About
Phil and Sugar Timpane
History
Timpane Construction, located on Bridlepath Lane in Great Barrington, Mass., is a versatile general contracting company, owned and operated by Phil and Sugar Timpane, specializing in residential construction and select commercial work. Originating as a Berkshire family business in 1977, the crew has grown from two brothers engaged primarily in remodeling and addition projects, to include a second generation of Timpanes, along with a complement of local craftsmen-and-women. Together we have completed over twenty Builder-Designed and Architect-Designed new homes in the area, as well as many distinctive renovations and restorations that include traditional, modern-contemporary, and Berkshire Cottage era work.
Philosophy
Our community supports a few select builders who can be trusted to combine the highest level of craftsmanship, a firm grasp of their client’s aesthetic requirements, and the requisite communications skills to insure the full integration of the construction process. We count ourselves in the forefront of that number, as do the architects and clients with whom we have worked over the years. Our approach to building is not limited to the fine detailing and solid construction that can be appreciated with the senses, but encompasses as well a healthy resourcefulness that satisfies the intelligent demands of responsible design. Our company came of age in a climate of developing environmental awareness. While residential construction as a whole struggled to keep up with the necessary changes, we took the lead in building efficient, non-toxic homes that utilized eco-friendly components and emphasized natural finishes in stone and wood. Since then we have maintained our commitment to natural materials that are responsibly sourced and locally supplied when possible, while integrating up-to-date engineered-products and the latest developments in building science and technology. Our projects have incorporated super-insulated tight construction, radiant floor heating, photovoltaic solar installations for near net-zero carbon footprint, as well as both geothermal and air-source heat pumps for heating and cooling.
Contracting
Over the years our firm has developed an adaptable contracting strategy, incorporating various time-tested methods along the way. In the process we have gravitated toward and become adept at managing most of our projects on a Cost-Plus basis. This combines the stability and transparency of a collaboratively developed, itemized budget, with the flexibility and quickness of response that allows clients and designers to adapt and develop a project while maintaining a schedule and containing costs. We also offer Fixed-price contracting, where that is preferred, developing reliable bids in conjunction with well specified plans and documentation.
As with every good builder, the foundation of all our projects is the mutual trust that we strive to earn early-on in our professional relationships. Our goal is to foster a personal-scale construction experience that encourages engagement with our clients or their trusted representatives throughout all phases of a project, promoting in the process a certainty in our commitment to their ongoing and lasting satisfaction.
Press
Berkshire Magazine June 2016: Berkshire Cottage Era Renovation