. He also brings a talented group of subcontractors (roofer, electrician, plumber, concrete finisher, carpet installer, etc.). We essentially added half a house to our house, so it was a major project that lasted most of the summer. We gutted and expanded our kitchen, took down a bearing wall and replaced it with a beam that dramatically opened up our main living area. We also added a covered deck, covered patio, bathroom and guest bedroom. Like I said, it was a major project. Mark had a lot to juggle: me, the work, my budget, subcontractors. He was focused throughout, always keeping the momentum up. As a result, the project was completed a little ahead of schedule. Most importantly, our family LOVES the new space. We couldn't have dreamed up a better space. It's perfect. We owe it all to Mark, who took our ideas and turned them into reality. I would recommend Mark without hesitation for anyone considering hiring him for a project, big or small. Mark is excellent at what he does. Please feel free to call me at 238-0392 to talk about Tongue & Groove Carpentry in more detail.

Everything went as planned. No surprises or hidden costs. I feel I got my money's worth. Both were easy to work with and had good ideas.

It took a long time to hang the swing, since the space was very narrow and we were not sure of the supporting material. But, Mark took his time in measuring and making sure that we got what we wanted. He came up with innovative ideas and methods to hang the swing (which had fallen down because it had not been hung properly the first time). He arrived right on time, and did the job with precision and attention to details. We will definitely use him again. Also, Mark was the one to told us about Angie's list, and we immediately signed up for a three-year membership.

First time Angie's List user and I couldn't be happier. Mark was friendly on the phone and promised to call/come the next day after I told him what the problem was. As agreed, he arrived on time and quickly diagnosed the problem and got to work. The door was back in its place in less than 10 minutes and he didn't even charge me for the time! I am definitely recommending Mark to friends and will use him in the future for bigger projects around my house. He's professional, knowledgeable and a great guy.

EXCELLENT. Absolutely no complaints whatsoever. We've lived in lots of houses, in many places, and have had numerous contractors do work for us. From every standpoint, Mark and his team at Tongue and Groove were excellent: Efficiency/Responsiveness: from the very start, Mark was the first one to return my calls, the first to provide an estimate, the first one to respond to my questions. During the renovation, he was just a phone call away and he always returned my calls. Not that I needed to call much, because he and his team did such a great job. When the job was completed, he double checked to be sure everything was to our liking. When there were a couple of minor issues to address, he was there immediately. When we added a couple of new items, he brought the necessary team members to carry out the job, and charged only a very reasonable amount. Helpfulness: At every stage, he provided advice whenever we needed it, but was never overbearing. Mark and his team were all professional, cheerful, respectful and cleaned up after themselves. Small details like making sure that all of the rest of the basement was protected from the sheet rock dust, bringing a portapotty so that we didn't have workers walking through the house all day, cleaning up after each day's work, checking in with me regularly to be sure things were proceeding smoothly, explaining where changes might need to be made because of unexpected challenges....all of this was much appreciated. Timeliness: Mark estimated the amount of time it would take, and he came in at exactly his estimate...and it was QUICK! From start to finish, the whole job took about a month. Cost: Mark sent us an estimate that was, from the start, more competitive than the five other contractors I had spoken with. And he never went over that estimate! Any time he thought there was a possibility that that might happen, he notified me and we discussed what options there might be to bring costs in line. In the end, it was exactly as he had predicted AND he gave us the Angies List discount. Quality: Every aspect of this job was done professionally...framing, sheetrock, painting, electric work, finishing, carpeting. And if something we asked for could be improved upon, Mark (and his excellent electrician) would share thoughts on how it could be improved, and searched for ways to keep it cost-effective. Overall, we couldn't recommend Mark more highly.

Mark was immediately responsive to my inquiry of services. He came out and estimated my job within a few hours of calling him. I wanted to remove part of a closet in my kitchen (so I could move the refrigerator location), move the attic access that was inside the closet, and then move the door to the closet. While he was there I asked him about remodeling the bathroom. My wife and I wanted to completely change our bathroom, including removing a wall, and changing the location of both toilet and tub. Mark and his team were on time and they worked fast and well. I was very pleased with the results and I thought the pricing was very fair. We got everything that we had wanted and it was on budget, and more importantly, at the price Mark quoted. Would definitely recommend and use Tongue and Groove for future jobs we may have.

Mark is a super knowledgeable builder/contractor. He was great at explaining what needed to happen to make my plan come to life. My work needed to happen in a short time frame so I was unable to use him. Good contractors are usually busy so plan ahead. I would use his services in the future with no reservations.

