MacArthur Construction Company

MacArthur Construction Company is a Cambridge, MA design-build firm that specializes in modern, energy-efficient New England homes — new construction, additions and renovations — under founder Duncan MacArthur, who says on the company's site that it has been building and renovating homes since 1985. The written record here runs deep and consistently positive: Houzz shows a 5.0-star average across seven reviews stretching from 2014 to 2023, several from architects who have collaborated with the firm on more than a dozen projects and describe Duncan MacArthur as "a master in his craft" with a genuine commitment to sustainable design. Homeowners echo the same themes — in a 2016 review, one client described how the team handled surprises behind an old house's walls without losing the schedule, and another said they'd hired the firm twice, once for their house and again for a home office, calling the work "amazingly wonderful" both times. The company backs that record with real credentials: a LEED AP Homes designation and PassiveHaus listing on Houzz, and BuildZoom lists active Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor and Construction Supervisor licenses for the company (a few older, inactive licenses from past registrations also show up — ordinary churn, not a red flag). Its BBB profile carries an A+ rating, though the business itself is not BBB-accredited. A 2013 Boston Magazine piece on one of its Grove Street projects, an energy-efficient renovation, gives an outside, journalistic look at the same craftsmanship the reviews describe. Between BuildZoom's permit records and Houzz's project gallery, the company shows a visible footprint of more than 25 completed jobs around Cambridge and nearby towns — full house rebuilds, additions and gut renovations — consistent with a firm that takes on substantial custom projects rather than small repairs. One quirk worth flagging: a 2023 Houzz review thanking "McCarter construction" for paint and trim work appears on this profile. It may be a simple misspelling of MacArthur, or a mismatched review; either way, it's the one piece of the record that doesn't clearly match the rest. For a homeowner planning a serious renovation or new build in the Cambridge area — especially one with an eye toward energy efficiency and design — this is a well-documented, long-running firm with the reviews and credentials to back it up.