Starr Construction Inc. - Phone: 603.444.2563 - Shipping: 285 Lehan Rd. Bethlehem, NH 03574 - Mailing: P.O. Box 164 Littleton, NH 03561
30 years of history in the North Country
The company was incorporated in Alaska in 1977, and reincorporated in New Hampshire in 1982 as Starr Construction, Inc. Operations began with a number of small custom jobs and various remodels and repairs. At that point in time the company was quite literally just a mom and pop organization. By the end of the eighties Starr Construction had transitioned from a young company to an established full service custom builder culminating with an article on a house designed and built by John Starr in Fine Home Building Magazine.
During the nineties, job size and complexity continued to grow. By this point Starr Construction was capable of and happily taking on small-scale custom commercial work. Some notable commercial clients during this period included WREN, Cannon Mountain Ski Area, The Frost Place, Loon Mountain Ski Resort, Stony Brook Motel, White Mountain Mental Health, and Hitchiner Manufacturing Company. Starr Construction also handled some large-scale renovations of low-income housing projects. However, throughout this time the company’s main focus has remained custom home building.
Our business continued to grow and improve until Dec 2003 when John Starr’s National Guard unit, the 197th Field Artillery Brigade of Manchester NH, was called to active duty for a year of service in Iraq. With only a month between notification and reporting for active duty Starr Construction was forced to choose between trying to find someone to fill John’s role at Starr Construction on short notice, or close the doors. He and Maggie ultimately decided to close the doors. This decision was not made lightly, as Starr Construction, at that time, was retaining eight field employees and one office employee, several of whom were key employees with more than ten years with the company, and four to five months worth of work on the books. Our employees stayed with us, finishing up all the various projects and loose ends and effectively self-terminating when the work was done. Our clients projects were completed, the company was put to bed, and we referred all inquiries to our former Construction Manager who went into business for himself with a couple of our former employees. Continuity and service were maintained.
Upon John’s return from Iraq in 2005, he retired from the National Guard (he was 58 at the time, and it was time to retire), and decided to take a little time off. In 2006 he started to take on small jobs on his own and began to rebuild Starr Construction, Inc as a smaller operation, relying more on subcontracting and less on employees. Several of our former employees who had since hung out their own shingle worked for Starr Construction as subcontractors periodically, and our regular stable of specialty subs was still available. In 2008, John and Maggie’s daughter Carol married Zach Baker, and having seen a good bit of the world, began thinking that the life of a small contractor in northern New Hampshire might be pretty good. They expressed an interest in joining Starr Construction after they finished up their commitments in Nicaragua, joined the firm in 2009, and Starr Construction has gone back to an employee based business model.
Over the 29 years we have been here and been in business, the firm has grown, the size and complexity of the projects we can take on has increased. Starr Construction, Inc. has enjoyed working in the community over the years and in many cases developing friendships and bonds beyond the confines of our professional relationships. We look forward to continuing to provide the area with quality contracting work, and excellent service, at a fair price, and to hearing from you as you plan future building projects.
Job History
2010:
Starr Construction comes full circle and is once again growing in a tough economy.
2009:
Sugar Hill, NH: Custom nineteenth century barn renovation
Design: Starr Construction, Inc.
Cost: $150,000
2008:
Work for existing clients
2007- 2006:
Sugar Hill, NH: Large 1800's country home period renovation
Architect: Robert Peabody Brown & Associates, St. Johnsbury, VT
Design: Toy Garfield of Interiors for Living, Easton, NH
Cost: $500,000
Sugar Hill, NH: Addition to home
Design: Starr Construction, Inc.
Cost: $280,000
Franconia, NH: Addition to ski chalet
Design: Starr Construction, Inc.
Cost: $75,000
Bethlehem, NH: Renovations to Colonial Theater
Architect: Vladimir Petkovich, AIA
Cost: $50,000
2005:
Work for existing clients
2004:
Starr Construction suspends operations as John gets called up for service with his National Guard Unit. All jobs on books brought to completion.
2003:
Sugar Hill, NH: Gut/remodel of home
Design: Kathie Lovett, Franconia NH and Starr Construction, Inc.
Cost: $130,000
Bethlehem, NH: Remodel of home
Design: Starr Construction, Inc.
Cost: $75,000
Littleton, NH: Remodel of terrace
Cost: $85,000
2002:
Sugar Hill, NH: Addition to home
Design by Starr Construction, Inc.
Cost: $100,000
Franconia, NH: Addition to homeDesign by owner and Starr Construction, Inc.
Cost: $100,000
2001:
Littleton, NH: Renovations to “The Boulders” estate.
Design by Starr Construction, Inc.
Cost: $500,000
Landaff, NH: Log home.
Design by Northeast Log Home
Cost: (less material from Log Home Co.) $130,000
Bethlehem, NH: 3 level Garage.
Design by Starr Construction, Inc.
Cost: $50,000
Sherwood Manor Project: Renovation of 50 low income apartments.
Architect: Steve Burnell, Burnell, Johnson AIA, Manchester, NH
Owner: Great Bridge Properties, Manchester, NH
Cost: $1,240,000.
Franconia, NH: Custom House
Designer: John D. Starr, Starr Construction, Inc.
Cost: $300,000
2000:
Bethlehem, NH: WREN Project. Renovation of commercial building interior, Main St. Bethlehem.
Architect: Michael Gohl, Hardwick, VT
Owner: Women’s Rural Entrepreneur’s Network, Bethlehem NH
Cost: $150,000
Sugar Hill, NH: Custom Home
Architect: Roy Ward, E.H. Danson and Assoc. St. Johnsbury, VT
Cost: $350,000
1999:
Woodsville, NH: Maple Walnut Project - Complete gut rehab of 4 separate buildings (14 apartment units) in.
Architect: George Hickey, Sanbornton, NH
Owner: AHEAD, Littleton, NH
Cost: $1,000,000
Bethlehem Hebrew Congregation: Significant structural repairs to 100+ year old wood church building, and subsequent building upgrades.
Structural Engineer: Tirey & Assoc. Littleton, NH
Cost: $150,000
1998:
Bethlehem, NH: Custom Home
Design: Starr Construction, Inc.
Cost: $260,000
Franconia, NH: Custom Home
Design by Owner
Cost: $360,000
Franconia, NH: Custom Home
Design: James Walker, Franconia, NH
Cost: $300,000
1997:
Waterford, VT: Custom Home
Architect: Roy Ward, E.H. Danson & Assoc, St Johnsbury, VT
Cost: $203,000
Lincoln, NH: Home Addition.
Architect: Victoria Beech, Beech Linn Design, Cambridge, MA.
Cost: $250,000
Wayside Inn Renovations, Bethlehem, NH: Gut sleeping areas of Wayside Inn and rehab.
Architect: Roy Ward, E.H. Danson & Assoc, St Johnsbury, VT.
Cost: $300,000
Pine Manor Renovations, Bethlehem, NH: Convert 2 large Victorian summer houses into low income apartments. Complete gut rehab.
Architect: Ben Nickerson, Concord VT.
Owner: AHEAD, Littleton, NH.
Cost: $367,000