Our Story - Gilman Guidelli and Bellow

History

A history of integrity and quality craftsmanship

Gilman, Guidelli & Bellow started as Gilman & Guidelli, Inc. in1990, when Rick Guidelli & Gary Gilman joined together to take on small custom carpentry and renovation projects, with a millwork shop in Rick’s basement and a beat-up red pick-up.

We quickly built a reputation for the quality of our workmanship, our integrity, and our skills in managing complicated projects. As the business grew, we focused on finding people who shared our work ethic, and our conviction that courtesy, respect, and collaboration make for happy clients, successful projects, and a rewarding, enjoyable workplace.

Doug Bellow shared that vision, joining the firm as a carpenter in 1991, and becoming a partner in 2004. Over the years, the three partners have brought more than 25 like-minded people on board, from carpenters and interior designers to managers, architects, and job site dogs.

We have expanded our shop and offices to match the breadth and complexity of our projects. For many years, we made our home in a number of industrial buildings in Somerville, most recently we moved our offices and shop to Newton. Our projects are as far North as Marblehead and as far south as Connecticut, though most of our work centers on Boston and Metro-West. To date, we have worked in dozens of cities and towns in Massachusetts, for hundreds of different clients and architects.

Philosophy

Relationships are at the center of our philosophy

At GGB, we value partnership, honesty, and integrity, and we believe as much in creating a positive process as we do a highly polished product. The success of a project depends on the careful maintenance of the relationships involved. Throughout a complicated construction sequence, there can be hundreds of participants, each very important to the final result.

The most important of these relationships is the three-way partnership between the client, architect & builder. Each party needs to be well informed, well-intentioned and responsive for a project to succeed. We provide and request an open, detailed, and honest approach to communication. We value the participation of every individual who engages in a project.

We have developed a staff committed to doing excellent work, and committed to creating a positive working environment. Many of our employees have been with us for upwards of 20 years. We have a varied team of trade partners on whom we depend for expertise and support. On each project we try to tailor the needs of the client and the job to the team who will be executing the work.

Communication

Clear communication, no surprises

At GGB, we take responsibility for, and pride in, every aspect of our projects. We actively manage our projects and assemble a management team appropriate for the size and complexity of the project. We provide workflow schedules and very detailed budgets, and we review progress against them frequently.

Each project is assigned an office-based project manager, who serves as the clients’ primary contact for questions, budgets, invoices, and schedules. Additionally, each project has a site-based supervisor who is responsible for all day-to-day activities, managing the staff and subs, and maintaining quality.

Environmental Stewardship

Environmentally and budget-friendly

We also believe in taking responsibility for the world around us. On construction sites, there are many ways to limit the negative impact of our activities on the environment. These can range from the use of local or recycled materials to intelligent engineering, to managing air quality.

We are also committed to cost-effective environmental design. GGB has experience in a variety of sustainable building and system practices in the residential market, ranging from passive solar gain, water conservation and reuse, to solar panels and geothermal heating and cooling, as well as the most cost-effective step in environmental design — the building envelope. We can consult with you on the value and cost structure of a wide range of these conservation strategies.

Giving Back

A commitment to our staff and community

As employers, we believe it’s vital to provide career growth. We take training and professional development seriously and encourage our staff to become experts in their trade.

As business owners, we use our skills to provide low-cost or pro-bono services to non-profit organizations in our community including: