West Boylston, MA general contractor for homes near the reservoir
You picked West Boylston for the open water and the quiet, and you want the house to keep up with the way you live now. We remodel and add on to homes here from our base in Northborough, with Chris Gamache running the crews and a written estimate before any work is scheduled.
Old Stone Church, West Boylston. Photo: Connor O’Shea, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Who we are in West Boylston
Gamache Construction is a family-owned general contractor in Northborough, Massachusetts, serving West Boylston, including the village of Oakdale, along with the rest of Worcester County and MetroWest. In business since 2006, the company handles kitchen, bathroom and basement remodeling, home additions, porches, garages and interior painting. Owner Chris Gamache runs three crews and schedules the plumbing, electrical and tile trades each project needs. Gamache Construction is licensed and insured in Massachusetts, files permits and handles inspections, puts every estimate in writing, and stands behind its labor with a warranty.
How the reservoir shaped West Boylston homes
The reservoir rebuilt the town. When the Wachusett Dam was built in Clinton starting in 1897, more than 2,200 acres of West Boylston went under the new reservoir, more land than any other town gave up. Over 1,700 residents, 300 homes, six mills and four churches were moved or torn down, and the Old Stone Church of 1891 was left standing at the water’s edge. (Source: Wikipedia.)
- Incorporated
- 1808, from parts of Lancaster, Shrewsbury, Boylston, Holden and Sterling
- Villages
- West Boylston center and Oakdale, on opposite sides of the reservoir along Route 140
- Historic districts
- Oakdale Village and Bigelow Tavern are both on the National Register of Historic Places
- Town water
- Drawn from town wells run by the Water District, since the reservoir’s water goes to Greater Boston
What that means for a project. Houses in the older parts of town can predate the reservoir, so we open walls expecting older framing and wiring. National Register listing in Oakdale does not by itself restrict what a private owner does to a house, but the Historical Commission is worth a call if your home is in the district and you plan exterior changes.
Water, sewer and wetlands. Work close to the reservoir, its rivers or wetlands goes through the Conservation Commission, and watershed rules limit building near the water. If your house is on a septic system rather than town sewer, adding a bedroom needs Board of Health review under Title 5. Permits come from the Building Department at Town Hall, 140 Worcester Street.
Remodeling and construction we offer in West Boylston
Kitchen remodeling
Cabinets, counters, islands and layouts that open the kitchen to the rest of the house.
Bathroom remodeling
Tiled showers, new vanities and tub-to-shower conversions.
Home additions
Second stories, in-law suites and room expansions matched to the house.
Basement remodeling
Family rooms, bars and kitchenettes below the first floor.
Porches and garages
Covered porches and specialty builds, plus garages.
Painting
Interior painting, on its own or as part of a remodel.
Whole-house projects start on our renovation and remodeling page. Roofing and siding are handled by Roofing by Gamache.
What working with us looks like
Site visit
We see the house, and near the water we look at how close the work sits to the shoreline or wetlands.
Estimate on paper
Scope, options and price in writing, so you know what you are agreeing to before a date is set.
Approvals and permits
We file the building permit and flag any Conservation Commission or Board of Health review the job needs.
Build and close-out
Our crews build, the trades come in on schedule, and we walk the finished job with you.
Do you work in Oakdale?
Yes. Oakdale is a village of West Boylston, and we serve it the same way as the town center.
Do I need Conservation Commission approval for a deck or addition near the water?
If the work falls near wetlands, the reservoir or its rivers, it usually does. We check the property at the first visit, and if a filing is needed it is planned in before construction is scheduled.
Where do building permits come from in West Boylston?
From the town’s Building Department at Town Hall, 140 Worcester Street. We apply for the permit and are there for the inspections.
Does a historic district listing stop me from remodeling?
No. A National Register listing, like Oakdale Village’s, does not on its own limit what a private owner can do. