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Juniper Design + Build is a Portland, Maine builder that describes itself on Houzz as majority women-owned. On its website the company says it designs and builds homes with a focus on energy efficiency and green construction, and it claims six years in business. A finehomebuilding.com podcast page names Heather Thompson and Mark Pollard as its owners. A 2024 customer said Juniper renovated their cottage on Peaks Island to make it more functional without losing its character. That 2024 customer said Heather and Rachel were approachable, and that a project portal with meetings, updates and pictures kept them in the loop when they weren't local. A 2022 customer said Juniper built a companion structure on their family's island property, managing multiple change orders and lot line adjustments along the way. A 2022 customer said Heather and Mark were with them from purchasing their land through move-in on a Net Zero, humidity-critical design, and that they later asked Juniper to build a studio/guest house. A 2022 customer who built a house with Juniper said they were included as co-collaborators from beginning to end. A 2022 customer said the team arranged biweekly meetings and that its knowledge of the permitting process helped them receive a timely permit. The 2024 cottage customer said the job ran over the quoted cost and took longer than anticipated, partly because of additional work they requested, and extended into the summer. That 2024 customer advised not scheduling movers until the final sign-off.
Typical your area range for this kind of work, from regional averages — not a quote from Juniper Design + Build. Use it to sanity-check bids, then get the real number in writing.
Estimated range
$23,000 – $35,000
Typical remodeling project around $29,000
“Location: Peaks Island, Maine Architect: Kaplan Thompson Architects, kaplanthompson.com Builder: Juniper Design Build, juniperdesignbuild.com”
“In this Pro-Talk podcast FHB contributor Ian Schwandt talks to Heather Thompson and Mark Pollard, Owners of Juniper Design Build.”
We hired Juniper to renovate our cottage on Peaks Island. We wanted a more functional space but did not want to lose the character of our cottage. They came and spent time with us in the space, talking about possibilities for updates and redesigns. Heather and Rachel are approachable and easygoing. That set the tone for all our communication with Juniper. Throughout the work they were transparent, responsive, and available to talk through any questions or concerns. They have a great “project portal” and were consistent with meetings and project updates/pictures to keep us in the loop when we weren't local. We are incredibly impressed with the standard of Juniper's work. Their attention to detail and craftsmanship are phenomenal, and the whole crew is friendly, professional, and committed to quality. Dudley and crew were punctual, focused and friendly - even helped an older neighbor of ours who asked them to open a jar for her! It's great to feel that the people who are working on your house are really invested in your home. There were a couple of things that weren't perfect. For one, we ran over on cost. It seems most contractors do, and given the quality of what we got (and the transparency along the way) it wasn't a deal-breaker for us but there was an above quoted overage. It was also challenging to that the project took longer than anticipated (although one factor was additional work we requested) and extended into the summer when we had thought we would be done by the mid/end of May. We had stored our furniture/belongings so we had to extend that contract and bump out movers as a result. The above points being noted, in the end we absolutely love how everything came out — which is the most important factor to us. Juniper has assembled a superbly talented team that is not only great to deal with but also does fantastic work. Countless times since the work was completed we have said “everything just came out so amazing” and we really “feel” the quality of the work. We have, and will continue, to recommend Juniper to anyone considering a home renovation. Just don’t schedule the movers until you get that final sign-off ;) PS. The columns had to cure before Juniper could paint them…just don’t have an updated photo :)
We own a small cottage on a seasonal island, where our family has been for generations. When we needed more space, we hired Juniper to build a companion structure on the same property. So in addition to the usual construction challenges, this project also had the complexities of an island location, a range of expectations and ideas from a multi-generation family group, the pressure of trying creating a next-chapter legacy for the property, and working in a small island community with a long history. Juniper handled it all with patience and respect: they understood the family and community dynamics, worked through quirky design requirements, managed multiple change orders and lot line adjusments, and handled the challenging island location. They were our partners in getting through all these complications, and our appreciation extends to the whole crew. They are phenomenal craftspeople, noticed by the many neighbors who stopped by to chat and peek. Everything is built with care and skill, and feels really special. Here's the note I sent them after the job was done: "First night in the new house. Dream realized. Everything on my list is checked, right down to the big on/off switch on the water heater (you remembered from two years ago!!). Amazing. Thank you so much.
We had Heather and Mark with us from purchasing our land through move-in. Our award-winning project was a complicated Net Zero, humidity-critical design that was executed flawlessly. Their craftsmanship and concern for our project made our house perfect for us-- we were kept informed of all aesthetic and budget decisions, and treated with respect, kindness and honesty throughout. Because it all went so well, we decided to ask them to build an ancillary building-- a studio/guest house. Best recommendation we can give: we did use them again!!!
Juniper is incredible. You always hear that building a house is super-stressful, but Juniper made it as smooth as it could possibly be. Their approach is just so different. They listened carefully and included us as co-collaborators from beginning to end. And that includes the whole crew: respectful, capable, talented — the kind of people you can entrust with something so important. (Even our neighbors have said they'll miss having the crew around — they're that great.) And we love our new house! Thank you Juniper for making this process such a good one!
We had such a tremendous experience with Juniper Design + Build and wanted to share it. From the early planning stages of the project and throughout the construction phase, communication with the team was extraordinary. The entire Juniper crew communicated with us regularly and checked in regarding decisions and considerations throughout the project to make sure that we were part of the process. The team arranged biweekly meetings with us to ensure that the project was moving along and to keep all team members apprised of updates and timelines. The entire crew was conscientious and professional, and they were committed to finishing the project in a timely and responsible manner. It was clear that Juniper was well established and respected in the design and construction field. Their organization came highly recommended to us and they were well connected with subcontractors and suppliers in the area. Despite global supply-chain issues, Juniper’s careful planning and strong relationships enabled our project to run smoothly without disrupting construction progress. Juniper does beautiful work. Their design team spent time with us to come up with a design that integrated our ideas with their thoughts and expertise that resulted in an incredible final product. Their knowledge of the permitting process ensured that all proper considerations were made and necessary documents were submitted to avoid any snags and receive a timely permit. Our house is a true work of art; a masterpiece. We would recommend Juniper to anyone who is looking for contractors who do exceptional work, have strong communication and team building skills, and leave you with a wonderful product that can be enjoyed for many years to come.
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Certified attributes are verified against the public registry. Others are the business's own statement.
1 change recorded — last scanned Oct 4, 2026.