Deck building, repair and staining in Somerville, a city of about 19,767 people per square mile where every foot of outdoor space counts.
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Somerville bars noisy construction tools and equipment before 7 a.m. and after 7 p.m. on weekdays, and before 9 a.m. and after 7 p.m. on Saturdays and the days after Thanksgiving and Christmas. Noisy construction isn't allowed on Sundays or Massachusetts legal holidays.
[1]Somerville's local historic district properties are listed address by address in the city code. Changing an exterior feature visible from a public way on one of them needs a Historic Preservation Commission certificate first. Paint color, storm windows and storm doors are excluded, and applications go through Citizenserve.
[1][2]Outside the local districts, tearing down a building that is 75 or more years old, or on the National Register, goes through the Historic Preservation Commission. Starting to remove half or more of the exterior walls and roof counts as demolition. Side and rear decks, fences and stairs aren't counted as buildings.
[1]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
Somerville's demolition review defines 'building' to leave out side and rear decks, fences and stairs. Tearing off an old back deck doesn't by itself send a house to the Historic Preservation Commission.
Inside a local historic district it's different. New stairs or a deck you can see from a public way can need a certificate, while one fully hidden behind the house may not.
Not by itself. The demolition ordinance's definition of a building leaves out side and rear decks, fences and stairs. A new deck in a local historic district is a separate question.
Our work around Boston and the North Shore.
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 to Somerville, look at the job and give you a written price. Free.
