https://magnoandco.com/blog Plain-English renovation, permit and design advice for Somerville and Greater Boston homeowners from licensed builder Mateus Magno. en-us Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://magnoandco.com/blog-somerville-renovation-permits-2026 https://magnoandco.com/blog-somerville-renovation-permits-2026 Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Somerville Bathrooms, roofs, kitchens and heat pumps lead the list. Here's what a year of City permit data says about Somerville homes — and what it means for your project. https://magnoandco.com/blog-somerville-home-prices-20-years https://magnoandco.com/blog-somerville-home-prices-20-years Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Somerville The median Somerville home now sells for about $1 million. The bigger story is condition: renovated homes trade about 30% higher per square foot than as-is homes. https://magnoandco.com/blog-somerville-home-rebates-loans-2026 https://magnoandco.com/blog-somerville-home-rebates-loans-2026 Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Somerville Mass Save heat-pump rebates drop on January 1, 2027. Here are the City and state programs that can pay for part of your project — and how to use them. https://magnoandco.com/blog-somerville-backyard-adu-map https://magnoandco.com/blog-somerville-backyard-adu-map Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Somerville We screened 9,332 Somerville lots with real parcel and building data. About 2,664 backyards can fit a detached ADU — and the numbers on what one is worth are eye-opening. https://magnoandco.com/blog-somerville-triple-decker-zoning https://magnoandco.com/blog-somerville-triple-decker-zoning Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Somerville Somerville allows new triple-deckers by right again. We tested every small house in the city: zoning isn't the hard part — the math is. https://magnoandco.com/blog-somerville-building-permit-guide https://magnoandco.com/blog-somerville-building-permit-guide Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Somerville Who can pull the permit, what you'll need, which jobs need one, and the energy-code rules that apply to Somerville renovations — in plain English. https://magnoandco.com/blog-owners-representative-what-it-is https://magnoandco.com/blog-owners-representative-what-it-is Sat, 17 Oct 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Planning You have plans — or a clear idea. Here's who turns them into a finished project, on budget, without you living on the job site. https://magnoandco.com/blog-hiring-a-contractor-massachusetts-checklist https://magnoandco.com/blog-hiring-a-contractor-massachusetts-checklist Sat, 17 Oct 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Licensing & Law Registration, licenses, the written contract, the deposit and who pulls the permit — what Massachusetts law expects, in plain English. https://magnoandco.com/blog-kitchen-trends-2026-boston https://magnoandco.com/blog-kitchen-trends-2026-boston Sat, 17 Oct 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Design & Trends Warm wood, bigger slabs, hidden appliances and storage-first layouts — what's worth it in a triple-decker, a colonial or a condo. https://magnoandco.com/blog-backyard-adu-greater-boston https://magnoandco.com/blog-backyard-adu-greater-boston Sat, 17 Oct 2026 09:00:00 -0400 ADUs Massachusetts now allows ADUs by right on single-family lots. Here's what that means, what drives the cost, and the first three things to check. https://magnoandco.com/blog-matterport-3d-scan-renovation https://magnoandco.com/blog-matterport-3d-scan-renovation Sat, 17 Oct 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Planning A Matterport scan turns your home into an exact, walk-through digital model. Here's how I use it to design, price and build with fewer surprises. https://magnoandco.com/blog-lead-paint-older-homes-renovation https://magnoandco.com/blog-lead-paint-older-homes-renovation Sat, 17 Oct 2026 09:00:00 -0400 Safety Most Greater Boston homes were built before 1978. Here's what the lead-safe rules require, what it looks like on site, and how to protect your family.