The New York State Barn Coalition encourages all of those who work on historic buildings to pursue preservation-oriented maintenance strategies and repair techniques. This doesn’t mean that every repair needs to be executed as if it were part of a museum-quality restoration or that one must have specialized education and training to play an active role in barn preservation. On the contrary, with a little research and planning some of the most effective projects can be undertaken on a modest budget by those who are qualified only by virtue of their energy to get a job done and their passion for the building. The topical preservation briefs assembled on the “Barn Preservation” page of this web site may provide a useful starting point for those who want to learn more about historic construction techniques, understand the causes of material deterioration, or begin planning their own rehabilitation effort.
Whether you’re working on a barn as a restoration specialist or an owner, the Barn Coalition recommends following a few important preservation principles known as the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Often referred to as the “Standards” for short, they were developed by the National Park Service (NPS) as an underlying philosophy to guide preservation planning. The Standards recommend maintaining distinctive features, repairing rather than replacing and, when deteriorated beyond repair, replacing historic building fabric with in-kind materials.
Secretary of the Interior’s Standards
- The property shall be used for its historic purpose or be placed in a new use that requires minimal change to the defining characteristics of the building and its site and environment.
- The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The removal of historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall be avoided.
- Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or architectural elements from other buildings, shall not be undertaken.
- Most properties change over time; those changes that have acquired historic significance in their own right shall be retained and preserved.
- Distinctive features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a historic property shall be preserved.
- Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature shall match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features shall be substantiated by documentary, physical, or pictorial evidence.
- Chemical or physical treatments, such as sandblasting, that cause damage to historic materials shall not be used. The surface cleaning of structures, if appropriate, shall be undertaken using the gentlest means possible.
- Significant archeological resources affected by a project shall be protected and preserved. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures shall be undertaken.
- New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment.
- New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.
For those projects that are beyond the capabilities of the average barn owner, the Barn Coalition has assembled a list of professionals organized geographically by county. Some people on this list are specialists in barn restoration; others are general contractors who are capable and willing to work on barns. An individual’s presence on this list does not constitute the Barn Coalition’s endorsement of their experience or skill. Before contacting anyone on the list for help, or beginning a project on your own, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with the Standards by reading the NPS’s Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings. Any consultant or contractor hired should be familiar with the Standards, or at least be willing to employ them. Your own knowledge of the Standards will enable you to interview the contractor and then work with him or her to achieve preservation-oriented results. Barn owners should also note that most state or federal preservation incentives require your project to meet the Standards.
Barn Contractors in New York State
Below is a list where you can find the barn contractor nearest to you. If no contractors are listed in your county, try neighboring counties. The Barn Coalition periodically adds new contractors to this list as they become known to us.
Albany
Minuteman Construction, James Matulewicz
PO Box 183 James Lane
Guilderland Ctr., NY 12085
(518) 861-5363
Allegany
Terry L. Palmiter Design / Build
6127 Hamilton Hill Rd
Alfred Station, NY 14803
(607) 587-8032
Broome
Rick Smith
Box 139A, RD #1
Hancock, NY 13783
(607) 467-3104
Cattaraugus
Leon Buckwalter
3818 Main St.
Hinsdale, NY 14743
