Tighe James Custom Build

01/05/2023

a selection of made and custom-order blocks. Tapwater Designs can make any block to your preference. What's yours?

09/26/2021

Recently this condo that we remodeled went up for sale, and I was able to get some great professional shots. This was a 3 month project that included a completely revamped kitchen layout with new lighting, cabinets, windows, pocket doors, quartzite waterfall countertops, tile, and refinished hardwood floors.
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The results were pretty spectacular-- converting a dark and dated space into a bright invitation as soon as you open the door. The newly opened kitchen and living rooms get smart- controlled lighting, speaker, and security features. These kitchen updates and photoshots ended up being the key feature in the marketing of this property, substantially increasing the value of this home.

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04/07/2021

Recently finished West Roxbury kitchen makeover. Cabinets by CliqStudio, countertops by .
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This was a complete renovation down to the original wooden floors and stud walls. New plumbing, electrical, lighting, insulation, white oak hardwood floors, appliances, and fixtures. New windows, doors, pantry shelving, and adjoining half bath remodel also joined in the fun.
There were some frustrations on this one, as a large part of the cabinetry order came in damaged. The supplier worked it out, but it set our schedule back by a number of weeks.
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Very happy that Alan and Kristie and their newborn lil Francis bean now have a working kitchen, to serve the cats of the house. 😸😽

01/20/2021

Remodel of guest closet ✨✨.. .
Demo'ed single door, reframed for bifolds, trimmed out with new casing, shelving, and mahogany threshold..
Also added crown moulding, new external shelving, and cabinet upgrade. These sloped Southie walls present a challenge, but what an improvement in terms of the space.

01/17/2021

09/23/2020

10/15/2019

10/14/2019

Full remodel of entryway, living room, kitchen, and powder room. Progression shots along the way.

Update included taking out a main kitchen wall and rerouting the plumbing stack to create an open floor space, with full light access into the dining and living rooms, energy efficient window updates, wide ceramic floor tiles, new cabinetry, appliances, lighting, bathroom pocket door, new hall closet, hardwood floor refinish, smart home controls, new baseboard, and painting throughout.

The gas fireplace insert was updated with new mantel, hearth, and ledger stone, with built-in alcove shelving on both sides. The backsplash subway tiles in the kitchen and half-bath finely complement the variegated waterfall granite countertops and ledger stone of the mantel face.

This project shows a nice amount of subtle contrast: sleek and modern, yet tonal and inviting. The clean cabinets, stainless steel, opaque glass doors, variegated granite waterfall countertops, and gray earth tones allow you to pick up the subtle surface details, but yet keep the eye moving.

Cabinets custom made by CliqStudios
Granite installation by Precision Granite
Tile installation by Mundial Tile
Floor stained and refinished by NexConcept Design
Painting by Julio Osorio
Carpentry team: Tighe, Dan, Ervin, Greg, Mike, and Wes

10/03/2019

Finally! 🙌 I'm now an officially licensed contractor within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This allows me to pull permits and supervise residential and commercial projects up to 30,000 square feet. I'm excited for the new building opportunities this allows me to take on.
Thank you friends and family for your support!
[Edited for privacy content]

06/13/2019

06/13/2019

Thank you all, friends, family, customers, and fans, for your support of Tapwater Designs. I have had much encouragement and support throughout the years in assisting clean water efforts through many amazing organizations such as Wine to Water, Water.org, and Charity:Water. For awhile now I have wrestled with a name change that more reflects who I am and what I represent as a business, while at the same time having difficulty releasing Tapwater Designs and what it stands for. I found that I wasn't able to accomplish what I desired for the brand, while also continuing to focus on what I enjoy and do for a living: making beautiful and functional items that others also enjoy and appreciate.

In this spirit, Tapwater Designs has become Tighe James Custom Build, which in a name holds much more in terms of description and marketing potential. I will offer the same custom furniture and woodwork as before, but with the expanded offering of custom-built spaces. These are building services I have offered for years, but didn’t neatly fit within the idea for Tapwater Designs. For those who have purchased furniture and items from Tapwater Designs in the past, rest assured the lifetime warranty continues to stand, as well as any furniture and accessory items made and purchased in the future under Tighe James Custom Build.

I’m very excited about this rebrand push and new change in direction. I will still continue to support clean water organizations and what they stand for: to promote better nutrition, healthier people, and the struggle to keep our natural resources clean and vibrant. My hope is that you will also do the same (as well as drink plenty of water)!

Thanks also for your continued follow and encouragement, and please let me know if I can offer something custom for you!

