Massachusetts Construction Pros
Construction & Remodeling in Boston, MA
About 70% of Boston's homes are in buildings with three or more units, and nearly half were built before 1940. Projects here often mean working in occupied older buildings, and sometimes inside a local historic district or a FEMA flood hazard area.
Services
Services in Boston
Start with the services that have Boston-specific planning notes, or browse everything offered across Massachusetts.
Kitchen Remodeling in Boston
Kitchen remodels in Boston usually happen inside row houses, triple-deckers and condo buildings, where walls, wiring and plumbing may be many decades old.
Bathroom Remodeling in Boston
Bathroom projects in Boston often mean replacing old supply and drain lines, reworking tight layouts and working carefully in buildings shared with neighbors.
Repairs & Maintenance in Boston
Repairs in Boston often involve buildings that have been changed many times over the decades.
Homes & buildings
What shapes a project in Boston
Local conditions worth knowing before scope and budget are set.
Mostly older, multi-unit buildings
About 47% of Boston's housing units were built before 1940, and about 72% before 1980. Only about 12% are single-family detached houses. About 24% are in three- or four-unit buildings and about 46% are in buildings with five or more units.
Landmark and historic district review
The Boston Landmarks Commission reviews proposed changes to individually designated landmarks, and each local historic district, such as the Back Bay, Historic Beacon Hill, Bay Village and South End districts, has its own commission. For work in a historic district, the city lists Landmark Commission approval among the documents for a building permit application.
Flood hazard areas
Boston's flood hazard district follows FEMA's Special Flood Hazard Area, and long-form permits there need a flood hazard plan review. Residential buildings in the district may not have basements with floors below grade on all sides. The Coastal Flood Resilience Overlay District is a separate zoning district under the city's Planning Department.
Sources (5)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (tables B25034, B25024, B25003, via Census Reporter) · checked 2026-09-24
- City of Boston Inspectional Services Department · checked 2026-09-24
- City of Boston Inspectional Services Department, Navigating the Permit Process · checked 2026-09-24
- Boston Landmarks Commission · checked 2026-09-24
- City of Boston Inspectional Services Department · checked 2026-09-24
Permits & service area
Before a project starts in Boston
Local permit office
City of Boston Inspectional Services Department
Which permits a project needs depends on its scope. We identify them during planning; the official site has current requirements, forms and fees.
Visit the permit office site (official site, opens in a new tab)Service area
Boston, Suffolk County
We are still confirming service across Boston's neighborhoods. Share your project address and we will confirm availability before anything is scheduled.
Nearby Massachusetts cities
All Massachusetts service areasPlanning a project in Boston?
Tell us what you have in mind and where the property is. We'll follow up to talk through scope, permits and next steps.
