Architecture + home building · est. 1998
Architecturally crafted homes, built to last a century.
A 24-person studio of architects + builders + craftspeople. New construction, additions, and renovations across New England, the Hudson Valley, and coastal Maine.
6–9 projects per year · MA HIC #197214 · AIA member · Featured in Architectural Record + Dwell
The studio
27 yrs
In practice
184
Completed projects
6–9
Projects per year
$3.4M
Median project budget
What we’re known for
A practice, not a production builder
Architectural rigor
We’re an architect-led studio. Every project moves through a deliberate design process. The result is buildings that hold up to scrutiny — and increase in value over decades.
Craft + materials
Stone foundations, hand-fit timber framing, plaster walls, custom millwork. Materials chosen to age gracefully. We work with the same 12 specialty subs project after project.
Site sensitivity
Every site is read carefully — light, water, prevailing wind, mature trees, neighbor sightlines. Buildings sit lightly in their context, not on top of it.
Design-build option
For projects without a separate architect, our integrated design-build process delivers a more cohesive result and a faster path from sketch to broken ground.
Pre-construction depth
By the time we break ground, the project is fully designed, value-engineered, and budget-locked. Surprises during construction are rare.
Stewardship
Many of our clients refer the next project. We support past clients with maintenance + adjustments long after the warranty ends. Lifetime relationships are the norm.
Project fit
Is your project a fit for us?
Five questions. Honest answer about whether we’re the right call. We don’t bid against four other builders — we ask first whether what you’re imagining is in our wheelhouse.
Is Hartwell the right fit for your project?
Five questions, then we’ll tell you whether what you’re imagining is in our wheelhouse — and what an early conversation would look like.
Step 1 of 520%
We take 6–9 projects per year. We don’t bid against four other builders. The right early signal saves everyone time — including yours.
What kind of project?
The process
From first conversation to keys in hand
- 1Months 1–2DiscoverSite visit, scope conversation, budget alignment. Often we’ll write a one-page memo on what we’d propose before any commitments.
- 2Months 3–8DesignSchematic design → design development → construction documents. Multiple value-engineering checkpoints. Owner reviews at every phase.
- 3Month 9Pre-constructionPermits, subs locked, materials sourced, schedule fixed. Most surprises get surfaced now, not during construction.
- 4Months 10–22BuildSite supervision daily by our in-house team. Owner walkthroughs every 2 weeks. Client portal with daily progress photos.
From clients
What they say after the keys hand-off
“We interviewed four builders. Hartwell was the only one who said the budget I wanted wasn’t realistic for the scope I described. That honesty made the project. We’re three years in and the house is exactly as promised.”
M&
M. & K. R.
New construction · Cambridge, MA · 2022
“An addition that didn’t feel like an addition. The transition between original 1894 fabric and new construction is invisible. Six neighbors have asked for the architect’s name.”
TH
T. H.
Major addition + renovation · Brookline, MA · 2024
“Coastal Maine, exposed site, three-year project. They flew up monthly. Materials sourcing on a rural coast is hard; they handled it. House looks like it’s always been there.”
P&
P. & D. L.
New construction · Mount Desert Island, ME · 2023
Common questions
What clients ask first
- Most projects fall between $2M – $8M. We’ll consider smaller specialty scopes (ADUs, carriage houses) and larger ones (estate-grade $12M+). Below $2M, we typically refer to peer builders.