As the years went by, Francis Harvey instilled those same principals in his children. By 1950, the company had developed a considerable customer base and was named Francis Harvey & Sons, Inc. Francis Harvey passed the hammer to his son Raymond, who became president at the end of the 50's.

Under the guidance of Raymond and with the assistance of other family members, Francis Harvey & Sons, Inc. became a leader in the local residential construction industry. In addition to the residential industry, the company also became very active in commercial construction: building schools, renovating churches and factories. By the 1980's the firm had become a major force in both commercial and residential construction.

In the 1980's, the tradition, started by Francis Harvey, was passed on to Raymond�s sons, John and Neil Harvey, who continue to serve our customers today.

Reliability of contractors has become a major concern to homeowners. Francis Harvey & Sons, Inc. has provided its customers with quality materials and craftsmanship for three generations. You can trust your home to us.

Francis Harvey & Sons, Inc. is a Massachusetts Registered home improvement contractor that has served the Massachusetts area for over eighty years.

Guildmaster Award Winner 2008 Guildmaster*
2009 Guildmaster
2010 Guildmaster With Highest Distinction
2011 Guildmaster With Distinction

GuildQuality Partner Affiliations Remodelers Advantage Wellborn Authorized Contractor

Affiliations GuildQuality
National Association of the Remodeling Industry
National Association of Home Builders
National Kitchen and Bath Association
Better Business Bureau
2008 CotY Awards
2008 Qualified Remodeler Top 500
Eastern Massachusetts Chaper of NARI
Certified Contractors Network (CCN)
CertainTeed Select Shingle Roofer
Angie's List
2009 Qualified Remodeler Top 500
Remodeling Magazine - Remodeling 550
EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm
2010 Qualified Remodeler Top 500
2011 Qualified Remodeler Top 500

Guildmaster Q&A

Company History

For over eighty years, the Francis Harvey name has been synonymous with quality and expertise. We began in the 1920's when Francis Harvey used his tools and skills to help area homeowners with their home improvement projects. We take pride in maintaining the reputation for fine quality materials and craftsmanship at a fair price that has allowed us to become a leader in the local residential remodeling industry.

Scope of Work

In design/build remodeling, we provide clients with a single point of responsibility for quality, cost and schedule adherence. We design, build, and back our work with our exclusive Platinum Pledge. We offer handyman services for smaller projects, priced by the hour or estimate.

Team Makeup

Neil Harvey, a third generation Harvey, serves as President of the Residential division. Our management team is staffed with licensed, degreed and experienced professionals knowledgeable in the areas of design, management and engineering. We employ our own design team, and use our own employees on every job. Our experienced field personnel includes certified lead carpenters, licensed construction supervisors, select shingle roofers and master shingle applicators.

More than 90% of your clients would recommend your firm to a friend. How do you earn such high praise from your customers?

We strive to make every client experience Easier Than You Imagined. These are more than words for FHS - it's a culture that permeates our company from president through to every team member. We want the experience, fro the initial phone call, through sales, design, construction and until the last broom is pushed, to be as easy as possible for our clients. We maintain a 24 hour/7 day/week answering service and emergency coverage. Our clients never have to wait until Monday morning. All of our employees are CORI checked to help ensure client safety and peace of mind. Our commitment to our client doesn't stop when the job is complete, we back our work with our Platinum Pledge and we follow up with our clients at 1 and 11 months after construction to ensure complete satisfaction.

Approach to Working With Clients

First, we listen. We encourage our clients to tell us exactly what their needs are, as well as their dreams. We continually consult with our clients during the design process, monitoring and refining until we present a product that meets, and often exceeds their expectations. During construction we hold weekly meetings with our clients and use communication notebooks to make sure the lines of communication remain open. Our goal is to create lifetime clients.

Ongoing Staff Training and Development

Our management staff and designers attend various continuing education seminars throughout the year. We meet with industry groups to constantly refine best practices that support client satisfaction and stay current with the latest in design trends. Our field personnel hold numerous credentials including: certified lead carpenter, construction supervisor license and OSHA safety training. Our lead carpenter system allows for on-the-job training through apprenticeship and mentoring programs, where seasoned workers support the newer hires as needed.

Motivating Employees

Maintaining our reputation for quality is the best motivator. Our employees want an environment where they can be proud of their work and are supported in doing the right thing for our client. Client satisfaction leads to employee satisfaction, just as happy employees produce happy clients.

Why are you a builder/remodeler?

It's in our blood. We are a third generation, family-operated firm, now raising children of our own. We grew up living and breathing every step of the process. At the end of the day, there is no better feeling than sharing our homes with our families. We like knowing that other families are going home, too, to a place made a little better by Francis Harvey Sons, Inc.

What should clients bring to the table and contribute during the construction process?  What can they do to help make the relationship a success?

Clients contribute most by being completely up-front about their likes and dislikes. Photos, magazine clippings - anything that communicates their preferences helps us to bring their dreams to live. A clear idea of their budget is also a key component. During the design process, clients find that it is helpful to keep an open mind as the designer presents options to combine their desires and their budget to turn their space into a beautiful, well-functioning home.

How do you market your company?

Client referrals are our best source of new business. Many of our clients are generous enough to host open houses once their remodel is complete. We invite the client's friends to help celebrate and potential clients to talk to homeowners and ask them about working with our company. We maintain an active website, complete with photos and customer testimonials. We participate in local business associations and home shows. Our enthusiastic staff is always willing to talk to friends or neighbors. They drive a fleet of clean, modern vehicles. We also use the traditional methods such as mailings, newsletters, radio and print.

What are the biggest challenges facing companies like yours in the building industry?  What are some of the challenges facing your business right now?

Unprofessional contractors hurt the industry in countless ways. Companies who aren't professional may be unlicensed, or hire undocumented workers. They often skimp on insurance, permitting, safety or wages and benefits. All of these things put the homeowner at risk. They also hurt the reputation of the remodeling industry. Lower prices can seem appealing - until the contractor fails to complete the project as specified or not at all. Or until the homeowner has a problem and the contractor is no longer in business to cover their work. There's no value in that.

What's next for your company

We recognize that our clients are being squeezed - for time, money and are often overwhelmed by information and decisions. To help alleviate those concerns, we're developing packages for select bath, kitchen and basement remodels. Clients can shop at home, choosing from samples and selections we have narrowed to coordinate, while meeting budgets and time constraints. Sustainable design is also important to us, and we are developing "green" specifications to help our clients make responsible choices.