(716) 557-8391
M.T. Ellman Construction Company
521 Pine Street, Suite 10
Olean, NY 14760
(716) 372-6972
Cayuga
Fred Tanner
28 King St
Port Byron, NY 13140
(315) 776-4697
Chautauqua
Dennis LaBarte Construction
1327 South Main Street
Jamestown, NY 14701
(716) 664-5221
Chemung
John Decker
(607) 733-6845
Chenango
Bob Mahardy
Box 348, Casey Road
Sherburne, NY 13460
(607) 674-2017
John Lucchese
399 Blakesley Nurse Hollow Rd
Afton, NY 13730
(607) 693-1829
Trask Contracting
314 Kendricks Rd
Sherburne, NY 13460
(607) 674-4284
Yencer Construction, Dick Alger
PO Box 613
Sherburne, NY 13460
(800) 721-7715
Clinton
Bill Umbreit
131 McGarr Rd
Peru, NY 12972
(518) 643-2139
Columbia
Claverack Timber Building, Michael Carr
PO Box C-22
Hollowville, NY 12530-0122
(518) 851-3043
Richard J. Staats
Germantown, NY 12526
(518) 537-6442
Visage Construction Corporation
719 Church Ave
Germantown, NY 12526
(518) 537-7300
Jeff Braley
Braley Restorations
Address: 18 Braeburn Lane
Chatham, NY 12037
(518) 929-8733
Cortland
An Age of Barns
J. Murtaugh Quinn
Cortland, NY
(607) 753-6639
Finger Lakes Construction Company
137 S Main St
Homer, NY 13077
(607) 749-7779
Delaware
Rick Smith Building Contractor
110 Sherman Creek Rd
Hancock, NY 13783
(607) 467-3104
Dutchess
Robert Hedges
RD #1, Box 313
Pine Plains, NY 12567
(518) 398-7773
Erie
Alliance Builders
Vincent L. Kuntz
464 Norwood Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14222-1504
(716) 884-7807
Essex
Albany Architecture
John Mescik
(518) 433-9394
Amstutz Woodworking
Steven Amstutz
Wilmington, NY 12997
(518) 946-2662
Herkimer
Eric Carney Contracting
1670 State Route 29
Little Falls, NY 13365
(315) 429-8731
James Burst
Springville Center, NY
(315) 858-9255
Jim Rodriguez
Springville Center, NY
(607) 264-8476
Jefferson
B & J Construction
Wesley Merritt
RD #1, Box 364
Redwood, NY 13679
Longmore Construction
Tim Longmore
22487 Co. Rt. 189
Lorraine, NY 13659
(315) 232-2405
Madison
Ashcraft Barn Beam Company
Jordan Ashcraft
223 Thompson Hill Rd.
Earlville, NY 13332
(315) 691-4899
Heritage Structural Renovation
PO Box 470, Kiley Road
New Woodstock, NY 13122-0470
(315) 662-3574
Matthew Grabosky
1630 Delphi Road
Cazenovia, NY 13035
(315) 662-3260
Michael Baker
30 Fenner St
Cazenovia, NY 13035
(315) 655-4312
Monroe
J.W.R. Stone Art, Inc
Joseph Rauber
202 Huffer Rd
Hilton, NY 14468
(585) 392-3081
Matthews Building Movers
Peter Matthews
275 Weidner Rd
Rochester, NY 14624
(585) 328-2443
Stillbrook Company, Inc
East Rochester, NY 14445
(585) 248-9667
Montgomery
Gerard A. Cheney General Contracting
272 County Highway 108
St. Johnsville, NY 13452
(518) 568-7628
Windy Hill Restorations
Rich Strunk
PO Box 160
Palatine Bridge, NY 13428
(518) 673-4444
Niagara
PRC Pro Construction Inc.
Newfane, New York 14108
(716) 778-3154
We restore Barns and have been in the construction business for 40+ years
Oneida
Bear Creek Carpentry
William Rockhill
PO Box 220
Woodgate, NY 13494
(315) 392-2130
www.bearcreekcarpentry.com
Brian P. Judge Contractor
8170 State Route 294
Boonville, NY 13309
(315) 942-5815
Otisco Lake Milling
Brian P. Judge
Boonville, NY 13319
(315) 942-5815
Onondaga
S.D. Sperling Historic Restoration & Construction Company
Scott D. Sperling
4905 Onondaga Rd
Syracuse, NY 13215
Phone: 315-383-9074
We work all over NYS and even travel east as far as Boston, south as far as Florida and Texas, and west as far as Arizona.
Rocco Liuzzi
Salamander Partners
Nedrow NY 13120
(315) 469-5830
McNally Construction
1136 Old Seneca Tpke
Skaneateles, NY 13152
(315) 685-0603
Ron Nash
Marcellus, NY 13108
(315) 673-2866
William C. Burrell
3169 Fox Rd
Syracuse, NY 13215
(315) 673-2354
Woodford Bros, Inc.
6500 Rt. 80, Box 108
Apulia Station, NY 13020
(800) 735-2580
Ontario
Anchor Beam Construction, LLC
Jay Wright
5325 State Route 245
Naples, NY 14512
(585) 374-BARN (2276)
AnchorBeamConstruction.com
Stone Work
David Aman
5443 Wells Curtice Road
Canadaigua, NY 14424
(585) 905-0998
Orange
Keith Murray Corporation
Pine Bush, NY 12566
(845) 744-5519
Moore Construction
104 Hansburg Rd
Pine Bush, NY 12566
(845) 647-7131
Triple M General Construction
Mark Watkins
145 Sinsabaugh Rd
Pine Bush, NY 12566
(845) 744-2190
Otsego
George Powers Construction
2 Vanwoert St
Oneonta, NY 13820
(607) 432-9284
Jon Edgington
674 Pleasant Valley Road
Milford, NY 13807
(607) 293-6445
Tillapaugh Construction
Allens Lake Rd
Richfield Springs, NY 13439
(315) 858-0844
Rensselaer
Craig Newton, Contractor
34 Meyer Ln
Troy, NY 12180
(518) 279-9803
Starry Ridge Timber Farms
Michael Buzerak
37 Fred Moon Road
Petersborough, NY 12138
(518) 658-3062
Saint Lawrence
Hutton Construction Co.
