Testimonials
Hear what our current and past clients say
Zach Laub
2022-09-30
I have used Célio for a number of years on various projects. He has remodeled the interior of my home, repaired my roof, gutters and rotted wood, and answers on a moments notice.
Celio is responsible, respectable, and reliable + most importantly he is, honorable, and honest. I would recommend him to anybody to do any work, including building a new house he can do it and he does it well.
Natalie Sawyer
2022-09-20
Cane Hill built a large deck for us in 2021. The result is absolutely beautiful. The project had various challenges, including: grading issues, structural weight requirements, pandemic-related material shortages, and our aesthetic goals. Cane Hill met every challenge and exceeded our expectations. Celio’s communication is excellent and he was responsive at every turn. He is exceptionally knowledgeable, detail oriented and collaborative to make sure that every little aspect is just right. Celio is also just a great guy and a pleasure to work with. He obviously takes great pride in his work and it shows. We could not be happier with the result and very highly recommend Cane Hill.
Dan Groszmann
2022-09-03
We contracted Cane Hill Wood Works to remodel a 1950s original bathroom. The project had its challenges with original plumbing that needed to be brought up to code. Celio and his crew worked closely with our interior designers to make sure every detail was taken care of. The remodeled bathroom came out great with a lot of custom touches. Celio is great to work with, he is very responsive, and is always making sure the subcontractors are lined up to keep a project on schedule. I will definitely plan to hire Cane Hill Wood Works for my next home renovation!
Steve Walsh
2022-09-03
Celio and the team have worked on 2 projects at our primary residence: The first was a significant addition of over 1,000 RSF including a mudroom, home office, gym, playroom and family room with the conversion of our whole house heating to propane and the addition of a whole house generator. We were delighted with the work, professionalism, communication and adherence to budget so when it came time to remodel our 4 baths, we had Celio and the team scope and cost the project. While not the least expensive, the proposal was competitive and after such a positive prior experience, Celio’s team once again completed this project for us. Once again, work was completed on time, with good craftsmanship, excellent communication and also on budget. Celio is accessible, provides suggestions based on his experience and is on top of the quality of finish of his team. He’s now our go-to for any of our construction or remodel needs. Highly recommended.
Amit Srivastava
2022-08-29
We were delighted to work with Celio and Canehill Woodworks on a major renovation project for our home in Cambridge in 2021 – pouring a concrete foundation to build a covered patio plus deck on top, 2 bathrooms and redesigning the master bedroom – that took ~5 months to complete. It was a large project in a typically small area in Cambridge with difficult access. From the beginning Celio impressed us with his commitment to high quality, quiet efficiency, attention to detail and excellent project management. He understood the project completely, always gave us a manageable set of options along with his recommendation (“…this is what I would choose for my own home!”) and always respected our choice – we did not always pick what he suggested but we always accepted his honest and expert advice. We moved out and entrusted our home to Celio who then collaborated with our neighbors to arrange access to the construction site without damaging any of the existing spaces, coordinated all the sub-contractors and trades to complete their work in a timely manner – we talked only to Celio and he kept us well-informed about every step. There were a few difficult situations during the construction process which Celio managed on his own initiative without disturbing us, asking us for advice if needed and only informed us of the resolution, for which we were very thankful. After our project, Celio continues to do smaller home projects for us, and is a valued advisor. And I continue to strongly recommend Celio to all our neighbors and friends – he is my first choice!
Steve Vogel
2022-08-23
Working with Celio Alves and Cane HIll Wood Works was our most stress free construction experience ever. He always kept us informed, responded to our questions and concerns usually within the same day. The job preceded almost exactly within the time frame he outlined. We were very happy with the quality of the work. We would definitely work with Celio again.
Renee N
2022-08-23
I feel we hit the jackpot when we hired Celio as our contractor. We needed to do some work on our home to ready it for sale. Unfortunately, “some work” became more work than expected. In comes Celio and away go all the hassles, anxiety and chaos of trying to arrange the repairs ourselves. Seriously, the process was seamless. Every new issue unearthed was quickly addressed by Celio and his team. Everyone was super respectful, and clean-up afterwards was great!
Another thing I want to mention. Celio doesn’t apply pressure. When we debated large expenses like replacing cabinets and countertops, he pointed out that many buyers will replace these anyway. And, rather than buying several windows, he was able to replace just the glass that had issues. Each suggestion saved us money and didn’t negatively impact a super quick sale of our home! I have complete confidence in Celio and give him the highest recommendation!!! Whether it is a large project (major repairs on a sunporch), or dozens of smaller projects (replacing sheet rock, ceiling tiles, floor tiles, window glass, installing new lights, fans and fixtures, or replacing insulation), the job is done well and gets done quickly.
