Verified record
Typical Greater Boston range for this kind of work, from regional averages — not a quote from Achieve Renewable Energy, LLC. Use it to sanity-check bids, then get the real number in writing.
Estimated range
$5,000 – $11,400
Typical HVAC project around $8,200
Achieve Renewable Energy is a geothermal heating and cooling contractor that describes itself as Salem-based, and in a 2022 review a customer said it had nearly finished installing a geothermal HVAC and domestic hot water system in their 1970s-era raised ranch in Framingham. That 2022 customer said the process included a full home energy audit and a Manual-J analysis, and that Achieve brought in drilling, electric and ducting subcontractors. The company says it designs, installs and maintains ground-source heat pump systems for homes and businesses in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and southern New Hampshire, and a news item on its site names Larry Lessard as president. In a 2023 review, a customer said they had had their system for nearly 4 years and that it performed better than expected. Achieve holds an A+ grade from the Better Business Bureau and is BBB accredited; Google shows 3.7 stars from 7 ratings. In a 2025 review, a customer who signed a $60,000-plus contract through the HeatSmart program of Concord, Carlisle and Lincoln said the geothermal system increased their heating costs instead of lowering them. That 2025 customer listed messages ignored for days or weeks, an open trench left across the driveway for a week, electrical work that failed inspection and was never corrected, repeated billing for money they did not owe, and far less return air ductwork than supply air ductwork, with no sheet metal permit obtained. The same 2025 reviewer said director Larry Lessard blamed the excess electricity use on the house being drafty, and that the town's Building Commissioner inspected the work in 2019 and sent Achieve a cease and desist order that applied to the entire town. A 2025 customer said Achieve installed their geothermal system, but when they called twice for a repair no one called back, and they hired another company to maintain and repair it. A 2023 r/geothermal commenter said Achieve ghosted them and then said it could not even consult until April or May, putting an install way out.
“Achieve ghosted me and then said they couldn't even consult until April/May, putting an install way out.”
“Achieve Renewable installed geothermal systems that delivered significant energy savings and reliable performance for customers in the Boston area, with two clients reporting monthly savings around $300”
Achieve Renewable Energy created a financial disaster for us and wasted countless hours of my time addressing their sloppy work. Their $60,000+ contract we signed in the first half of 2018 via the towns of Concord, Carlisle, and Lincoln's HeatSmart program promised their geothermal heating and cooling system would dramatically decrease our home's heating and cooling costs. But in addition to our discovering that the system has instead increased our heating costs, we have also had to endure: • My messages ignored for days or weeks at a time. • Achieve Renewable Energy leaving a dangerous open trench across our driveway for a week despite their previously stating in writing they must not leave the trench open. • My discovering that their electrical work failed inspection several months ago and they never corrected it or informed me of that. • Achieve Renewable Energy billing us several times for money we did not owe them despite my repeatedly correcting them. • Their leaving our system with far less return air ductwork than supply air ductwork. (And they never obtained the sheet metal permit required by MA law for that duct work.) When I informed Achieve Renewable Energy's director Larry Lessard that his geothermal system was using way too much electricity to heat our home his excuse was that our house was drafty. (The same house he himself examined before writing the proposal and contract for our project!) The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center paid Achieve Renewable Energy a grant of over $14,000 to install this supposedly highly efficient geothermal system in our home. Yet Achieve Renewable Energy's design and installation was so poor that the system hasn't met the Clean Energy Center's published minimum requirements for system performance! After our town's Building Commissioner inspected Achieve Renewable Energy's botched work at our home in March 2019, he promptly sent them a cease and desist order by certified mail. And it wasn't just a cease and desist order applying to work at our home. He was so concerned by their work that he applied the cease and desist order to the entire town!
I am extremely disappointed with this company. They don't return phone calls. They installed my geo thermal system and when I called twice to have a repair person to get the system fixed, no one called me back. If this was the middle of winter, I would be even more upset. Are they even in business??? I have called another company to maintain and repair system.
We have had our system for nearly 4 years and could not be happier with Larry and Achieve Renewable. They are a great company, stand by their product, and are happy to help and answer any issues that may arise. The system performed better than expected and we would hire Larry and his team in a second.
Achieve has nearly completed installing a geothermal HVAC & domestic hot water system in my 1970s era raised ranch in Framingham. The system is already operational; just waiting on the baffles to separate the zones. I have been consistently impressed by the high level of expertise and professionalism exhibited by everyone on their team, as well as the drilling, electric and ducting sub-contractors they have brought in. Their process involves a full home energy audit and Manual-J analysis to determine the home's heating needs. The level of detail in their proposal document was very impressive! Most importantly, they have been great about making sure I understood and felt comfortable with all the decisions throughout the process. In the end I have a HVAC system that I am confident will keep my family comfortable through the worst of the winter and summer while using surprisingly little electricity. Very glad I went with Achieve!
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2 changes recorded — last scanned Jul 2, 2026.
Old-house experience5.0
Verified license5.0
Fast emergency response4.7