Reading, MA
Patios and outdoor kitchens for Reading's family neighborhoods.
Reading is traditional New England: an old town center ringed by family neighborhoods on real-sized lots. We've built outdoor kitchens and patios here, and we plan around Reading's own wetlands rules from the first visit.
About 9 miles from our Danvers shop
Our work in Reading
Reading backyards, before and after.
Two Reading jobs: an outdoor kitchen, and a patio with a kitchen. Drag to compare.
Before & after
A Reading job, before and after.
Drag the handle to compare. Photographed by our crew.
More before & afters →What we build here
Services in Reading.
We've built outdoor kitchens and patios in Reading. Here's everything we offer in town.
Know before you build
Reading has some of the most specific rules in the area.
Almost a quarter of Reading's land is wetland or wetland buffer, and the town has its own bylaw on top of the state's. None of this should scare you off a project. It just needs to be in the plan from day one.
- 01
The 25-foot no-disturb zone
Reading's wetlands regulations generally keep at least 25 feet next to a wetland as natural vegetation, left undisturbed.
Source: Reading Wetlands Protection Regulations ↗ - 02
The no-structure zone
For 10 feet beyond that no-disturb zone, no new structures are allowed. That includes retaining walls, pools and pool equipment, fences, patios, sports courts, driveways and sheds.
Source: Reading Wetlands Protection Regulations ↗ - 03
Minor projects move faster
Some small projects qualify for a simpler process: unpaved walkways, fences and freestanding stone walls that don't block wildlife, and patios under 100 sq ft more than 50 feet from a resource area.
Source: Reading Wetlands Protection Regulations ↗ - 04
West Street & Summer Avenue historic districts
In Reading's local historic district, fences, walls, drives and paths need Historic District Commission review. The guidelines favor wood, stone, brick or iron fences over vinyl and ask that stone walls stay intact. At-grade walks and terraces, and plantings, are excluded.
Source: Reading Historic District Guidelines ↗ - 05
Outdoor watering stages
Reading's water conservation program runs in stages from May to October. At Stage 1, outdoor watering follows an odd/even schedule during set morning and evening hours, and later stages tighten further. New lawns and plantings need a watering plan that fits. Check the town's current notice.
Source: Reading General Bylaws, Article 4 (water conservation) ↗ - 06
Fences and pools
Fences over 6 feet need a building permit. Pools and sports courts inside the side or rear setbacks are limited in size.
Source: Reading Zoning Bylaw ↗
A Reading backyard near a wetland can still get a great patio. It just gets designed around the no-structure line instead of across it.
We map the lines on the first visit.
Building in Reading
Older homes, rolling ground, three river basins.
More than half of Reading's homes were built before 1960, and a third of those before 1940. The West Street historic district runs from mid-1700s houses through Victorian to post-war suburbs. That range means one patio design doesn't fit every street.
The town sits at the top of three river basins (the Ipswich, the Saugus and the Aberjona) on rolling hills. Most homes sit above the floodplain, but low spots near brooks do flood in storms, so drainage and pitch matter on every job.
Main single-family zones run from 15,000 to 40,000 sq ft lots, which is plenty of room for a patio and a kitchen, and sometimes a pool.
Can I put a patio near a wetland in Reading?
Outside the 25-foot no-disturb zone and the 10-foot no-structure zone beyond it, usually yes, with Conservation Commission review. Small patios under 100 sq ft far from resource areas can qualify as minor projects.
I'm in the West Street historic district. Can I add a fence?
Yes, with Historic District Commission review. The guidelines favor wood, stone, brick or iron fences over vinyl, and ask that front fences be used sparingly.
How do Reading's watering rules affect a new lawn?
During the May-to-October conservation stages, watering is limited to set days and hours. We time seeding and plan watering around the current stage.
Where the local information on this page comes from
- Reading Wetlands Protection Regulations
- Reading Wetlands Bylaw (Section 7.1)
- Reading Historic District Guidelines
- Reading historic district maps
- Reading General Bylaws, Article 4 (water conservation)
- Reading Water Conservation Notice
- Reading Zoning Bylaw
- Reading Housing Production Plan 2023
- Reading Hazard Mitigation Plan 2023
Rules change. Always confirm with the town before starting work. We check for every project.
Let's talk about your Reading project.
Estimates are free. We'll call you back to set up a time to see the property.