I truly believe that Mark is an angel, sent to perform a miracle for my family. My husband Tom crashed during a ski run last Sunday 12/29/2013. He sustained a badly fractured leg as well as fractured shoulder, so he could not use crutches. He had leg surgery in Morrisville and was released Friday 1/3/2014, confined to a wheelchair. Although the home medical supply company had brought a portable metal ramp, it was unusable at only 6 foot , very slippery, and at much too steep an angle for me to push him alone.(My husband is not large, only 165 pounds, I am petite but athletic). That first night we had to call the South Burlington Fire Department to help--it took 3 strong firefighters to get him up that metal ramp. We were grateful for that service but knew we would need another solution to take Tom back to his first checkup with the surgeon, scheduled for 1/7. The next morning, Saturday 1/4, my mother-in-law made some calls on Angie's List while I cared for my husband. After several calls, leaving messages for other contractors, she called Mark and reached him. She explained our situation and the urgency of having a wheelchair ramp built by Tuesday. He clearly understood and came to assess the situation by 11:00 am. I had a drawing of a ramp design from a carpenter family member, which he looked at, but also made his own careful measurements and described a similar design. He was on the phone ordering lumber as soon as I agreed to have him perform the work. He gave me a verbal quote for about $800 and some possible variables which may have added to the cost (such as handrails and non-skid strips). His plan was to obtain the materials and return on Sunday, 1/5, at 8:00 am to complete the entire project in that day. He asked only for me tho clear the garage as much as possible for him to have room to work. At 7:45 Sunday morning, Mark pulled his lumber-stacked rig into our driveway, popped his head in the door, and set to work. He worked non stop until about 1:00 pm, when he asked me to test the ramp. My husband was with the home health nurse, so Mark and I tested the ramp with the wheelchair empty, then with a few items to simulate Tom's weight (two 70 lb sandbags and a giant container of dry dog food). He worked on shaping some wood pieces for the wheelchair to roll over the base of the door into the garage and the bottom of the ramp. He finished with the guide rails along the edges of the ramp and diagonal non-skid strips along the entire 22 foot ramp. By about 3:15 pm, he was done. Before he left, we were able to truly test the ramp with Tom in the wheelchair and me pushing. It worked perfectly and we were extremely relieved to have it completed in such an amazingly timely manner!! In his design, Mark also made helpful choices for us. Since Tom will eventually be back on his feet and out of the chair (3 months or so), Mark used all screws so the ramp can be more easily disassembled. He also told me to call if there were any needed repairs, such as the nonskid strips needing staples (they seem to be holding quite securely now). We are extremely grateful that Mark was able to help us. His responsiveness, quick planning and professionalism are outstanding, and I would be very happy to use him again (but hopefully, next time in less dire circumstances!!).

I initially found Mark Judge of TONGUE AND GROOVE CARPENTRY on Angies List . I called and asked him if he could install 2 bathroom fans in a one story side by side duplex. He expressed on the phone that this wasn't his most favorite type of work, having done similar work in the past. When I asked him if there was anyone else he would be comfortable recommending, he said no, and finally relented saying he would come and take a look at what I needed done. He said he was busy with another job at the time, but he would call me back and come to take a look at what I needed. True to his word, several days later, he called and came. He looked over what needed to be done, told me how he would go about it, how much it would cost (which I initially thought was an 'I. really don't want to do it' price, i.e. a high price since I was supplying the fixtures), and that he would bring an electrician with him as well. Since I really didn't have anyone else in mind to call, and I had a sense Mark knew what he was doing and would do it, I said yes. He said he was still busy with the other job, but that he would try to work me in on the next rainy day. True to his word again, he called about a week and a half later and said he would be there the next day. He arrived the next day around 8:15a.m. with the electrician, Scott Masch of KC ELECTRIC. Both Mark and Scott were considerate, professional and I could see they were going to be conscientious as well. We all talked about how I wanted the job to proceed, and was I pleased to see that we were all on the same page! (I actually felt better about Mark on our second encounter than I did on my first) The work proceeded as planned, with Mark and Scott both finishing up late in the day (about 5:30p.m.). The job apparently took longer than ANY of us thought it would. Mark and Scott left the job clean, neat and tidy. Mark carries a vacuum cleaner that he cleans up with at the end and they both used drop cloths. I initially thought Mark's price was high but in the end it was a very fair price. The Hallmark of having work done or buying anything is whether or not you would hire the same people or buy the product again or recommend to your friends and family. I would highly recommend either Mark or Scott to do any type of building or electrical work that I or my friends and family might have, and I will certainly call either of them in the future. p.s. Mark tells me he has an excellent plumber that works with him who is also Gas Certified.

Mark is a consummate professional who offers clients the whole package: great skills, attentive customer service, fair price, and an honest, no-nonsense approach. He worked hard to find us the most cost-effective and appropriate solutions, and kept us informed every step of the way. His demeanor is friendly and we fully expect to be hiring him again in the future.

Mark was worth the wait. I can't say enough about him as a contractor and as a person. He's a man of his word. He says it like it is and he gets the job done. We started with a partially finished basement that was old, moldy and musty. It had ceiling tiles that would hang down, carpet that smelled, and wood paneling painted white. In addition, we had a half bath and laundry area. (Although, we weren't able to even use the bathroom as we had issues with the plumbing being at that low level and would get backflow from the toilet on occasion if we tried to use it — a huge disappointment as we had purchased the house hoping to really be able to use the space.) So we decided to have it redone. We had three different contractors in to look at the space and give estimates and Mark came in with the same price as the others and did a TON MORE WORK. He was able to re-frame and drywall the entire space for us, give us inset lighting, give us a new FULL bathroom/laundry room and new stairs for the price of what others quoted for just the bathroom/laundry room. We didn't know Mark from a hole in the wall (or in the basement floor in our case), but we decided to take a chance. He and his team worked quickly (as quickly as the permitting/inspection process allows) and was responsive and efficient. We now have a beautiful new space with a bathroom we can use. Mark's plumber gave us the most efficient and simple method of having a really nice bathroom by using a simple pump system that will eliminate any of the previous plumbing issues we had previously. The lighting looks great and his electrician worked quickly and re-wired much of the old and outdated electrical. Mark framed out the space in no-time, and his drywall man did the entire space in a couple of days. Mark finished the trim, and a closet with custom shelves, and made custom shelving under the stairs in the laundry room where we now have useful storage space. We are already taking advantage of our newly refinished space! Thanks Mark and team! If/When we need more work done, we know where to look.