From ledge in North Medford to the flats along the Mystic, Medford's ground changes a lot in eight square miles. So do its rules, and we work with both.
Our work around the North ShoreFree · no obligation · we call back within 1 business day
From the Medford Code of Ordinances and city board pages. We read the current version before every job.
In the Hillside Avenue and Marm Simonds historic districts, work that affects exterior architectural features needs a certificate from the Historic District Commission before the Building Department can issue a permit. Paint color, roof color, storm windows and storm doors are outside the Commission's review.
[1][2]Medford's noise ordinance bars excessively noisy work before 7 a.m. or after 6 p.m. on any day unless the police chief issues a permit for it.
[1]Medford bans using any leaf blower, gas or electric, at any time to blow away masonry or construction dust and debris.
[1]Medford's wetlands ordinance protects land within 100 feet of most wetland resource areas and within 200 feet of rivers. Decks, sheds and patios at single-family houses that existed before August 7, 1996 are exempt if they stay more than 50 feet from the river or wetland and erosion controls are used.
[1]Using part of a Medford street while building or repairing takes permission from the director of public works and a bond. The director decides how much of the street a job gets and for how long, and leftover rubbish has to be removed right after.
[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
Medford's open space plan splits the city in two. North of Medford Square the land turns hilly and rocky, and North Medford is limited by outcroppings and ledge. The hills are mostly drumlins, smooth glacial ridges like the ones in the Brooks Estate.
Along the southeastern stretch of the Mystic River, shifts in the river's course left land the plan rates as having poor structural bearing capacity. Where the Mystic and Malden rivers meet, the ground is an outwash plain of glacial sand and gravel.
That split shows up on deck footings and basement floors. A post hole in North Medford can find rock. A slab near the river can sit on fill. We look before we quote.
One of Medford's two local historic districts. Exterior changes need a certificate first.
The other local district. Same certificate process through the Historic District Commission.
Rock outcroppings and ledge, per the city's open space plan. Footings take planning.
The old crossroads where the first bridge over the Mystic went up in 1637.
Wetlands ordinance buffers reach 200 feet from the river, and some ground has poor bearing capacity.
One crew for painting, kitchens and baths, carpentry, basements, floors and decks. Prep first, floors covered, broom-clean at the end.
House PaintingHouse painting in Medford, inside and out. In the Hillside Avenue and Marm Simonds historic districts, paint color isn't reviewed at all.House Painting in Medford →
Kitchen & Bath RemodelingKitchen and bath remodeling in Medford, with the noisy demo and tile cutting kept between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., as the city's noise ordinance requires.Kitchen & Bath Remodeling in Medford →
Carpentry & Built-InsBuilt-ins, mantels, window seats and trim in Medford, including exterior trim on houses in the city's two local historic districts.Carpentry & Built-Ins in Medford →
Basement Finishing & FlooringBasement finishing and flooring in Medford, from ledge-heavy North Medford lots to the low, flat ground along the Mystic River.Basement Finishing & Flooring in Medford →
Deck Building & RepairDeck building and repair in Medford, checked against the city's wetlands ordinance for yards near the Mystic River, the Mystic Lakes or the Fells.Deck Building & Repair in Medford →Even inside the Hillside Avenue and Marm Simonds districts, Medford's ordinance leaves paint color and roof color out of the Historic District Commission's review. Trim, windows, porches and additions are another story.
Two: the Hillside Avenue Historic District and the Marm Simonds Historic District. Their exact boundaries are on maps filed with the city clerk, and the Historic District Commission can confirm whether an address is inside.
7 a.m. to 6 p.m., any day of the week. Excessively noisy work outside those hours needs a permit from the police chief, which is meant for emergencies and real need.
Yes. The Historical Commission reviews demolition requests for buildings more than 75 years old or on the National or State Register. If it finds one should be preserved, no demolition permit can issue for at least 18 months.
Not for construction dust. Medford bans leaf blowers of any kind for blowing masonry or construction debris, so cleanup on our jobs is vacuum, broom and dustpan.
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 Medford, look at the job and give you a written price. Free.
