Embracing change as they write their next chapter, a couple builds their dream home.

Any new construction project comes with the usual set of challenges; among them are delays, fluctuating costs, budget issues, labor shortages, acquiring permits, and the endless decisions that must be made by all the parties involved—just to name a few. The Pratt family was decidedly ready to tackle these in order to build their dream home but what they weren’t ready for was something that would multiply these challenges two-fold: a pandemic. “I wouldn’t recommend it going forward!” homeowner Claire Pratt can say now with a chuckle. 

Pratt had watched her parents struggle with a home that wasn’t conducive to aging-in-place, which really struck a chord with her. Thoughtful consideration for the future became a goal for her family’s next residence. The place they had called home for 22 years was a traditional colonial that would have proven difficult to remodel, so with the help of a friend, who was also a real estate agent, they began to search for land upon which to build their dream home. She says, “We don’t need first floor living now but at some point, we may. We weren’t looking to downsize, but rather reconfigure.” Their search brought them to an area of Marstons Mills they weren’t familiar with, but decided, “If we were going to make a move, we wanted it to be different.”