Photo: Glass pendant lights over the island, Mansfield, MA
Whole-Home & Interior Remodeling in Central & Eastern Massachusetts
Waterfront Construction Inc, an owner-led general contractor based in Northborough, MA, remodels whole homes and whole floors: first-floor remodels, layout and wall changes, and basement finishing, with the licensed trades coordinated. Whole-home remodels typically take 2–4 months of construction after design and permits.
- Owner-led
- Founded in 2017 in Northborough, MA
- Insured
Updated
Whole-Home & Interior Remodeling: the essentials
- Typical timeline
- Whole-home remodels typically take 2–4 months of construction after design and permits.
- Permit in Massachusetts
- Needed when walls or structure change; plumbing, gas and electrical permits are separate and pulled by those trades.
- Cost benchmark
- Priced per project after a free site visit; see what drives the cost below.
- Where we work
- Central & Eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, from our base in Northborough, MA.
A whole-home or whole-floor remodel reworks several rooms at once, and often the structure, plumbing, electrical and heating behind them, so permits and sequencing matter as much as finishes. Finishing a basement adds its own checks: moisture control, ceiling height, and an escape opening for any bedroom.
We manage the remodel and coordinate the licensed plumbers, gas fitters and electricians, who pull their own permits, and a designer or structural engineer when the project needs stamped plans. We have not published a whole-home remodeling case study on this site yet.
What's included
- First-floor & whole-home remodels
- Layout & wall changes
- Basement finishing
- Licensed trades coordinated
Whole-home, first-floor and basement remodels
| Type | What it is | Typical considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Whole-home remodel | Reworking several rooms or a whole floor | Often touches structure, plumbing, electrical and heating at once, so permits and sequencing matter. |
| Layout and wall changes | Opening up, moving or removing walls between rooms | A wall that carries load needs a new beam or other support, sometimes with an engineer's details; moving walls needs a building permit. |
| Basement finishing | Turning a basement into living space | Moisture control, ceiling height, and an escape opening for any bedroom. |
Who does what on a whole-home remodel
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Designer or architect | Plans for the permit set when the layout or structure changes. |
| Structural engineer | Details or calculations when a load-bearing wall moves or a beam is added. |
| General contractor (us) | The schedule; demolition, framing and finishes; and coordinating the trades. |
| Construction Supervisor License holder | Takes out the building permit for the contractor's work and schedules the building inspections; the written contract must say who obtains each permit. |
| Plumber, gas fitter and electrician | Their own permits and inspections, under their Massachusetts licenses. |
What does a whole-home remodel cost in Massachusetts?
There is no reliable single figure: a whole-home or first-floor remodel is priced from its scope, and the number of rooms, wall and layout changes, plumbing, electrical and heating work, and the finish level all move the price. We price each remodel after a site visit, with an itemized estimate.
What moves the price
- Number of rooms and how much of each changes
- Walls moved or removed, and any new beams
- Plumbing, gas and electrical work moved or added
- Heating and cooling changes
- Basement moisture control, and an escape opening for a bedroom
- Hidden conditions in older homes, such as old wiring or rot
- Finish level: flooring, trim, cabinets and fixtures
- Lead-safe rules (containment and cleanup) on pre-1978 homes
Permits, inspections and rules in Massachusetts
A remodel that spans several rooms usually involves more than one permit. In Massachusetts:
| Permit or rule | When it applies | Who handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit | When the remodel moves walls or changes the structure or layout. | The contractor's Construction Supervisor License holder applies to the town's building department; the written contract must say who obtains each permit. |
| Plumbing and gas permits | Any new or moved fixture, drain, water line or gas line. | A plumber or gas fitter holding a Massachusetts license, who pulls the permit in their own name. |
| Electrical permit | New circuits, outlets, lighting or appliance wiring. | An electrician holding a Massachusetts license. |
| Smoke and CO alarms | Some remodels require bringing the home's smoke and carbon monoxide alarms up to current rules; your building department says whether yours does. | Checked by the building inspector. |
| Bedroom escape opening | Every bedroom, including a new one in a basement, needs an emergency escape opening (an egress window or door). | Your building department, as part of the building permit. |
| Lead-safe renovation rules | Homes built before 1978, when the work disturbs more than 6 sq ft of painted surface per room inside or 20 sq ft in total outside. | A contractor holding a Massachusetts Lead-Safe Renovation Contractor license, with a certified renovator directing the work. |
| Written contract | Home improvement work on an owner-occupied home in Massachusetts needs a written contract above a set dollar amount, and the deposit is limited. | The contractor, who must be registered with the state Home Improvement Contractor program. |
In New Hampshire
New Hampshire has no statewide contractor license. Building permits come from each town's building department, and plumbers and electricians need New Hampshire state licenses for their part of the work.
Free estimate
Tell us about your project
Free and no-obligation. Prefer to talk? Call (508) 816-2726 (Mon–Sat, 7am–6pm).
