Benchmark Builders, Inc.

Matt and his team are such a pleasure to work with. We bought a brand new home from him and the design and quality was top notch. Most importantly to me was any issues we had Matt was very quick to address and stood behind his work 100%. He had a reputation of standing behind his work and that has definitely been my experience. We love our home and glad we had Matt as the builder!

We love our new house! Matt Harkins of Benchmark Builders did an amazing job creating a very classic but up-to-date house for a modern family. His choices for layout and details were current yet timeless, and he clearly thought through each detail. Matt takes pride in his work, and the quality of construction is top-notch. We are amazed by the beautiful finish work throughout—there is even crown molding in the pantry and the basement storage areas. Another thing we love about the house is that there is a lot of space but it does not seem overly large or overwhelming from the street. We didn’t want a house that looked enormous from the outside, yet we do enjoy having plenty of space for our family of five and frequent guests. We had a unique situation where we were still living out of state for a few months after closing and before moving in. Matt was extremely helpful in watching the house for us and making sure everything was working properly. He has been very responsive and helpful in the early months of living in the house. Any question we have or minor issue that arises is dealt with quickly. We feel well taken care of and confident that Matt stands behind his work. Matt is very professional and responsive, and also a very nice person. We are so happy to be settling into our new home and community, and we look forward to making wonderful memories with our family in this house.

Matt Harkins is a great house builder and a good guy to boot. Before we bought a house from Matt in Needham, MA in June of 2013. I was worried because we had had a horrible experience with another spec house we bought in the Hamptons years ago. Matt was present and super nice during the 7 visits we made to the house and all through the closing. I am happy to say that it was not an act, and his personality did not change one bit after we closed! He has been extremely helpful and responsive with the little problems and issues that all new houses have. Even better, we have found that the quality of his work is outstanding and our house is very solid, sunny, cozy and tight in the winter, very well built and a joy to live in. My wife Cricket and I are happy to recommend Matt without any reservation and would be happy to answers questions or speak to anyone who is considering buying one of his houses. Sincerely, Brian & Cricket Mullaney

We searched for a house on and off for several years before walking into Matt Harkins’ new construction on West Newton Hill. Right away we knew we had found our next home. It had the look and detail of an old house with the convenience and amenities of new construction. The quality of materials was far superior to what we had seen in other new houses on the market. We entered an agreement to purchase the house when it was about eighty percent complete and were able to make selections on stone countertops, lighting, appliances and paint. Beyond these items we had several change requests to which Matt was very receptive. In making our selections Matt guided us through the process with patience and excellent advice. Since moving into our new house Matt has been extremely responsive to our questions and concerns. He has completed the few minor tasks that could not be completed before closing in an efficient and timely manner with minimal disruption. We would highly recommend Matt Harkins and Benchmark to anyone considering a building or renovation project. Brian and Zoё Forbes

On Time! On Budget! Excellent Workmanship! As a homeowner who has worked with architects and builders doing gut renovations and major building projects, I can sincerely say that Matt is the best of the best! Although I had built several substantial houses, I had never lived in nor renovated a condominium in a high rise building. For both Matt and myself, this was a first and we felt that although I was doing a gut renovation, we could do it without an architect. Matt, his crew, outside vendors and I worked very closely and smoothly together, and as promised, the condominium was delivered exactly on the date we had set. I think that it is most important to note that the quality of the workmanship was excellent. Matt paid attention to every detail, spoke with various vendors in order to ensure a perfect finish, which indeed, was the result. Not only did Matt deliver a fabulous product, he did so with the absolutely nicest attitude and was always available by email, phone and in person. I feel that I was extremely lucky to have been introduced to Matt and I would not hesitate a minute to highly recommend him for any type of building project from mansion to apartment! Helaine Ohayon

Home construction is a complicated business for both the builder and the client. One therefore needs a partner who has the depth and clarity to enable you, as the client, to navigate these waters skillfully. Matt Harkins of Benchmark Builders is certainly a highly experienced, expert builder. But more than this, he is deeply committed to his work, and to the quality, beauty and cost effectiveness of the finished product, in ways that will greatly exceed your expectations. He will stay with you every step of the way, with an eye for detail and care about results in the smallest matters, beyond anything you will think of, and reliable follow through on what he says he will do. For everything we can see, and everything we do not see, with Matt we always know we will have a truly magnificent result.

