Charlie Allen Renovations

Charlie Allen Renovations has been putting its name on Cambridge's most complicated old-house problems for a long time — the company says it started in 1978, and it has stuck to a narrow, consistent focus ever since: taking Greek Revival, Victorian, and Colonial homes across the Greater Boston area and rebuilding them for modern living without losing what made them period houses in the first place. That focus is what other people have noticed too. Harvard Magazine profiled its founder's approach to historic restoration, the Central Square Business Improvement District spotlighted the firm as a decades-old neighborhood fixture, and the company has picked up 15 Cambridge and Somerville Preservation Awards plus 5 Contractor of the Year honors along the way. It's also a PRO New England Gold Award winner and lists NARI Certified Remodeler, NARI Green Remodeler, and NAHB Aging in Place Specialist credentials on its Houzz profile. The paperwork backs up the reputation. Its Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor license (#197942) is active per the state registry, and it has held BBB accreditation with an A+ rating since 2019. Google shows a perfect 5 stars, and so does Houzz — though those scores come from just 2 and 9 ratings respectively, with no written review text to actually read through. For a company this established, that's a thin trail; the awards and press coverage carry more weight here than the star counts alone do. One thing worth clarifying before signing anything: Houzz lists a separate license number (#108605) that doesn't match the state-verified HIC license or the OPSI/HIC number on file with the BBB. It's worth asking which registration actually applies to your project. Charlie Allen Renovations reads like the right call for a period-home renovation in Cambridge or the surrounding towns — the kind of job where nobody wants a contractor who doesn't understand old construction. Just don't expect a deep bench of recent, written customer reviews to lean on; ask for current references and confirm the licensing details before booking.