Salem · about 4 mi from our shop
Patio Design & Construction in Salem, MA
Salem lots are some of the tightest on the North Shore, and a patio often has to fit between the house, the sidewalk and the neighbors. We built a raised stone patio on exactly that kind of lot. It's on our Salem page.
Recent patios by our crew around the North Shore. See more of our work.
Patios in Salem
What to know before you start.
In the four local historic districts, a patio substantially at grade is exempt from Historical Commission review, but the retaining wall around a raised patio is not. We design with that line in mind.
Salem's soils are rocky and shallow, with marine clay downtown, and much of the waterfront sits in FEMA flood zones. Near wetlands, the 2022 ordinance adds a 25-foot no-disturbance zone and a 50-foot mitigation zone.
Local rules that can affect your patios project.
Four local historic districts
McIntire, Derby Street, Lafayette Street and Washington Square. At-grade terraces, walks, driveways and plantings are exempt from review, but retaining walls and landscape barriers need Historical Commission approval.
Source: Salem Historical Commission Design Guidelines ↗Salem's wetlands ordinance
Updated in 2022, it adds a 25-foot no-disturbance zone and a 50-foot mitigation zone from wetlands, protects isolated wetlands and vernal pools, and weighs climate change in reviews.
Source: Salem Conservation Commission ↗
We check the current requirements for every project before we start.
Does a patio need historic approval in Salem?
Not if it's substantially at grade. A raised patio with a retaining wall does, because retaining walls need Historical Commission approval.
Let's talk about your patios in Salem.
Estimates are free. We'll call you back to set up a time to see the property.