Bruce  Irving, TV Producer of “This Old House”

Ever since we featured the restored Stratton Tavern on the show, we at “This Old House” have been admirers of the work of Brian Cooper and Early New England Restorations. Their mission is the same as ours: to preserve  the best of our country's architectural heritage by carefully and thoughtfully  giving fine old structures a new lease on life.

Calvin Klein, Fashion Designer

I have retained Brian Cooper and Early New England Restorations for over 15 years and they have done exemplary work.

The first project was the procurement and installation of 10,000 s.f. of 250-year-old wide-pine flooring in my home in East Hampton. They hand finished the floors to a beautiful chocolate brown, using all non-toxic natural finishes. This element gave me exactly the look and feel I requested.

Brian also restored the ancient boathouse on the edge of the salt pond. With his abundant knowledge of wood and wooden structures, they brought this wonderful old building back to life, without compromising its natural beauty and sense of antiquity.

 Brian was able to locate  full-length old growth planks for the rebuilding of the maindeck, which  sits out over the water. The chimney/fireplace is now fully usable and looks like it has always been there. This boathouse will be enjoyed for  generations.

 Brian and his team have been very helpful in solving a multitude of problems on the main house. They've resolved issues relating to ventilation, flashing, dry rot, heating, humidification,  painting and many maintance issues that had previously been difficult  to resolve. Brian's architectural millwork shop, Deschenes & Cooper,  milled all of the replacement doors, moldings and column bases, which  were previously rotted; they used the best materials for the finest results.

 Brian is also very reliable,  showing up in a timely fashion and staying until work is completed.

Calvin Klein
June 11, 2004

Edward  J. Safdie, Old House Owner & Developer                         Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa

     Brian Cooper is what every home owner dreams of having in a contractor—someone who comes in and systematically organizes a job, pays attention to detail, and gets it done in the shortest amount of time, without cutting corners or short changing on authenticity. That's what he did in the restoration of my 18th century French-style house and attached Orangerie in Deep River.  He is also as committed to durability as he is to historic accuracy. Whatever he works on, he builds to last for 200 years to come. I'm a developer across the US and Europe, and if I could have anyone work on my projects, it would be Brian. He's the contractor's contractor, especially in his personal dealings. He's at the top of my list. If there were a contractor's  hall of fame, he'd be the first inductee.

Ned  Leeming, Owner of 1710 Harvard House

Of the many benefits of employing Early New England Restorations are the  comfort and confidence which comes from realizing that you are working  with people who, not from an academic source, but from a first hand, practical  experience with the tools, materials and techniques of the ancient craftsmen,  know that final result ultimately is not merely a superficial resemblance to the authentic, but has been achieved through painstaking application of time-honored principles and practices. The result is premier quality workmanship rendered in authentic methods yet sensitively modulated to accommodate modern materials and construction technologies.

Daryl  Hall, American Singer/Songwriter
 

“Brian  did a tremendous restoration job on the frame of the house I restored.  He has a great knowledge of historic house renovation and restoration,  along with that knowledge comes a great team of craftsmen working with him.”

Marta  Daniels, Old House Owner, Chester, CT

Everything Brian Cooper did on my house was “by the book,” and exacting  in its replication or replacement of period materials, whether it was  the large oak joists, the hand-planed drip boards, the casement windows  and moldings, or the 18th century balast bricks for the beehive oven reconstructions.  What I realized during and after the work was completed was that I had chosen a really well-run, cohesive company whose experienced band of carpenters accurately and beautifully restored an old house at cost-effective prices.  Brian Cooper's vast knowledge, enthusiasm, commitment to excellence, attention to detail and follow-through on every thing he had promised, was stunning.  And the fair price was even more stunning. I recommend this historic house  restorer without hesitation.

Kirsten  Dawson - Repeat Client

Early New England Restorations (ENER) is head and shoulders above their competition.  They are a design build company that compares to no other. They combine  artistry, history and intellect all in one.

It has been my pleasure to have had the opportunity to work with ENER  on two different occasions. Our first project with ENER restoring a relocated  18th barn. Clearly we were happy with them, as they rebuilt the majority  of our 1726 home in Massachusetts three years later.

On both occasions ENER was a wonderful company to work with. Brian Cooper’s  breadth of knowledge of 17th- and 18th-century structures is astounding.  Each and every member of their team is knowledgeable, professional and  courteous and passionate about their craft.

We have called ENER on a number of occasions outside of our building projects.  Brian is always quick to respond with information that might otherwise  take a long time to research. ENER has always been happy to assist us  with our questions or ideas even well after our projects were completed.

We have known Brian Cooper and ENER for over 9 years, I can honestly say  he is a joy to work with. I have no reservations recommending him to anyone.