“Wood to Stone is about bringing together the two most important disciplines in building, masonry and carpentry. As a general contractor, I recognized that one way to control the quality and flow in building was to have both disciplines in-house. It also builds trust with the client because you’re able to subcontract less.”
— Brian Hazelton, Wood to Stone owner
“We’re here to provide one of the three necessities of life—shelter,” Brian Hazelton, founder of Wood to Stone, begins. Whether you speak to him directly or overhear clients or subcontractors referring to him, it’s obvious he takes this calling seriously. In full disclosure, while I normally keep my personal experiences at arm’s length from my Business Monday profiles, I’m making an exception here. Brian Hazelton is not only “a builder/contractor.” He is the contractor who helped my husband and me renovate our 1795 farmhouse six years ago—no small feat after it had been abandoned for three years (power off, water on, so filled with mold that the bank was hesitant to sell it even in foreclosure).
To add to the challenge, we wanted to create a guest house where families with children dealing with cancer could come for respite. So, far more than shelter for us, it needed to provide a safe, comforting space for people facing the unthinkable. We were fortunate to know Pat Nourse, who grew up in the house and shared photos of the structure over the years, allowing us to restore original design features to honor its farmhouse roots.
Through all of the Rumsfeldian “unknown unknowns,” Brian and his team were there, guiding us through the labyrinth of old house renovation and entertaining endless spurts of inspiration on my part—incorporating an antique mantel in one room, a fireplace insert as a mirror frame in the kitchen, an old marbletop chest in the guest bath, and a set of bookshelves with a rolling switchboard ladder in the family room. Even more fortunate (in terms of time and cost), he did all the design and construction in-house with a team we knew and trusted.
An appreciation for diversity and physical work
Hazelton has lived in the Berkshires for most of his life but notes that, in the local community, he’s still considered a newcomer. He grew up on New Britain Avenue in Hartford, Conn., surrounded by a diverse group of neighbors and friends, transferring to a public school in Dalton when he was nine. Being in the minority as a schoolkid gave him an unusual experience and inclusive perspective that influences his decisions as a business owner to this day.
Hazelton returned to Hartford for college, pursuing a pre-med degree at Trinity College while also playing football. “I took my sports training very seriously,” he says. A family friend, John Koch, had a chimney business (Master Sweep & Repair), where he began working as a mason in the summer of 1995, both for the work/pay and to stay in shape for football. After graduating with a Biology degree and a minor in Religious and Cultural Studies, he worked full-time for Koch for a year while studying for the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test). “I got a decent score,” he admits—enough to apply to med schools and expect to get in—but soon after he told his parents, “I’m going to go build stuff instead.”
“I was inspired by the camaraderie of hard work and the tangible accomplishment of physical work,” he explains. “I knew what I could achieve in a day and the positive feeling it gave me.” When anyone on his crew is dealing with extra baggage, he offers them options—“We can talk it through or get some stuff done.” Both, he maintains, help your mental and emotional well-being.
He met his wife, Mariana Cicerchia (now a successful multimedia artist), through his younger brother, who was her classmate and partner on a strawbale house project for a course in sacred architecture at Hartwick College (Oneonta, N.Y.). “We all went out to celebrate—me getting through the MCATS and them finishing the strawbale house—and we fell for each other immediately,” he recalls. That was the summer of 2000; they were married in June of 2001.
An appreciation for old bones
Soon after, they moved to Brattleboro, Vt., where Hazelton traded masonry jobs to learn carpentry and began working for Paul Morgan and Robin Mack on old-house renovations. “I’ve always admired old timbers and learning how to repurpose old things,” he says, adding, “All of that love probably comes from those three years.” He eventually became the lead for his carpentry team, which (among other things) repaired strawbale homes and did stucco repair for Stratton Mountain. “We did a fair share of remodeling in homes and commercial spaces from the 1800s,” he notes.