James and Bruce Hutton
49 Southwood Road
Hammond, NY 13646
(315) 324-5271
Maple Ridge Builders
James Rotundo
Jochen Sieckmann
811 Maple Ridge Rd
Richville, NY 13681
(315) 347-3456
Saint Lawrence Construction
301 County Route 55
North Lawrence, NY 12967
(315) 328-8040
Tim Stowell
142 Rock Island Street
Gouverneur, NY 13642
(315) 287-3650
Antique Woods
Dale Lehmer
121 Quarry Rd.
Gouverneur, NY 13642
(315) 287-2535
www.smallbarnhomes.com
www.vintagewoods.com
Schenectady
Russell Ley
P.O. Box 2175
Scotia, NY 12302
(518) 370-3600
Schoharie
Schoenecker Construction Co.
Hans Schoenecker
RD #1 Box 249
Schoharie, NY 12157
(518) 295-8658
Seneca
William van Sickle
Phelps, NY 14532
(315) 548-9445
Steuben
Cheresnowsky Concrete
Tim Cheresnowsky
1199 Haskell Rd
Hornell, NY 14843
(607) 324-4305
Sullivan
Beechwoods Restoration Company
Joseph Dipane
96 Boettger Rd
Calicoon, NY 12723
(845) 887-4540
Delware Valley Woodwork
Zeke Boyle
Calicoon, NY 12723
(845) 887-4783
Tioga
Brewster and Company
Seth Brewster
393 South Danby Road
Spencer, NY 14883
(607) 351-4802
Dick Warner
482 Dry Brook Road
Willseyville, NY 13864
(607) 659-5003
Tompkins
Charles Pomada
919 Bostwick Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
(607) 342-1886
Repairs, structural analysis, contract management, dating historic structures.
Blanchard & Ferguson
Johnathan Gutchess
PO Box 111
Dryden, NY 13053
(607) 756-6691
Crown Construction
John Lafian
176 Cortland Road
Dryden, NY 13053
(607) 844-3993
Lazarus & Co.
Rick Lazarus
63 Howland Road
Spencer, NY 14883
(607) 589-4938
Leigh C. Marshall General Contracting
186 Van Dorn Rd N
Ithaca, NY 14850
(607) 272-6648
Ulster
Rondout Woodworking
James Kricker
9 Terra Road
Saugerties, NY 12477
(845) 246-5845
www.rondoutwoodworking.com
The Woodworks Co.
(845) 677-3960
Millwork specialty
Washington
Restoration Plus
Bruce McLanithan
Cambridge, NY
(518) 677-8988
Wayne
Martin Builders
10110 Miner Rd
North Rose, NY 14516
(315) 587-9836
Westchester
Tea House Design INC.
Steve Miller
11 Benedict Rd
PO Box 99
Waccabuc, NY 10597
(914) 763-3078
Wyoming
Hulme Inc.
17 East Buffalo St.
Warsaw, NY 14569
(716) 786-5880
Robert Bey Construction/B-n-T Metal
Robert Bey
116 Prospect Street
Warsaw, NY 14569
(585) 786-9935
Roofing and Construction
Yates
Allison & Daniels, Inc
125 W Lake Rd
Penn Yan, NY 14527
(315) 536-3121
Barn Contractors in Other States
Connecticut
Early New England Restorations
Brian Cooper
273 Pendleton Hill Rd
North Stonington, Connecticut 06359
(860) 599-4393
Early New England Restorations offers full management services for the completion of your project. We maintain a staff of highly skilled craftsmen.
Massachusetts
Berkshire Barns
Shaun Garvey
Dalton, MA
(413) 684.4352
Restoration, Dismantling, Relocation, Reraising
George Yonnone Restorations
P.O.Box 278
West Stockbridge , MA 01266
(413) 232-7060
www.gyrestorations.com
Preforming structural repair and restorations of colonial homes, barns, and log cabins for the past 35 years. We travel nation wide to perform such repairs. Consulting also available.
Pennsylvania
John McNamara
RD #2, Box 169
Montrose, PA 18801
(717) 278-1679