Founded in 1979 by area native John Robinson, Wood & Clay is now owned and operated by the next generation, husband and wife team, Kevin Beland and Shannon Robinson-Beland.
Kevin joined Wood & Clay in 1997 and worked alongside John for more than 20 years, learning the ins and outs of the business. Shannon has always been personally invested in Wood & Clay as John’s daughter and Kevin’s wife. In 2014, as John transitioned into retirement, she joined the team full-time to partner with Kevin.
Along with their dedicated team that has over 200 years of combined experience, Kevin and Shannon are proud to uphold Wood & Clay’s long-standing reputation as the leading Lakes Region builder—a reputation built on integrity, transparency, and quality.
As John’s daughter, Shannon grew up in the Lakes Region and spent many summer days and nights on the lakes at her grandparents’ camps. Kevin, also a New Hampshire native, instantly fell in love with the area, and he and Shannon chose to raise their family here and to make the Lakes Region their lifelong home. Their respect for the lakes and mountains and their appreciation of fine craftsmanship has inspired them to build premier homes that are in keeping with the beauty of their natural surroundings and live up to the legacy that John created.
ABOUT
Wood & Clay
Wood & Clay, Inc. specializes in architecturally-unique, custom home construction and renovations in New Hampshire's Lakes Region.
With diligence, creativity and fine attention to detail, Kevin and Shannon guide each project from concept to completion, personally ensuring top-down control of quality, product selection, design, scheduling, costs, and safety.
Hands-on management is only one piece of the puzzle, however. Of equal importance is the development and support of the team that is integral to each successful custom home build. In its forty-plus years in business, Wood & Clay has grown a strong network of experts in their fields who understand the importance of partnership and joint responsibility.
In the early stages of a project, Kevin and Shannon are thrilled to help clients pull together the greater team to fit the unique needs of each project whenever possible. This may include introductions to or interviews with potential architects, designers, landscapers, surveyors, engineers, and other experts.
Once underway, every project is personally overseen by an in-house project manager armed with years of hands-on experience. The project manager is backed with the support and resources necessary to achieve the desired outcomes, and paired with long-time carpentry crews and tradespeople who have partnered with Wood & Clay for multiple projects spanning many years. Everyone involved is chosen for their abilities and expected to meet exacting standards and high expectations. From in-house craftsmen known for their ability to tackle whatever complex detail a client, architect or designer can dream up, to laborers who keep the job site clean and safe while developing their skills and learning the trade, every team member’s contribution is integral to the overall success of a project and highly valued.
These relationships don’t end once a home is complete. Instead Wood & Clay's dedicated property maintenance crew is available to address seasonal maintenance needs, desired upgrades and renovations, and warranty work and repairs, This crew typically consults with and relies upon many of the same team members who originally built the home. The collective goal is to make each project fun for every homeowner and to maintain the properties and relationships with clients long after the initial construction is done.
Sustainability & The Environment
Sustainability and environmentally-sound building practices have long been a focus at Wood & Clay. The company applies green building strategies wherever possible, starting with the fundamentals of building science such as stormwater management, passive solar, super-insulated homes, and ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilation).
Depending on clients’ priorities and passions, this can take further shape in a variety of ways including reclaimed, recycled and environmentally-sustainable materials; alternate energy sources such as solar and geothermal–whether on or off-grid; whole-house control for efficient management of lighting and climate control; and Energy Star, LEED or other desired certifications.
Protecting the lakes has always been a priority. Through John's participation as a member of the Shoreland Advisory Committee, Wood & Clay was instrumental in the development of the Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act (CSPA) laws. CSPA ensures that New Hampshire lakes will be better protected while allowing for balanced management of resources. Whether building a luxury lakefront home, a boathouse or a rustic cabin in the woods, clients benefit from Wood & Clay's extensive knowledge of local building codes, permitting processes, and willingness to work creatively to both achieve desired outcomes for clients and minimize the impact on the many lakes and mountains that are critical to the wellbeing of the local and global environments.