Home › Massachusetts › Westford
Bathroom, Kitchen and Home Remodeling in Westford, MA
Westford has no public sewer, so the Board of Health has a say in many additions and finished basements, starting with what counts as a bedroom. Call (978) 951-4644 or use the form. A person reads every request and replies with what happens next.
- Free for homeowners
- Town and state remodeling rules on this page
- Forge Village to Nabnasset
Ask About Remodeling Service in Your Area
Tell us what you want to change in the house. A person reads it and replies with what happens next.
Please add your name, a 10-digit phone number and a valid email.
Your request didn't go through on our end. Please call (978) 951-4644 so it isn't lost.
Too many requests have come from this connection in a short time. Please call (978) 951-4644 and we'll take it from there.
We couldn't finish the spam check. Wait a moment and send it again, or call (978) 951-4644.
Remodeling in Westford
What are you changing?
Kitchen Remodeling
New layouts, cabinets and counters, with licensed trades for any plumbing, gas and electrical work.
Bathroom Remodeling
Tub-to-shower conversions, full gut renovations and added bathrooms, permitted the way your town requires.
Additions & Whole-Home
Additions, dormers, second stories and whole-house renovations, with the structural permits and zoning they bring.
Attic & Basement Finishing
Turning an attic or a dry basement into living space, with the building department involved from the start.
Adding rooms on septic?
(978) 951-4644Tell us the rooms you want and the size of the house now, and we'll connect you with a contractor who works within Westford's Board of Health rules.
Permits
Remodeling permits in Westford
What the town lists. The Building Department at 55 Main Street, 978-692-5527, lists Renovations/Remodeling, Windows – Doors, Additions and Insulation – Weatherization among the work it permits. Since December 2023, kitchen and bath remodels can be filed on the online permit portal, along with electrical, plumbing, gas, roof, window, door and siding permits; permits not on that list, including additions, are entered online and then submitted in person or by mail (Building Department).
Inspections. The same page says the building official has 48 hours to inspect, the required signatures must be on the Job Card before you schedule, and a final inspection closes out the permit. Westford's posted fee schedule is dated effective March 1, 2004 and charges a triple fee for work started without a permit; confirm current fees on the Permit Fees page.
Board of Health sign-off. Because Westford has no public sewer, the Board of Health's guidance on building permits and septic systems applies to building permits that add space (Building Permits and Your Septic System); the rules are below under adding on.
- Building Department
- 55 Main Street
- Phone
- 978-692-5527
- Online since December 2023
- Kitchen and bath remodels, plus trade, roof, window, door and siding permits
- In person or by mail
- Additions and other permits not on the online list
- Work started without a permit
- Triple fee (schedule dated March 1, 2004)
- Energy code
- Stretch Code since July 1, 2014; Specialized Opt-in Code effective January 1, 2028
An energy code change on the calendar. Westford has used the Stretch Code since July 1, 2014, and the state's adoption list shows the Specialized Opt-in Code taking effect January 1, 2028 (energy code adoption by municipality). For existing homes, the Specialized Code points to the Stretch Code's existing-building rules, under which an addition or extensive alteration over 1,000 square feet or over 100% of the existing conditioned floor area must meet HERS rating limits, and a basement or attic conversion that keeps the footprint and roofline needs no HERS rating (225 CMR 22).
State rules for the job. Remodeling an existing owner-occupied home of one to four units is residential contracting, so your contractor needs Home Improvement Contractor registration (Contractor Hub lookup). Over $1,000, the contract must be in writing with the registration number, start and completion dates, the price and a payment schedule; the up-front deposit is limited to one-third unless special-order materials cost more; and a contract signed at home can be cancelled until midnight of the third business day (c.142A §2). A licensed construction supervisor or registered design professional must oversee structural work on one- and two-family homes (construction supervisor rules). Owners who pull their own permit lose access to the Guaranty Fund, which can pay up to $25,000 of losses against a registered contractor (HIC homeowner resources). Plumbing and gas permits are issued only to licensed individuals (248 CMR 3.05).
Alarms. Massachusetts requires listed photoelectric smoke alarms and a CO alarm on each story, basement included (780 CMR 51, chapter 3); the building official will check alarms and egress for any new bedroom.
Last verified November 2026. Fees, restrictions and deadlines on this page are due for re-checking by February 2027. New England Remodeling Pros is a referral service. We don't do the work or file permits; the contractor does.
Zoning
Adding on in Westford
What counts as a bedroom. Westford doesn't have public sewer service (2010–2015 Open Space and Recreation Plan), so additions and finished basements run through the Board of Health's policy effective July 1, 2008. A bedroom is a room of at least 70 square feet with a ceiling of 7 feet 3 inches in new space (7 feet in existing space), electrical service, ventilation and at least one window, and a house with more than eight rooms is presumed to have half that many bedrooms. Adding a bedroom takes existing septic capacity, a new compliant system or giving one up elsewhere; when new living space exceeds 50% of the existing finished space, a Title 5 inspection from the last two years goes to the Board before initial permit sign-off; and a room that qualifies as a bedroom but won't be used as one needs a recorded deed restriction (Building Permits and Your Septic System).