06/09/2019

I did it!!
Now certified as a licensed General Contractor for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, also known as a Construction Supervisor's License (CSL). 👷👌🙌.
This means that I can now pull permits and oversee building construction for 1 and 2 family units up to 35,000 sq feet in size, as well as perform structural modifications to existing residential and commercial construction. It's been fun going back to the studying board, and I'm looking forward to this next step in my professional career. Appreciate the support from friends and family, love y'all 👊

05/25/2019

Recent mantel build and install with .

@ Brookline, Massachusetts

03/07/2019

Back to school! .
Study begins. It's been quite a while since I've been in a classroom.

Soon enough I hope to be certified as a construction supervisor, which allows me to pull permits and supervise projects throughout Massachusetts and elsewhere.
Building codes! That's alot of pages.
@ Quincy, Massachusetts

01/21/2019

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01/20/2019

2018 Interior
Work sample selection from the past year

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01/19/2019

Some 2018 completed build and install projects, with and
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01/12/2019

This was a recent install of an entry desk for 826 Boston.
826 Boston is a nonprofit writing and publishing center that empowers underserved youth to share their stories and succeed in life.
It is also known as the Greater Boston Bigfoot Research Institute, because you can also learn about Bigfoot while you're there!
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This was made with tongue & groove fir, with prefinished maple box interior. It has built-in display space for merchandise, with metal book display shelves and countertop by .
The right corner opening is to house their tarantula terrarium🕷️.
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Flyover shelving, tall corner cabinet, and laptop storage station all with prefinished maple ply.


@ 826 Boston

12/20/2018

Install of built-in shaker panel bench in South Boston. 14' long with 4 bays, ready for painters @ South Boston

11/17/2018

Well, we had to remove a window (jamb and sill and all) to get it to the 2nd floor DR, but it made it to it's destination!

Throwback a few weeks to Peter's dining table, in white oak. This was his design idea, which we adjusted along the way to settle on one mid- stretcher wedged at each end. Next time will be made with knockdown construction 😂. Water poly finish.

10/01/2018

Completed maple entry table, live edge with Waterlox oil finish, and custom metal legs fabricated by . 64" long x 32" high. The objective was to stabilize or omit the least stable parts of the slab, while preserving the funky character of the partially decayed wood.

@ Tapwater Designs

08/28/2018

Trash/recycling counter in setup
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@ DesignLAB Architects

07/25/2018

Preparing for some new builds in the Design Lab Architects office

@ DesignLAB Architects

06/01/2018

TCB on an old plain sawn redwood slab -- The old growth single piece here is over 24" wide and 2" thick, with the end grain on the long edges, leaving a lot of exposed end grain. This creates a dimensionally unstable slab left unfinished and in weather, which makes it want to curl at the ends from moisture conditions. The remedy was to rip this in line with the biggest check at the center width, join both halves at a slight bevel to compensate for the cupping, domino back together, inlay some butterflies at some main checkpoints, and seal the other checks and end grain with epoxy. The client was looking for an unfinished patina look, to match existing deck furniture, for an outdoor sink insert and food prep surface. Hopefully this creates a longer life for this old slab.

05/27/2018

Our new home! 💯 💦 🌁

Dorchester, MA is a town rich with history and culture originally belonging to the Neponsett tribe, before acquiring it's current name in 1630. The town was annexed to Boston some 240 years later, but didn’t see its' population swell until the 1920s, when newly installed streetcar lines changed the fabric of the neighborhood, and spurred modern growth of all kinds.

Here in the 💓 of Boston's "Lower Mills" district, is the 1806 site of America's first successful chocolate mill, now transformed into cool loft apartments. Jess and I have lived in the converted Walter Baker Chocolate Factory going on 2 years now, and have decided to remain in the heart of this historic Lower Mills one more year; this time with a view, and the soothing mood of the Neponsett from right out our windows.

We're so very grateful to be here 🙌 and can't wait to share with friends and family (that's probably you) when you visit!

(1st photo credit iStock/DenisTangneyJr)

@ Dorchester-Milton Lower Mills Industrial District

04/01/2018

The of a business card, 2005-2018

03/31/2018

Sometimes, you must

03/24/2018

Finally got a chance to make it the annual JLC today.. definitely not enough time there and I hope to be back soon 🛠️

02/05/2018

02/05/2018

Recently installed this corner cabinet for a client in Wellesley, built to match their existing kitchen cabinetry. Repeat clients are the best clients! ✌️🙇

12/04/2017

Not a bad Boston view! Assisting install some cabinets in the South End this week and last. Enjoyable project with good peeps. 👌

12/04/2017

White ash media console 24" tall, 18" deep, and 6' long. 4 flat panel ash ply doors with push latch open, 8 adjustable shelves, and one open back bay for receiver vent access. Midcentury style with minimalist frame details, and 4" steel hairpin legs. Water-based polyurethane finish