Award-Winning Home Remodeling Contractors in Lexington
Essex is an award-winning home remodeling contractor serving Lexington. We have built, renovated and added onto Greater Boston homes since 1995. Every project runs on open-book pricing, so you see actual costs against the forecast every week and make each decision with real numbers in front of you.
Our Services in Lexington, MA
We take on five kinds of work in Lexington, and we run every one with the same open-book process.
Home Renovation for Lexington’s Classic and Mid-Century Homes
Most Lexington homes fall into one of two groups. There are the houses built in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when the railroad brought a building boom to town, and there are the mid-century moderns in neighborhoods like Moon Hill, Five Fields and Peacock Farm. Both tend to need the same things now: more room, a kitchen that works, and better insulation and heating, without losing the character that made you buy the house.
As house remodel contractors, we know these homes. An addition to a mid-century modern has to respect its low rooflines and open plan, and an older house needs new foundations, rooflines and transitions that blend with the original. We also plan early for Lexington’s floor area limits, historic reviews and all-electric rules for larger projects.
Why Lexington Homeowners Choose Essex for Home Remodeling
Most general contractors operate with opaque pricing, leaving homeowners guessing about the true state of their budget. We operate differently. Since 1995, Essex has completed more than 500 projects across Greater Boston, and every one runs on the same principles:
- Open-book contracting. You see exactly what we see, with no hidden markups.
- Weekly financial reports. Every week you get actual costs against the budget, so there are no surprises when the project ends.
- Our people, on your site. Essex carpenters and project managers do the bulk of the work and are on site every day.
- A clean, safe job site. Many projects happen while you are still living in the home, so we keep the site organized, safe and free of debris.
That approach has earned us a Gold PRISM Award from the Builders and Remodelers Association of Greater Boston for Best High Performance / Energy Efficient Home, and we are proud members of BRAGB, NARI and the National Association of Home Builders.
FAQs
Yes. We build custom homes, remodel homes (including kitchens and bathrooms) and build additions throughout Lexington and the surrounding towns, from older Colonials to mid-century moderns.
Most building, remodeling and addition projects need a permit from the Lexington Building Office at the Town Office Building, 1625 Massachusetts Avenue. Lexington accepts all permit applications through its online permitting system. We handle permitting as part of pre-construction.
Yes. Lexington caps the total gross floor area of all buildings on a lot with a one- or two-family home, and the cap depends on lot size. Under the town’s zoning bylaw, a 10,000-square-foot lot allows up to 5,150 square feet in total, and a 20,000-square-foot lot allows up to 6,200. Those limits apply to permit applications filed since January 1, 2024. We run the town’s gross floor area calculation early, so the design fits before you pay for drawings.
It can. Lexington’s demolition bylaw covers historically significant buildings, including those on the Historical Commission’s Cultural Resources Inventory or the National Register, and it applies to demolishing a substantial portion of a building, not just a full teardown. If the Historical Commission finds a building preferably preserved, the delay is 21 months. A large addition or rear demolition on an inventoried house can trigger it, so we check the inventory at the start.
About 2,000 properties sit in Lexington’s four local historic districts: Battle Green, East Village, Hancock-Clarke and Munroe Tavern. The Historic Districts Commission reviews construction, demolition, exterior renovations and color changes there. Lexington also has two neighborhood conservation districts, Pierce-Lockwood and Turning Mill, each with its own commission. We prepare for the right review as part of design.
Maybe not. Since March 21, 2024, Lexington’s fossil fuel-free bylaw has barred new fossil fuel piping and appliances in new homes, gut renovations of more than half the house, residential additions over 1,000 square feet, and additions that more than double the existing conditioned area. Extending your existing heating system is allowed as long as no new fossil fuel piping goes in. Lexington also follows the Specialized Stretch Energy Code, effective January 1, 2024. Our Weston farmhouse project runs on air source heat pumps, energy recovery ventilation and solar, so all-electric design is familiar ground for us.
It depends on scope: how much of the layout changes, whether the work touches the systems behind the walls, and the level of finish you want. In Lexington, the all-electric rules and floor area limits also shape what a project includes. That is why, as your contractor for home renovation, we build a detailed, line-item budget with you before construction starts instead of quoting one number up front. That budget becomes the baseline for your weekly financial reports.
Start with how you want to live, then set a realistic budget before you choose a single finish. In construction, the envelope and systems come first: insulation and air sealing, heating and cooling, electrical capacity and aging plumbing, because they are expensive to fix once the walls are closed. Finishes come last.
Ready to Talk About Your Lexington Project?
Every project, from a new home to a remodel or an addition, starts with a conversation. Tell us about your home and your goals, and our home remodeling contractors will give you an honest read on scope, budget and schedule.
Call 978-658-6300, Monday to Friday, 7 AM to 5 PM, or send us a message online.
Contact Us
Ready to start your remodeling project? Our team is here to answer your questions, discuss your ideas, and provide the guidance you need to move forward with confidence. Whether you’re in the early planning stages or ready to schedule a consultation, we’re just a phone call away.
John and Walter, We are so happy! Can’t begin to tell you what a pleasure it has been to work with Essex, you and all your crew, all wonderful people. Any time you would like a rave review just say the word.
We couldn’t be happier with the work! We can certainly attest to your flexibility, ‘can do’ approach, and innovative solutions. Thanks again for a great job that was on time, on budget and exceeded expectations!
Walter and John unfailingly put in the time and effort needed to ensure that I understand my options and can choose those that meet my needs best. Essex staff are true professionals, from their craftsmanship to their project management and communication with me as a client. I will not hesitate to use them for home improvements in the future.
Never in all my years of home remodeling projects have I experienced the work ethic your group displayed. From your timeliness, quality of workmanship, and right down to the end of the day clean up. Everything by Essex was top notch and I am pleasantly surprised by how the team came together to get the job done.
Thanks for everything Walter. It is a pleasure to work with a true professional like you – you are a dying breed, I am afraid.
I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed having them work here. I know it’s a weird thing to say, but they are all perfectly delightful, so professional, talented and knowledgeable gentlemen.
Walter, I felt a great need to let you know what a great group of guys you have hired.
Walter. You and your team are the best!!
You took good care of me! I liked working with you and the crew a great deal, and even two years later still get compliments on the excellent quality of the workmanship.
Thank you for the phenomenal job. The patience, attention and professionalism that you displayed made what we thought would be a stressful and uncertain experience seamless and stress-free. You returned our calls, showed up on time, and you completed the project on schedule.
Walter and John have led their company in highly successful projects with Torrey Architecture. Our firms have collaborated to provide design-build capabilities to realize our clients’ dreams to transform their homes. I recommend Essex as a capable and trustworthy builder who is a pleasure to work with.