- Itemized estimates
- 500+ projects completed
- Insured
Homes built before 1978: lead-safe rules
Older homes often have layers of paint on walls, trim and doors, and a remodel that spans several rooms disturbs a lot of it. On a pre-1978 home, work that disturbs more than 6 square feet of painted surface per room inside, or 20 in total outside, falls under the lead-safe renovation rules.
All the lead-safe rules for pre-1978 homes: containment, cleanup and licensing
How a whole-home remodel works, step by step
Whole-home remodels typically take 2–4 months of construction after design and permits.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Scope and budget | We walk the house with you, look at the structure, plumbing, electrical and heating, and agree the scope and a working budget. You get an itemized estimate. |
| 2. Design and engineering | Plans when walls or layout change, and structural details when a load-bearing wall moves. |
| 3. Permits | The town reviews the plans; trade permits are filed. |
| 4. Demolition and structure | Dust barriers go up, finishes come out where the work happens, and walls, beams and framing are changed. |
| 5. Rough-ins and inspections | Plumbing, electrical and heating, rough inspections, then the insulation inspection. |
| 6. Finishes | Drywall, trim, flooring, cabinets and paint. |
| 7. Final inspections and walkthrough | Trade and building final inspections, then a walkthrough with you. |
What clients said about this kind of work
“Full first-floor remodel. The team treated our home like their own and the quality is outstanding. Worth every penny.”
- Tom & Lisa B., Marlborough, MA
- Mar 2026
Shared with permission by our clients. Read our Google reviews or see all client feedback.
Home Remodeling questions, answered
Have a different question? Call (508) 816-2726 or send us your project details.
How much does a whole-home remodel cost in Massachusetts?
There is no reliable single figure: the number of rooms, wall and layout changes, trade work and the finish level set the price. We price each remodel after a site visit, with an itemized estimate.
Do I need a permit for a whole-home or first-floor remodel?
Usually, when the remodel moves walls or changes the structure or layout: in Massachusetts that needs a building permit from the town. Moving plumbing, gas or wiring needs separate permits taken out by licensed trades. Replacing finishes in place is usually treated as finish work; ask your town's building department what your project needs.
Can we live at home during a whole-home remodel?
Often, if the work can be phased. The work area is sealed with dust barriers, and the order of work can keep a bathroom and a basic kitchen setup usable as long as possible; when the kitchen and every bathroom are out at once, a short stay elsewhere may be easier.
What does a basement bedroom need?
Its own emergency escape opening, an egress window or door, plus the moisture control and ceiling height any finished basement needs. Your building department confirms the requirements when it reviews the permit plans.
Who takes out the trade permits on a whole-home remodel?
Each licensed trade takes out its own: the plumber or gas fitter for plumbing and gas, and the electrician for wiring, in their own names. The building permit is applied for by the contractor's Construction Supervisor License holder, and the written contract must say who obtains each permit.
Can a load-bearing wall be removed?
Often, yes, with a new beam or other support that carries the load the wall carried, sized by an engineer when needed, and under a building permit. Opening a wall can also reveal wiring, plumbing or ductwork that has to be rerouted.
How long does a whole-home remodel take?
Whole-home remodels typically take 2–4 months of construction after design and permits. Plans, any engineering and the town's permit review come first.
Guides for planning your whole-home remodel
- How to Choose a Remodeling Contractor in Massachusetts: A Pre-Hire ChecklistA 10-step Massachusetts pre-hire checklist: HIC registration, the Construction Supervisor License, insurance, contract rules, the deposit limit and who pulls the permit.
- Do You Need a Permit to Remodel in Massachusetts?Which remodeling projects need a building permit in Massachusetts, who pulls each permit, what varies by town, and how New Hampshire differs.
Related services
- Kitchen RemodelingCabinets, islands, countertops, backsplash and lighting, with the plumbing and electrical trades coordinated.
- Bathroom RemodelingTile and walk-in showers with waterproofing behind the tile, vanities, fixtures and frameless glass enclosures.
- Home AdditionsRoom and second-story additions, in-law suites, sunrooms and porches, built from the foundation to the finish.
Where we've done home remodeling, and every town we serve
- Marlborough, MAClient feedback from Tom & Lisa B., shared with permissionOur home remodeling page for Marlborough, MA
Based in Northborough (Worcester County), we work across Worcester County, MetroWest, Greater Boston, the North Shore, the South Shore & Bristol County, and southern New Hampshire: 193 cities and towns in 11 counties. See every town we serve, by county.
Home Remodeling by town
Sources and page details
Code and permit details are general: your town's building department has the final word on what applies to your project.
Published by Waterfront Construction Inc, an owner-led general contractor based in Northborough, Massachusetts. Ernando Nunes has 15+ years of hands-on construction experience and founded the company in 2017. Updated .
Planning a whole-home remodel?
Get a free, itemized estimate from Waterfront Construction Inc. Call (508) 816-2726 or use the estimate form on this page.