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Typical Greater Boston range for this kind of work, from regional averages — not a quote from Cradle Carpentry, LLC.. Use it to sanity-check bids, then get the real number in writing.
A typical single-level deck is 12×16 — about 200 sq ft.
Estimated range
$7,750 – $14,500
Typical carpentry project around $11,100
Spenser runs Cradle Carpentry out of Arlington, holding an active Massachusetts home improvement contractor registration and specializing in custom built-ins, cabinetry, furniture repair, and historic restoration for older New England homes from metro Boston to the North Shore. The reviews describe a wide range of custom carpentry, almost all from the past year: a built-in dining room bench and a dry bar with glass-front shelving, floating kitchen shelves that drew repeated compliments, a cramped coat closet turned into a full pantry, wainscoting and crown molding alongside a kitchen cabinet rebuild others reportedly wouldn't take on, and a full-house door replacement kept on schedule with clear communication throughout. One client has hired Spenser repeatedly over several years, starting with a custom picture frame and returning for project after project. One thing to know: a 2026 review from someone who requested a quote for a linen cabinet said they ultimately didn't proceed, after being told to expect a long wait due to peak-season demand — though the same review credited Spenser with answering quickly and communicating clearly about the delay. For custom built-ins, shelving, trim work, or carpentry on an older New England home around Arlington and metro Boston, this is a licensed specialist with consistently detailed praise — worth asking about current lead times given the peak-season backlog one customer described.
We recently reached out to Spenser asking for a quote for a linen cabinet, but eventually decided not to proceed with the company. Pros: - Spenser answered our call right away, and warned us the long wait time on a quote due to peak season work arrangements. - He was also responsive to emails, which he acknowledged receiving the rough drawings within 48 hours. Cons: - The quote is overly simplistic: 2 items: cost of materials and delivery, plus cost of installation. While the wait is understandable, the lack of details is not what we have expected. - The quote is 50% - 100% higher than other quotes we have received, adjusting for materials. In the end, we did not proceed with this company. If you are after their craftsmanship, please refer to their past customer reviews. For us, the quote prevented us from moving forward.
We hired Spenser to build/install several pieces for our home, and we couldn’t be happier with the results. Spenser created a built‑in bench for our dining room and designed/installed a dry bar with open glass‑front shelving that perfectly displays and stores our extra glasses. He also built and installed a wood shelf below a mounted TV for storage and installed a wall mounted shoe organizer—both incredibly functional and met the needs of our family. Throughout the entire project, Spenser was easy to communicate with, offered fair and transparent pricing, and delivered excellent workmanship. His attention to detail and professionalism was exactly what we were looking for. We highly recommend Spenser for any custom carpentry or home improvement projects!
Spenser was incredible to work with. He communicated effectively every step of the way, listened to what we wanted, then made thoughtful practical suggestions based on his experience. The end result was beautiful! I can’t wait to work with Spenser again and would highly recommend him to everyone! Before, middle, and end photos included!
What was once a tiny coat closet and unnecessarily large bathroom closet turned into the pantry of my dreams! All I knew was I needed more kitchen space and Spenser came in with all the ideas to make it what I couldn’t have even imagined. It’s functional and looks stylish. On top of that, Spenser was easy to communicate with and timely which is a huge plus on projects like this. We can’t wait to have him come do more projects in the future.
We had a great experience working with Spenser and Cradle Carpentry on a full-house door replacement. He was extremely responsive, kept the project on schedule, and communicated clearly throughout. His woodworking skills and attention to detail were outstanding, especially when solving a tricky bathroom split-door situation. Spenser was very knowledgeable about door styles and wood types and installed a custom bathroom door that fit our needs perfectly. After trying for a while to find the right solution, we couldn’t be happier with the result. Pricing was fair and transparent, the craftsmanship was excellent, and we highly recommend Cradle Carpentry.
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Established 4.2 rating
Multi-trade basement finishes4.9
Stalled-job rescue3.6
Public-works portfolio2.6