Testimonials

What our customers say about us

If you or your company are happy with our service, we would love to add your letter of approval to this page.

Thayer Street Associates turned our large two-story garage in Haydenville, MA into a wonderful home for my wife and myself in 2018. We originally chose Thayer Street to be our builders because of our meeting with Vern Harrington, the head of the company. He has a quality that inspires trust and generates confidence in his experience and ability (I actually said to my wife after our meeting with him, “That man shines.”). We absolutely made the right choice given our experience with them: complete integrity, knowledge and experience gained from years in the business, and many good suggestions to make the place more harmonious and beautiful. All their subs were great too. Anyone who has need for a builder would be making an error if they did not consider Thayer Street Associates. Or, to put it on the positive side, they are great and I absolutely highly recommend them.

We have done three major projects with Thayer Street Associates over 12 years – a 3-car garage with studio, a master bedroom suite as part of a restored 3rd story, and a kitchen. Each one presented its own design, engineering, and construction challenges, and in close consultation with Jane and me and our architect, TSA met each challenge with patience and creativity. But perhaps the biggest testament to our experience with TSA is that we have always worked on a time-and-materials basis with them, confident in the efficiency of their crews and the in the fairness of their pricing. They stand behind their work and bend over backwards to satisfy their clients. We’re not done with you yet, Thayer St.!

Bravo! A formal thank you to Thayer Street crew for a great job at Elms. Please pass along my admiration and appreciation to all involved. It’s always a pleasure and a bit redemptive to see quality work in the field.
Juster Pope Frazier

So pleased with my new garage roof, upper roof flashing and coating, and the excellent workmanship of Joe Maheu and the Thayer Street carpenters.
Judith from Amherst

Betty and I want to thank you and your crews for doing an outstanding job on our garage alterations and house roof.
We are pleased with the outcome and have received comments from our neighbors and friends. Many thanks.
Bill and Betty from Deerfield

I just wanted to send you a note of thanks to you and your team for the terrific job Thayer Street Associates did on our front porch rehab project. It looks wonderful and we are extremely pleased. Thanks again to you and your team!
Steven and Eileen from Sunderland


Thayer Street Associates has provided me with excellent service for several home improvement projects over time. Window replacements were done with high quality products and excellent craftsmanship. Even the matching of stain to coordinate with existing woodwork was spot on! The repair and replacement of broken stair treads was done with great care, The Project coordinator made an error on ordering a custom window at one point, but was quick to get the proper unit when the error was discovered.
Patty from Deerfield

My name is Suzanne. I hired Thayer Associates after calling and meeting with seven other contractors. Each of them had different reasons for not being able to do the job. Two never got back to me, one came in and left mud trails all over my house, two others said they couldn’t get to it until maybe Fall and the last two said it was too big a job. One of the last two asked why I didn’t have Thayer Associates do it since they had done my dormer in 2006. I replied that I thought my job of installing all new construction windows and doors would be too small for them. So I called them and not only did they say they could do it, they were able to start within a few weeks.

The job was overseen by Bob Goulet whom I can’t say enough about. He and his crew of 2-3 other guys were the most upstanding, professional and patient people I have ever encountered. From arriving exactly on time to taking their shoes off every time they came into my house. One day after they left, my daughter came home and asked if they had worked on the house that day because there was no mess and all my curtains and furniture had been replaced. When I told her yes she couldn’t believe it. Not only were they meticulous but I could not believe how well they all worked together as a team. At times I’m positive I drove them crazy with my indecision yet they never were anything but incredibly patient.

If I had to rate Thayer Associates I would give them 5/5 stars. Actually six (even though it’s not on the scale) just for going over and beyond the call of duty!
Suzanne from Sunderland

In 2016, I embarked on a project to renovate my house with an eye to aging in place. I chose Thayer Street to do the job because they were working on a house in my neighborhood. The men on that job invited me in to see their work. It was beautiful down to all the details – they were rightfully proud of it. The process on my house went smoothly from start to finish and beyond. Vern was always available for consultation and planning and was great in working with my architect and landscape consultant. Each worker seemed to be an expert in his area. The supplier of my kitchen cabinets commented that she had never seen such meticulous attention paid to the installation. In the new rooms, creative use was made of my existing heating system with radiant heating and the addition of mini-splits for more heat and air-conditioning. The project director was an artist at organizing the work, even when he had to plan time away because of surgery. Even the subs that were used worked as a team with the Thayer St. employees. The mood on the job was upbeat, respectful, and cooperative. One area of excellence with Thayer St. is their willingness to stay connected once the job is complete. The new mini-split system needed better insulation against noise. Vern responded immediately and brought back the appropriate people to do the task. Recently, I had trouble with a pocket door. The person I contacted at Thayer St. returned my call from his vacation and organized a fix for me within a few days at no charge. It is clear that Thayer Street remains committed to the work they do.
Loraine from Northampton

I loved your guys; Bob, Andrew, and Calvin most notably. The guys always produced high quality work. The way Bob oversaw and managed all the work was consistently professional and efficient. He created a strong relationship with us that made the whole process seamless. We got so used to people being there that we missed them when they left. I could not be happier with the way my home turned out and I look forward to working with Thayer Street in the future!
Tom from Amherst

I’ve used Thayer Street Associates a number of times since 1990 to work on my home, a 1960’s Cape. Each time TSA has thoroughly lived up to their reputation for doing superior work with intelligence, integrity, and care. Their expertise and wonderful esprit de corps is inspired in large measure by Vern Harrington, owner of the firm – who is something of a marvel. When dealing with professionals in any business, you often meet “friendly, helpful, and pleasant folks” who “put their clients at their ease and help the work go smoothly.” Vern gives these clichés a special meaning. Beneath his friendly smile and responsive mind lies a deep enjoyment in working with clients – in solving your construction problems and completing a project to your satisfaction. And this attitude permeates everyone who works at Thayer Street.