When they tired of the cold weather, they moved to Salisbury, Conn., and Hazelton began working for Lakeland Builders, where he fine-tuned his carpentry skills on high-end new homes. “I worked for Roger Hedman—a skilled craftsman and strong businessman—from 2004 to 2007 and learned a lot. It’s the only job I got fired from, but the long days and a new baby at home eventually became too much,” he says. Acknowledging that setting a stopping point is very difficult to navigate in construction, he has committed to resolving this challenge as a contractor/employer.
In 2007, his career took him to a job as lead carpenter and foreman at the Small Building Company in the Berkshires, which was founded by New York developer Arthur Jackson. There, he developed his project management/site management and team-building skills by working on multiple projects, including two new homes, bathroom renovations, custom fine carpentry, and masonry. “At that point, raising a family in Connecticut, we decided Mass Health was much better than Husky Health Care, so we moved to Great Barrington,” he says—a move that opened more doors.
In 2011, sensing the need to change construction company culture and structure based on what he’d seen, Hazelton decided to become a general contractor and start his own small company, B3 Building Company. By 2018, with Joe Boza as his mentor/partner, that business blossomed into Wood to Stone, LLC, with a full-time, 10-person crew, full-time administrative support, and an investment property/workshop on Mahaiwe Street.
Building a solid team and reputation
Like many contractors, Hazelton experienced both the devastation and the silver lining of the pandemic. “I lost $750,000 in contracts between March 15 and March 22 in 2020,” he recalls. Making a quick switch to patios and decks, pergolas, and other outdoor projects, he was able to keep his entire staff at full pay and use the downtime to build out the Wood to Stone workshop on Mahaiwe Street. In 2021, he and his wife bought out the partners, moved their family into the house, and created an office in the barn. They’ve continued to grow the business ever since, working on renovations of homes from 1850 to 1950 and building new ones. Pre-COVID, they had contracts worth $1.4 million; by 2025, the number had grown to $3.2 million.
He’s retained most of his original team—both employees and collaborators/subcontractors—while adding peers and colleagues he met along the way, as well as their friends. “I hire primarily for culture,” he explains. “I start with people who believe in the mission and who trust me, and then train them and help them build experience.” He is also committed to establishing an inclusive, diverse team.
Hazelton has recently introduced a profit-sharing program for his employees, giving them a 10 percent raise and a share of the company’s profits. “I believe personal happiness and helping people attain their own dreams is really important. You don’t want miserable people working beside you,” he says, listing specific examples of his team’s individual passions. For example, Toby (a high-level Kung Fu practitioner) recently hiked the Appalachian Trail, and Justin travels to Europe with a heavy metal/grind band. “Hiring interesting people and supporting their passions keeps them happier and makes their interactions with clients richer,” he stresses. “There’s a profit-based expedience put on contracting that’s taken away from the experience and standards within the industry. Profit-sharing helps everyone focus on the quality and take pride in their work.”
A passion for investing in community
Hazelton’s own passion? “My hobby is the community,” he responds. That includes partnering with locally owned companies for materials and contracting needs and taking pride in “contributing to the local economy, building strong relationships, and creating a sense of community with our employees and partners.” Those include (among others) Geoff Arthur, principal of Meetinghouse Architecture; Bridghe McCracken, founder of Helia Land Design; and Chris Vreeland, an engineer at Precision Decisions LLC.
“As a design builder, I hand-drew and color-coded everything myself, but my going back to the computer was slowing the process, so we turned into mainly a custom building company,” he admits. “Our process now is an integrated relationship between client, designer, and builder, but we still prioritize direct contact and frequent feedback with the homeowner.” For example, Arthur (Meetinghouse Architecture) is now on the design side of Wood to Stone, which Hazelton acknowledges is working well, since putting down his AutoCAD pen frees up more time to run the business.
