Montpelier, VT ยท Since 2004Montpelier, VT
Clar Construction plans every detail of your kitchen or bath up front, then builds it at a fixed price. Cabinets come from its own millwork shop in Montpelier's old clothespin factory.
Clar Construction has offered kitchen remodeling in Montpelier, VT and the towns within a half hour since 2004. Dan Clar started the company as its only employee.
Today it is a full team of carpenters working out of a shop on Granite Street. They build kitchens, baths, additions, decks and custom cabinetry.
The firm's motto on surprises is simple: 'You like surprises? We don't.' Before construction starts, you and the team settle everything from the floor plan down to the grout color and towel bars, so the price can be fixed. Google reviewers note that while others may charge less, the quality justifies the price.
Kitchens planned around how you cook and gather, in modern, farmhouse, traditional or mixed styles. Everything is mapped out before a single tool is lifted. Cabinetry, counters and lighting plans come together with custom pieces from the shop when the design calls for them.
Primary baths, three-quarter baths, half baths and brand-new bathrooms. Walk-in showers, glass doors, tiled floors, heated floors, an added window and more storage are all common requests. One Google reviewer had Clar renovate a 50-year-old bathroom after an earlier window job.
In its 2,000 sq. ft. shop, Clar builds kitchen and bath cabinets, vanities with matching mirrors, bookcases, mudroom lockers, benches and closets. Built-ins are made to look like they were always there. One client's bookcase and under-stair drawers did just that.
Add a room instead of moving. Clar designs and builds additions, mudrooms and sunrooms lined with airtight, energy-efficient windows that bring in light all year. The same team handles decks and porches made for a Vermont summer.
Clar began in 2004 with a focus on preserving Vermont's historic buildings, and still takes on full remodels of older homes. Many clients also plan changes that help them stay in their homes through retirement, from safer baths to better layouts.
Every detail is chosen during the Project Development phase, so the contract is a fixed price. If you change goals along the way, the cost of that change is discussed openly first.
One of Clar's lead carpenters, someone you meet during planning, runs your job. He or she coordinates the licensed electricians, plumbers and roofers and sends periodic updates.
Clar says it is not for homeowners chasing the cheapest bid or needing work to start tomorrow. It suits people who care more about doing it right than doing it fast.
One longtime client wrote that you always know where you stand expense-wise and are given pricing alternatives. Projects typically range from $25,000 to more than $1 million.
Dan Clar grew up in Rochester, NY and earned a degree in Education. In college he worked for a contractor that restored church steeples.
He spent half his time in the millwork shop making parts and the other half hanging 125 feet up in a bosun's chair to install them. That job hooked him on carpentry.
In 2004 he started Clar Construction in Montpelier as its only employee. The company now works from the historic National Clothespin Company building on Granite Street, turned into a millwork shop.
Dan lives in Montpelier with his family and is trying to figure out how to build a wooden canoe.
Dan ClarOwner
The people behind your project
Call, email or walk into the office. Clar learns your ideas, explains its design-build process and suggests a price range based on similar past projects.
Through a series of meetings with in-house staff or partner designers, you settle every detail, from the floor plan to the towel bars.
Your lead carpenter runs the schedule with insured trade partners and keeps you posted on which trades are coming in the weeks ahead.
Near the end, you meet to list any open items, so they get finished while the crew and tools are still at your house.
We have been extremely happy with our experience with Clar Construction. Dan and Robyn guided us through the planning process while listening to our desires.
This is my second time working with Dan and his team. The first job was to replace a picture window, along with siding and a few other windows. Everything came out great, so I opted to get my 50 yr old bathroom renovated.
I used Clar Construction for the design and installation of a built in bookcase and an under-the-stairs set of drawers. What was created looks like it has always been here - true to the design of my home.
Clar's clients typically invest between $25,000 and $1 million or more, depending on size and scope. At the first meeting, the team compares your budget with similar projects it has finished and suggests a price range. For complex projects, it sets a second meeting within a week to review that range.
Yes. Clar offers a free consultation with no sales pressure. You can call, email or walk into the Granite Street office. The team will ask about your current thinking, may suggest ideas you had not considered, and will explain how its design-build process works so you can decide if it suits you.
It is the planning agreement you sign after the first meeting, once you agree on a target budget. In a series of meetings with Clar's in-house staff or partner designers and architects, you settle every detail of the project. That level of detail is what lets Clar offer a fixed price in the construction agreement.
Clar's own carpenters, led by one of its lead carpenters, whom you will already have met during planning. Licensed trades such as electricians, plumbers and roofers come from trade partners, and everyone on your project is properly insured. Planning also covers dust control, snow clearing and any needs of children or pets.
Yes. In its 2,000 sq. ft. shop in the old National Clothespin Company building, Clar builds kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities with matching mirrors, bookshelves, mudroom lockers, benches, closets, custom doors and built-in seating. The shop also does custom trim details when a project needs them, for homeowners and for other contractors.
Call the office or book a free consultation to talk through your kitchen, bath or addition with Dan's team.
(802) 223-3447
