Older Winchester houses, near the river

Site and house

What Winchester's ground and houses bring to a job

Water shapes a lot of work here. The town's engineering pages separate river flooding, street drainage and groundwater, and each one calls for a different answer.

Aberjona River and Horn Pond Brook

The town names them as the biggest sources of surface flooding, with Wedge Pond, Winter Pond and Upper Mystic Lake also affected. We check the FEMA map for the lot before drawing any work at or below the first floor.

Groundwater in basements

Engineering says any property in town can take on water from rising groundwater or springs, and that the river and drainage projects won't fix it. That's why our basement plans start with a sump, a perimeter drain and a floor that tolerates damp.

Prewar housing

Large parts of town predate 1941, which puts a demolition or a substantial teardown in front of the Historical Commission. Wedgemere's houses, for example, mostly date from about 1890 to 1920.

Short inspector hours

Winchester's building, wiring and plumbing inspectors take calls only from 8 to 9 in the morning, with no voicemail. We call in that window so the job doesn't stall waiting for a callback.