“My relationship with Brian is based on a 100% overlap of core values—creating a truly integrated development approach,” Arthur says. “Our joint experience in and commitment to local vernacular, sustainable materials, equitable work, and the specific needs of our clients allows us to create architecture that is ‘of a place’ both ethically and responsibly. Brian’s open and honest attitude toward all things makes him an ideal partner and a trusted colleague and friend.”
McCracken (Helia Land Design), who has been collaborating with Hazelton for 15 years, shares: “Brian is an incredible person and craftsman to work with. He always has creative ideas for sustainable sources and ways to value-engineer the installation process—from FSC-certified lumber for a sauna to local marble for a front walkway. Brian’s focus on quality and sustainability, along with his collaborative building style, set him and his company apart.”
Beyond his team, partners, and community, Hazelton relies on his own experience and expertise—along with endless sketches. He finds apps like Workforce (originally QuickBooks) “helpful but inadequate” for the deep dive necessary to give a detailed estimate. “I’m happier with pen and paper to ensure we’re giving a fair price,” he clarifies. Likewise, Google Calendar is no substitute for the chalkboards and whiteboards in his office, which list all current and upcoming projects. He does use digital tools like Smartsheet and GANTT charts to lay out the schedule and adjust the workflow once they’re underway, but he’s not planning to toss out his stash of highlighters anytime soon.
As his website points out, Wood to Stone’s philosophy focuses on “creative building solutions, transparency, great customer relations, and innovative thinking.” The customer relations part may be the most significant component of all. Hazelton takes great pride in forging strong relationships with his crew, his partners, and his customers. Most of his clients become lifelong friends.
While many of his reviews speak to his ability to deliver, this one, in particular, from Marion Gilliam in Great Barrington (former publisher of Orion Magazine), seems to cover all the bases:
“I am pleased to write this commendation on behalf of Brian Hazelton, both as a proven builder as well as a competent businessman. He has completed several projects for me and, in each instance, demonstrated exceptional skills not only as a carpenter, mason, and electrician but also in his ability to solve creatively and economically challenges not anticipated when the work began. As importantly, he has demonstrated a remarkable ability to lead and engage fellow workers and others whose cooperation and support were invaluable to the outcome of the projects. Finally, his knowledge, patience, personal counsel, and support have made my association with him both pleasurable and personally rewarding.”
Giving back on multiple levels
Where does Hazelton see Wood to Stone down the road? “With eight years in and a 15-person team, I really want to be a mindful and focused building company,” he affirms. He is currently adding business coaching to expand the profit-sharing efforts. “Ten years from now, my hope is that the company is an employee-owned co-op. If it continues to be diverse and inclusive, known for acceptance and profitability, I’ve won.”
He values lending a hand in the local community as well, building sets for musical productions at Southern Berkshire Regional School District with his team (a tradition he started when his daughter Lucia was performing in shows) and helping his son Matteo connect with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) for a project building bat houses. He has also partnered twice with Greenagers, his masonry team working side by side to teach youth crews the trade.
Beyond the Berkshires, Hazelton is deeply involved with the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA, founded in 1975 in Greenfield, Mass.) to advance sustainability practices in the built environment by cultivating a cross-disciplinary community where practitioners are encouraged to share, collaborate, and learn. “Within NESEA, there is a program that focuses on the triple bottom line: people, planet, profit. It’s a conscious effort to look at how you can run a construction-based business while being more sensitive to the environment, taking care of your employees and community, and still make a profit,” Hazelton notes.
Hazelton was recently hired by NESEA to facilitate a group of 10 companies participating in that bottom-line program. “It was the first job I interviewed for since high school,” he admits. The role involves leading 10 monthly Zoom meetings and two in-person deep-dive gatherings. “We act as each other’s board of directors and provide peer support and input to help each other grow,” he summarizes. So, while his energy went into “building stuff” for people during his first 15 years in business, his energy, focus, and expertise are now being shared more broadly—a next step that feels fitting and fortunate.