We feel so lucky that Matt and Benchmark Builders agreed to take on our home renovation project! We are in awe of the finished result, but it’s really the process itself that was most amazing. It’s not just the fact that Matt did everything pretty much exactly when he said he was going to do it, and even finished ahead of schedule, although that was of course, very much appreciated. We’re not sure how he got guys to show up every single workday, often on Saturdays, and at least once even at 8am on a Sunday, but it’s clear that they all respect Matt and really like working for him, which says a lot about who he is as a person. One of the best parts about working with Matt was that he always spoke in terms of options and solutions, not problems – whether it was unexpected insulation that was needed, figuring out what to do about the edge of the glass tile, or anything else, it was a relief to know that by the time we learned there was an issue, he already had it pretty much figured out. There were also so many little touches and details that nobody else would have thought of or bothered with, but we are so grateful that he did – like saving the door frames that had the kids' heights marked on them, going the extra mile to make the floors in the living room and den look so nice, and painting the trim in our daughter's room (otherwise not part of the original job) to add to that special moment of her “big reveal”. We are so, so thankful for everything Matt and his team did for us!

My family and I moved into a wonderful Gambrel Colonial house on West Newton Hill that Matt Harkins and his team completely gutted and rehabbed. He added a two story addition onto the back of the house which included a family room and a master bedroom suite with cathedral ceilings that fits very nicely with the original architecture, as well as a two car garage. The house was beautifully restored, the work was all very high quality even maintaining and adding wonderful quality detail such as recessed wall panels, chair rails, multiple piece crown moldings and interesting lighting fixtures. After we had closed on the house there were, like any house, a few minor things that needed to be fixed and Matt and his team were there as soon as we called to remedy the few issues. My husband and I had purchased a house from a builder previously and we did not have the customer care that Matt and his team provided. I would recommend Benchmark Builders to anyone who wants a high quality tasteful house or addition backed by a company that stands behind their work even after the project is completed.

After living in a hundred-year-old colonial revival home in Brookline for four years, it was time to deal with an antiquated and not very functional kitchen. I wanted to turn the existing kitchen into a butler’s pantry and breakfast room that had the same vintage feeling as the rest of the house, and create a new and modern kitchen into the 1970’s addition at the rear of the house, which was adjacent to the old kitchen. I had a concept – now I needed someone to make it a reality. I met with Matt Harkins at the suggestion of a good friend of mine, an architect who had worked with Matt on several jobs. The first thing that impressed me about Matt was how well he listened. He brought enthusiasm, good ideas, and many years of experience in the business to the table. Matt and his team did a brilliant job. Work started in the summer of 2010. Both rooms needed to be completely gutted and after the initial weeks of work I was living in the house for the duration of the renovation. Matt and his crew were very helpful and accommodating, sealing off the work areas and keeping dust and dirt to a minimum, while doing very fine construction and coordinating all the various parts – counters, cabinetry, flooring, etc. that made the finished rooms so fantastic. He and his crew also stuck to a strict time table – the work needed to be finished in time for Thanksgiving. And it was. The first meal I made in my new kitchen was Thanksgiving dinner! I am extremely pleased with the renovation and very grateful to Matt and his team for the high quality and beautiful work they did. I would not hesitate to recommend him. Ellen-Deane Cummins

At a recent fundraiser I expressed that our contractor could not be present at the event and I was questioned with surprise “Didn’t you just finish the renovation of your house?” When I indicated that we had completed the 5 months of construction I was asked with astonishment “and you still get along?” The answer was and is yes. Matt Harkins met every deadline, surpassed every expectation and worked in close collaboration with our architect, my wife and me to bring about an exceptional result. This was the third property that my wife and I renovated, each classic in their own right with unique qualities bundled with the challenging issues of a property built 120 years ago. Matt and all of his sub-contractors dealt with every challenge efficiently and effectively while always being pleasant to work with and above all accommodating. Matt and his team have transformed great concepts and ideas to a very real environment in which we (and our friends) love to spend time. Matt has been thanked many times over and I can’t think of a better way of thanking him than recommending him above all of his competitors. Matt is a gentleman that has the requisite skills and personality to make dreams come true. Steve Winer Newton, MA

We have received many wonderful compliments on our new home, and we had a positive experience working with Benchmark Builders. Relocating a family of six from out of state and building a home simultaneously created a myriad of details that needed constant attention. With Matt's guidance and the expert workmanship of his staff, we were able to keep the building process on schedule and move in on time to a gorgeous home that was everything we wanted. From the planning stage through completion Benchmark Builders took what could have been an overwhelming project and guided us through the process, resulting in a home we feel perfectly fits the needs of our active family. We found the entire team very helpful. It is apparent that he subcontractors take pride in their work and have a good relationship with Benchmark. The detail with the finished carpentry, tile work, ventilation systems, etc. really pulled things together and we feel the end result is a unique and beautiful home that is energy star rated and efficient in every way. Matt Harkins is a builder who is professional, easy to talk to, takes pride in his work and who was at the home site regularly during construction. He answered all of our questions, accommodated many of our requests, and suggested things that he knew we might like. Our home is a source of pride thanks to him and we never hesitate to tell our friends who made it all possible. Cameron & Martha McKennitt Concord, MA

Matt and the entire team at Benchwork build outstanding homes . There attention to detail, design elements and customer orientation is world-class in everyway.