Moreover, in all my dealings with Vern personally, I’ve sensed surrounding him what I can only call an aura of delight that is neither saccharine nor superficial. I ascribe this quiet joyfulness to Vern’s long-time involvement with Buddhism (he majored in religion at Amherst College [once even chauffeuring the Dalai Lama around town] and has continued his studies ever since). Though he wears his spirituality lightly, rarely discussing it, I can feel its influence in everyone at TSA with whom I’ve worked. It’s part of what makes the firm such a special group of people. I doubt Vern will ever write the book that I tease him about (Zen and the Art of Running a Construction Company) and there are few projects more concrete than house-building. So let me say, more simply, that Thayer Street Associates overflows with expertise, creativity, and friendliness. It’s the crème de la crème when it comes to construction and I’m delighted to recommend it whole-heartedly.
Tom from Pelham

We have worked with the folks at Thayer Street Assoc several times and have always had a great experience. Everyone there has been prompt, professional and friendly, and happy to answer any questions, big or small. We have appreciated their guidance through understanding our home improvement projects and we have found everyone there to be courteous. We will be contacting them for our future home improvement projects!
Jenna from Sunderland

Thayer Street Associates helped us through a major construction project in remodeling our house. Every step of the way, they were extremely professional. We received accurate break downs of costs/ timings and other necessary inputs. It was reassuring and heartening to see that our project manager John and the construction manager Kenny and the entire team take pride in their work and deliver impeccable results. They coordinated with various other service contractors to deliver a completed project to us. We recommend Thayer Street wholeheartedly and will be using them again if and when we have another construction project.
Adeeti from Charlemont

Having dealt with many design construction companies, I have found Thayer Street Associates' workmanship to be EXCEPTIONAL! The standard by which all such companies should be measured. Thayer Street gives exemplary personal service before and after completion of a project. Any issues you may have before, during, or after your job is complete will be answered and addressed. Thayer Street has a vested interest in keeping you, their customer, satisfied. In my estimation this is PRICELESS!

Every aspect of workmanship, materials, and time frame was met in addition to meeting with me for feedback. The working area is kept clean and safe. Strict adherence to the budget and the most efficient and cost effective way to go about the project was met to keep expenses at a minimum.

Thayer Street’s staff exhibit the ability to think on their feet, see impediments to the project, and proactively address any situation that may cause a delay. Any recommendations made during the process are always spot on and I found myself relying more than usual on their expertise regarding design. Bookkeeping is done down to the last box of nails and any changes that affect cost are noted and not implemented without your approval.

Castle or Cape build or remodel, Thayer Street Associates are up to the task. All my homes have been 100+ years old. Older homes have special issues which require special expertise. My most recent purchase was built in 1815 and had every issue you can imagine and some that you can't. Not once did they show any apprehension in accepting the challenge. Thayer Street Associates turns lemons into lemonade every time! A Happy Bicentennial Home Owner
Valorie from Vermont

Once again, I find myself in a debt of gratitude to Thayer Street Associates for a job beautifully done. I want to thank you so much for sending Rick and Drew to work on my house. They are a pair who take great personal pride in quality craftsmanship and it shows. They were extremely nice to work with, respectful of my home, conscientious about keeping the place clean and looking out for my cat’s safety. As I hope you know, I’m very pleased with the outcome of the entire house. Coming from a family of carpenters who have built their own houses, I am the only one who chose to renovate an older home. Suffice it to say that I have a unique appreciation for the skill it takes to remodel a house that doesn’t have a single square corner or even line to its name. It’s a project that has taken 12 years to complete and I could never have done it without Thayer Street. Thank you for all your help and good advice and especially for understanding my personal vision and making it happen. My very best to everyone at TSA.
Katherine from Hatfield

I have been working with Thayer St., Associates for well over 20 years. I have done several commercial projects as well as residential projects with them. Some have been very small and some have been many hundreds of thousands of dollars. Whatever the size of the project, I have found Thayer St., Associates to be professional, extremely skilled and a pleasure to work with. Their cost estimates have generally been reliable, which is so important with budgeting. When considering all aspects of the job including quality, workmanship, timing, etc., I think that Thayer St., Associates offers excellent value.
Bob from Amherst

We are so pleased with the work that Thayer Street Association did on our project. From the start, we had confidence in your approach and attention to detail. The weekly meetings were particularly beneficial. Your subcontractors were all really good to work with but I want to particularly single out Tim’s Work as your Project Manager. He was always pleasant and paid attention to the details even at times offering suggestions on doing some things differently which proved to be to our advantage. He was a real asset in the project. I think this may be one of the smaller projects that you have worked on but you treated us like we were the biggest and we appreciate that. Personally, because I was the Church’s point person, I found you attentive and responsive making my job easier, especially since I had never done anything like that before. We are growing quickly so who knows, we may be back in touch with you for Phase Three sooner than we had planned!
Evangel Assembly

VentureWell had a wonderful experience collaborating with Thayer Street Associates on the reconfiguration of our 10,000 square foot office. John and his crew of workers assigned to our project completed their work in manner that did not interfere with our daily operations or disrupt the activities of our 60 employees. The quality of the work and the integrity of Thayer Street's work culture made this a very positive experience for us. They were on time, on budget, and pleasant to work with. We're very satisfied with the project!
VentureWell