Local business · Acton, MALocal business · 358 Great Rd, Acton, MA 01720, USA
Verified record
Typical Greater Boston range for this kind of work, from regional averages — not a quote from Thomas Buckborough & Associates. Use it to sanity-check bids, then get the real number in writing.
Cabinets are roughly 30% of a kitchen budget.
Estimated range
$23,000 – $35,000
Typical kitchen remodel around $29,000
Four words show up in review after review of Thomas Buckborough & Associates: on time, on budget. That is not what homeowners usually get to say about a gut renovation, and it appears in accounts of a finished basement, a two-story addition, a kitchen, and a whole first floor. TBA is a design-build firm on Great Road in Acton — design and construction management under one roof — and the company says Thomas Buckborough started it in 1988 and still runs it, working across Acton, Concord, Lexington, Carlisle, Sudbury, Weston and the towns around them. Google shows a straight 5.0 across 19 ratings. The reviews that carry the most weight are the ones describing hard problems. A September 2025 client detailed a two-story addition in Concord — master suite, full kitchen, family bath, laundry and dining room with all the mechanicals — and credited transparent budgeting. In an October 2025 review a homeowner had the entire first floor redone: kitchen, three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a living room in an old house with a stifling layout. A May 2023 reviewer wanted a cramped, dark kitchen opened up, which meant pulling a chimney out of the house. And in a November 2022 account, a small kitchen was expanded without changing its footprint, gaining a vaulted ceiling with skylights. Repeat business runs all through the reviews. An April 2024 reviewer said they first hired him in 1995 and have done at least five projects since; a February 2024 reviewer listed three — a finished basement, a replaced deck, and insulation and storage in the garage. Named lead carpenters, Jon and Paul, get credited by name. There is one clear counterweight, and it is about process rather than craft. A reviewer on the firm's BBB page wrote that after they initiated and paid for a feasibility study, the owner stopped returning their calls and emails part-way through. That account carries no date, so it can't be placed in time, but it is the single dissenting voice on file and it concerns the very front of the relationship. BBB shows an A+ letter grade; the firm is not accredited. For a substantial, design-heavy remodel in the Acton-Concord-Lexington corridor, what past clients describe is deep and unusually consistent. Pin down the feasibility and design phase in writing — what it costs, what it produces, and what happens if you decide not to build — and the rest of what customers describe should follow.
“We used [Thomas Buckborough](http://www.tbadesigns.com) and liked working with them on our design build project.”
“I wanted a home remodeling job completed in a specific window of time before moving into our new house, and Thomas delivered exactly what I wanted on time and on budget. He took care of all project coordination with electrical and flooring subcontractors as well as the building inspector. I am very pleased with the quality of the work that was done!”
“Thomas Buckborough of Thomas Buckborough & Associates in Acton, Massachusetts, used Geode’s Spoke, in three colors”
“Regional Winner Thomas Buckborough & Associates, Acton, Mass.”
“Industry Associations: NARI, NKBAProfessional Designation: CR”
“Site Plan Special Permit, #06/24/2024-492, AHC, Inc. & Thomas”
Thomas Buckborough is by far the best contractor I have dealt with. He does high quality work for a reasonable price. And you can trust him. He is great at the start of a project, identifying the key choices and giving advice. And then he follows through to make sure everything works out as planned. He has redesigned and rebuilt my kitchen and my bathrooms. I highly recommend him and look forward to working with him again.
We had the entire first floor of our house remodeled by Thomas and it turned out excellent. This included a kitchen, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a living room. The original house was pretty old and the layout was stifling. From the very beginning Thomas took a look at our house and knew exactly what to do. We had never done a project like this before and Thomas helped up through all the design choices. He's got a great eye and his chances were the choices he suggested were the ones we went with. His crew were top notch and the workmanship was all impeccable. I'm definitely glad we chose TBA for our remodel.
We worked with TBA on a significant renovation comprising a 2-story addition, including a master-suite, full kitchen renovation, family bath, laundry room and dining room and all the associated mechanicals and finishes in Concord MA. Thomas offers comprehensive, one-stop design-build services. Timeless, livable design that suited our family needs now and in the future. Many unique, custom details were incorporated that makes the spaces functional, cohesive, and comfortable. Thomas prepared several initial design plans that we reviewed and tweaked before we started. His budgeting was transparent and we were able to upgrade or downgrade features as we wanted and the impacts to cost were clearly communicated before hand. Changes to scope were also well accommodated while underway. Timeline management was excellent, work progressed at a steady pace and finished on-time. Having Thomas as a single point of contact for all issues, trades, and design was a huge benefit particularly with such a diverse project that spanned structural/engineering, framing, electrical, plumbing, fine carpentry, siding, roofing, flooring, paint etc. If we had a question, issue, change - we had only one person to talk to and Thomas made it right. Thomas used quality materials with high-end finishes offering value for dollar. TBA not only renovated our house, they created our forever home.
We are very happy with our newly finished basement and excited about how it looks. Now, all we have to do is change the rest of the house. :-) It was a pleasure to work with Thomas. To summarize our experience: on time, on budget, quality work, excellent communication, great design, and finally—a great value for the money. Home renovation is scary. You hear about all the bad experiences people have had, and in our busy lives, who has the time to chase general contractors? With Thomas, you don’t just get a general contractor who makes sure the work gets done on time and within budget, but also someone who has an eye for design, cares about the quality of work, and takes pride in the finished product. We highly recommend Thomas Buckborough & Associates.
A great team to work with on a renovation project. From the design process, to the team on site daily during construction, to the punch list, everything was professional and kept the project on time, and no budget surprises. We loved the attention to detail and receiving a high quality and functional living space that we will enjoy for years to come.
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Added 58 new photos, established rating 4.0