Marlborough remodels for 1970s homes and newer

Housing built mostly after the war

The census median year built in Marlborough is about 1972, much newer than the older cities north of Boston. Roughly 22 percent of homes predate 1940 and about 13 percent are newer than 2000, which leaves a wide middle band of postwar ranches, split-levels, raised ranches and colonials.

Single-family detached houses make up about 45 percent of the roughly 17,400 units, and owners occupy around 57 percent. The rest is a real mix of condos, apartments and multi-family buildings. That variety means Marlborough projects range widely, and the walkthrough is where we figure out which kind of house we are actually dealing with. Condos and townhouses bring an association into the picture, with its own rules about hours, contractors and what can change inside a unit.

The split-level deserves a word of its own. Its half-flights, low lower-level ceilings and a kitchen tucked in the middle of the house make it one of the harder layouts to rework. It is also one of the most rewarding when done well, because the space is there; it is simply divided up badly.

Steve, who holds an unrestricted Construction Supervisor License, runs the job and keeps you updated at each inspection.

What a fifty-year-old kitchen or bath usually needs

A house from the early 1970s is now about fifty years old, and most of its original finishes have been replaced once already, sometimes badly. The kitchen walls are drywall, not plaster, which keeps demolition simpler. The bigger questions are layout and structure: the wall between kitchen and dining room in a split-level or raised ranch often carries the floor or roof above. Ductwork and plumbing vents often run through that same wall, and they have to be rerouted before it can go.

If that wall carries a load, we say so before anyone swings a hammer. Taking it out means a properly sized beam, posts carried down to the foundation and an inspection of the framing before it gets covered. It is very doable work. It just has to be planned, drawn and permitted, not improvised.

Bathrooms from this era tend to have tile set over drywall with no real waterproofing behind it. When we take one out, rot at the tub wall or in the subfloor is common. We build the new shower with a proper waterproofing system and tell you what we found in the floor before the tile goes down.

Insulation, older pockets and the energy code

Homes from the 1960s and 1970s went up with thin insulation and plenty of air leaks. When walls are open, that is the moment to fix it. Many Massachusetts communities have adopted the stretch energy code, and insulation and air sealing on renovated areas follow whatever code applies when the permit is pulled. Air sealing at the rim joist and the attic hatch often does more than a thicker batt, and we point that out while the walls are open.

The share of Marlborough homes built before 1940 still adds up to thousands of older houses. Those bring plaster, old wiring and lead-safe work practices, and we plan them differently from a 1970s ranch. With over a square mile of water inside city limits, some homes also sit near the water, where basement moisture deserves a close look before anything below grade gets finished.

Permits go through the city building department under 780 CMR. Steve, who holds an unrestricted Construction Supervisor License, runs the job and keeps you updated at each inspection. Electrical and plumbing go to licensed trades, and their inspections are scheduled into the plan so walls do not sit open waiting.