Laura Barrett
2022-08-21
We cannot recommend Celio and the rest of his team at Cane Hill Wood Works highly enough. On the strength of work he had done for a friend in Cambridge, we hired Cane Hill in the fall of 2021 to rebuild our front porch and add a new portico. They were highly professional and organized. They showed up when they said they would, cleaned up at the end of each day and were always friendly and courteous. Most importantly, the work was meticulous and beautiful. They also were careful to make sure the construction is well insulated, improving the home’s energy efficiency.
We hired Celio and his team again this summer to replace an old kitchen window with a bay window, and again the work was fantastic. We are so happy with it that we are having them replace our living room window with another bay window. You won’t go wrong if you hire Cane Hill Wood Works for your home improvement projects.
Franklin Morro
2018-06-08
The professionalism of him and his team is above anyone I’ve ever met ! The way he treats his clients is amazing! I recommend cane hill to everyone I meet!!! I cant wait to work with them on a future project!
Let me begin by saying that every home owner needs a contractor like Celio in their life. I first met Celio while I was working with a different contractor to build a home office. He had not yet started his own business and was doing some work for this contractor. My architect said Celio was a great carpenter and framer so when the contractor finished the office construction, I hired Celio to do all of the interior buildouts.
He and I designed the closet configurations and built in book shelves and then he built them. I was so happy with that initial work that then I hired him to build me a custom outdoor shed. I had it designed by an architect and it is one of a kind and looks beautiful in my small Cambridge backyard. I hope he posts a picture of it on his website because it is so cute but also very functional.
Next, I hired him to tear down and build a whole new front entrance, including a new front door. The real tricky part is that my home was built in 1894 and nothing is straight after 120 years but again, he rose to the challenge and even exceeded my expectations.
I recommend Celio as a contractor without reservations and am so glad I found him. I had worked with 2 other contractors before finding Celio and they were fine but Celio is different. Once you become a client of his he will go out of his way to make sure you are happy with the product and he even checks on work done by sub-contractors he uses before he will let you pay them. Trust me, this guy is special – and no, I am not related to him. I am gladly writing this review for him because hard working, talented, honest people deserve to be known. I just hope he does not get too busy to do my bathroom remodel later this year.
— Yvette Groszmann, Cambridge, MA
“I have known Celio for over ten years, at first when he was a major member of the finest construction crew that worked on my architectural office’s designs. That crew was the most desirable crew to work with. It was a sad loss when the principal passed away, but a year later Celio initiated his own company.
Celio became my most valued contractor for all the reasons we choose someone to work on our homes. He understood the scope of the projects; submitted accurate and reasonable estimates; was totally insured and equipped with all necessary tools; and projects were done well, on schedule, and within the bid price. All of my clients were very happy with his professional attitude, his aesthetic decisions and his carpentry skill. Before I left Cambridge, he made my own house whole and ready for market.
Now I am living in California and working on a few properties. I have had to hire contractors and sorely wish I could find a contractor of his standing.
— Peter Wright, Peter Wright Studios, formerly Cambridge, MA
At the end of a project most people are relieved to say goodbye to the disruption and to the general contractor. Yes, I was happy to see the disruption in the rear view mirror, but to tell the truth, when all was said and done, my wife and I missed seeing Celio, day to day. He was always a welcome sight. Celio is a man good to his word and one never needed remind him of his word. His craftsmanship is a matter of pride. I am a detail oriented person and it became clear to me early in the project that I needn’t worry about the quality of the work nor the rightness of the solution to any of the many problems that crop up in an old house during a major kitchen and bathroom renovation. He always asked my opinion when the solution was a matter of personal taste, otherwise he solved problems and took care of work at hand. He knew what such a job entailed and his planning, organization, good taste and good nature showed that. Celio’s crew was dependable as clock work. In their hands the job was never delayed. When from time to time things went wrong, the focus was on a worthy solution, never on blame. I would ask Celio Alves back to my home again in a heartbeat, for work or just to visit.
— Russ Windman, Cambridge, Massachusetts
We were extremely pleased with the work done at our home on September 15, 2022. Celio did a beautiful job installing a wooden bannister on our basement staircase. He always made sure to ask for our preferences before moving ahead with any aspects of the job that entailed design decisions, so that we would be satisfied with the outcome. He was very reliable and organized, arrived when he promised, finished the work in less than a day, and left no mess. We would definitely engage his company for other projects and will recommend him to friends and neighbors.— Elliot and Barbara Lebowitz, Brookline MA