Canova Construction

Canova Construction's own account of itself is unusual for a small Marblehead builder: Joseph Canova started it in 1982 renovating investment properties and building spec houses, then moved into building industrial facilities for the F.W. Webb companies before turning back to North Shore homes. It describes itself now as a small company doing renovation, condominium work, historical renovation, additions and small new builds — often stripping a house back to its structural frame and rebuilding. The permit trail backs the remodeling side up. BuildZoom shows 22 permitted projects, weighted toward Marblehead kitchen, bathroom and multi-room remodels with a typical permit value near $84,000, and a handful of older Boston and Beverly jobs. What there is almost none of is customer voice. Google shows 5 stars from two ratings; one from February 2025 praised quality work with an eye for design and projects finishing on time, and the other, from April 2024, reads in full: 'Very good.' Houzz says plainly it has no reviews yet. Two things to raise directly before hiring. BuildZoom lists two different Massachusetts home improvement contractor registrations for Joseph Canova — one it reports as active as of July 2026, and a second, #116274, that it records as inactive and at one point cancelled. Neither was confirmed against the state registry here, so ask which number is current and check it yourself with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. Tenure is also stated two ways: the company says 1982 on Houzz, while BuildZoom's blurb credits 22 years of experience. For a gut renovation or an addition on an older Marblehead house, the permit history is real and the stated specialism — matching new work into old structure — fits the housing stock. Just go in expecting to do your own diligence: ask for recent client references you can call, get the current registration number in writing, and confirm the insurance certificate before demolition starts.