Historic home restoration has been Tom Turcketta’s passion for nearly 50 years. He grew up in a family of carpenters — his father and older brother were builders — and he was drawn to historic restoration because of his attention to detail and his love of the past.
A Lifetime Passion for the Craft
“It was kind of in my blood,” he says. “I don’t recall ever seriously wanting to do anything else. I was always getting into trouble for playing with my dad’s hand tools and drilling holes in things that he did not want holes in. I like to joke with guys in the trade that I carried more staging and planks for my dad by the time I was 16-years-old than they have in their whole career.”
He first took tools in hand at age 14 when he designed and built a neighborhood clubhouse that included a wood-burning stove he built from a 25-gallon drum. His first real job came one year later as a carpenter’s helper, and he later served as a company carpenter after joining the Army at 17. Following military service, he began building additions and remodeling kitchens with his brother, who is 16 years older.
Becoming a Master Carpenter
In 1975, Tom attended carpentry and cabinet-making course for 14 months and then transferred to the furniture making course at North Bennett Street Industrial School in Boston, where he studied advanced carpentry and furniture-making.
“I learned how to fine-tune my skills, and how to sharpen, use and respect my hand tools, which are an extension of my hands,” Tom says. “I learned how to draw my projects out and think them through.”
That ignited his interest in antique furniture and architecture, which led to him to working on historic home restorations for two decades, before moving to Brewster in 1997.
Tom and his experienced team of custom cabinet-makers, skilled woodworkers and craftsmen have worked on numerous large-scale projects over this time. Today, around 80 percent of his work is on historic home restorations and preservation.
My ambition was to do historic restoration and to become a master at my craft. It is said that success is where your heart is. Money was never my bottom line.
I have always loved and respected my trade and have been blessed to do so many quality projects and service the people I have worked for.
Reputation is Everything
The quality of our work is illustrated by an extensive client base that was built on repeat customer service. “I like to tell new clients that they will not need to give me a punch list at the end of the job because everything will be completed,” Tom says.
“We will treat you and your property with respect, try to satisfy your needs, pay attention to all the details and make your dreams a reality. We are trustworthy, reliable, organized and clean.”
Whether working on historic home restorations, kitchen and bath remodeling, designing custom cabinets or producing old house renovations, Tom’s dedicated attention to detail, his passion for high quality work and the love of his trade have made him a master at his craft.