Nonconforming houses and stories. Under the zoning bylaw (2021 compilation; check later amendments with the Building Department), the Building Commissioner can approve alterations to a nonconforming single- or two-family house that don't increase the nonconforming nature, such as no footprint increase within the existing height (section 3.6.5); otherwise the Board of Appeals may grant a special permit on finding the change not substantially more detrimental to the neighborhood (section 3.6.6). For attic and basement projects, note section 4.2.2: an attic, or a habitable basement with half or more of its height above ground, counts as a story (2021 Zoning Bylaw).
Accessory dwelling units. State law allows one ADU by right in single-family zoning districts, up to 900 square feet or half the main house, whichever is smaller, and bars towns from requiring owner occupancy; Title 5 still applies, and an existing septic system may need upgrading (state ADU rules; state ADU FAQs). As of November 2026, the town's ADU page says Special Town Meeting 2025 voted to amend the ADU bylaw to comply with the state law, with the final bylaw to be published soon, and posts an ADU Discussion Request Form (Westford ADU page).
Wetland limits. The Wetland Rules and Regulations, effective December 9, 2020, set a 30-foot limit of work and a 55-foot limit of building on lots with an existing structure and an artificial surface, and 50 and 75 feet on lots with an existing structure and a non-artificial surface or on undeveloped lots (Wetland Rules and Regulations). An addition near a wetland should start with the Conservation Commission.
Historic review
Old houses and historic review in Westford
Demolition delay. Westford's demolition delay bylaw, in the 2025 General Bylaws compilation approved by the Attorney General on February 12, 2025, covers buildings that fall within its rolling 85-year timeframe, plus buildings near historic districts. If the Historical Commission finds a building preferably preserved, the Building Commissioner shall not issue a demolition permit for 6 months from the Commission's report, and a voluntary demolition in violation of the bylaw bars a building permit on the site for 22 months (General Bylaws 2025, Chapter 80). The town's demolition page adds that review applies to properties in Westford Center, Graniteville, Forge Village, Parker Village or Brookside, State Register or inventory properties, and buildings shown on the 1855 Symmes Map of Westford (Demolition of Existing Structure).
Historic villages. The 2009 Master Plan names six historic villages, Westford Center, Brookside, Forge Village, Graniteville, Nabnasset and Parker Village, all but Nabnasset on the National and State Registers (Comprehensive Master Plan).
Lead and asbestos. In a home built before 1978, renovation, repair or painting must be done by a licensed lead-safe renovation contractor (MA lead-safe renovation), and the federal rule always covers window replacement and demolition of painted surfaces (EPA RRP). MassDEP requires an asbestos survey before renovation or demolition on a structure of any age (asbestos survey guide).
Westford's homes
Single-family houses and old mill villages
Westford had 9,237 housing units in the 2020 Census, and the 2015–19 American Community Survey put detached single-family homes at 81.5% of the housing inventory (Housing Production Plan 2022–2027). The older stock is concentrated in the villages, where the open space plan and Master Plan trace housing from the Federal period to the early 20th century.
Westford Center
An exceptionally well-preserved collection of 19th- and early 20th-century houses, many with carriage houses and barns.
Forge Village
Workers' housing in a variety of styles from the mid-19th to the early 20th century.
Graniteville
Most of the housing dates from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century.
Village descriptions come from the 2010–2015 Open Space and Recreation Plan and the 2009 Master Plan. In these villages, an older house can meet the demolition delay, lead-safe rules and the septic bedroom count all on one project.
FAQ
Westford remodeling questions
Can I apply for a kitchen or bath remodel permit online in Westford?
Yes. Since December 2023 the town's online portal takes kitchen and bath remodel permits, along with electrical, plumbing, gas, roof, window, door and siding permits. Permits not on that list, including additions, must be submitted in person or by mail.
Will finishing my basement in Westford need Board of Health sign-off?
It can. Under the Board's policy effective July 1, 2008, a room of at least 70 square feet with the required ceiling height, electrical service, ventilation and a window counts as a bedroom. If new living space is more than 50% of the existing finished space, a Title 5 inspection from the last two years must go to the Board before initial permit sign-off.
When does the Specialized energy code start in Westford?
The state's adoption list shows Westford's Specialized Opt-in Code effective January 1, 2028; the Stretch Code has applied since July 1, 2014. For existing homes, the Specialized Code sends additions and alterations to the Stretch Code's existing-building chapter, so ask your contractor which rules your permit date falls under.
Does Westford's demolition delay apply to a partial teardown?
The bylaw covers the demolition or removal of a building or structure that falls within its rolling 85-year timeframe, plus buildings near historic districts, without defining demolition further. If the Historical Commission finds a building preferably preserved, the Building Commissioner can't issue a demolition permit for 6 months. Ask before you plan to remove part of an older house.
What does it cost me to use New England Remodeling Pros?
Nothing. Asking is free for homeowners; the contractor prices the job, and the price and contract are between you and them.
Nearby