From Charlestown row houses to East Boston three-deckers, Boston work runs through ISD permits, district commissions and a 7-to-6 weekday clock. We plan for all three.
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Boston isn't one kind of house. Beacon Hill has Federal and Greek Revival homes from architects like Asher Benjamin and Alexander Parris. The South End is long uniform rows of rowhouses, started in 1850 on filled marsh. Back Bay went up block by block as tidal flats were filled in.
Then there are the three-deckers. A 1999 city housing report found East Boston had the highest share of them among its one- to three-family buildings, with Roxbury and Dorchester close behind. Each of those buildings is three households, three kitchens, three sets of back stairs.
We drive in from Malden, so Charlestown and East Boston are the shortest trips. But the rules below apply in every neighborhood, and we read them before we quote, not after.
The Landmarks Commission is studying a Monument Square Landmark District here. It isn't designated yet, but owners near the square should watch for it.
Three-decker country, and one of the coastal neighborhoods the city has written flood resilience plans for, from Chelsea Creek to Wood Island Marsh.
Exterior work seen from a public way goes to the Beacon Hill Architectural Commission, including views from the Common, the Public Garden and Storrow Drive.
All proposed exterior work goes to the Back Bay Architectural District Commission before it starts. The district sits on filled tidal flats.
Front facades, visible rooftops, and side or rear walls facing a public way all need South End Landmark District Commission approval.
Its own historic district since 1983, one of the ten district commissions working under the Landmarks Commission.
Heavy on three-deckers. Roxbury also has the Highland Park Architectural Conservation District, designated in 2022.
Boston runs its own permit office, ten historic district commissions and its own work-hour ordinance. These are the ones that touch our trades.
Boston's Inspectional Services Department issues a Short-Form permit for minor work that doesn't change a building's structure or use, like opening up a wall, and a Long-Form permit for work that does. Both are filed through the ISD online portal, and starting before the permit is issued can mean double the permit cost or a code violation.
[1][2]Repairing a roof deck with no structural change takes a Short-Form permit plus the original permit and engineer-stamped plans. A brand new roof deck, a bigger one, or a repair without the original plans takes a Long-Form permit.
[1]Inside Boston's historic districts, exterior work needs commission approval before it starts. Back Bay reviews all proposed exterior work, Beacon Hill reviews exterior work visible from a public way, and the South End reviews front facades, visible rooftops and walls facing a public way. The commissions say not to buy materials until you're approved.
[1][2][3][4]City ordinance 16-26.4 limits building alteration and repair to 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. Anything outside that needs an Off Hours Permit from ISD, granted per event.
[1][2]A dumpster or work area on a Boston street or sidewalk needs a Street Occupancy Permit from Public Works, applied for at least seven business days ahead. In residential areas, signs go up at least three days before the job.
[1][2]One statewide building code. Massachusetts uses a single building code for every town: 780 CMR, now in its tenth edition. Your local building department enforces it and issues the permits. source
Dig Safe before digging. State law requires notice to Dig Safe at least 72 hours before digging, not counting weekends and legal holidays. That includes holes for deck footings. Call 811. source
One crew for paint, carpentry, tile, floors and decks. Pick a service to see how Boston's rules shape it.
The city says the history of landmaking is part of why Boston is so exposed to sea level rise. Back Bay, the Seaport and parts of downtown are all filled ground. Charlestown, Dorchester, Downtown and the North End, East Boston and South Boston each have a coastal resilience plan.
Inside the house, the risk is often the sewer. Boston Water and Sewer says short, heavy storms can overload the system and push water back up into an unprotected basement. That's the first thing we look at before we finish one.
Doug walks the job, tells you which Boston permits and reviews apply, and lays out where you can save. Free written estimate, and a call back within one business day.
Usually, yes, and the question is which kind. ISD's Short-Form covers minor work that doesn't change structure or use; anything that moves structural walls or changes use is a Long-Form. We tell you which one at the walkthrough.
Probably, but plan on commission approval first. Each district reviews exterior work, and Beacon Hill's meeting minutes show the commission weighing trim and window colors. We check your address and the district's rules before you pick a color.
Not without an Off Hours Permit. Boston's regular construction hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, and ISD's off-hours form says project delays or contractor availability don't count as a reason. We schedule around the weekday window.
If it can't fit on your lot, it needs a Street Occupancy Permit from Public Works, filed at least seven business days ahead. Signs for the neighbors go up at least three days before in residential areas. We build that lead time into the schedule.
Area not listed? Call 781-866-6546. We travel for the right job.
Local rules change. We link the official pages so you can check the current version, and we confirm what your job needs when we come look.
Send a request or give us a ring. We'll come out to Boston, look at the job and give you a written price. Free.
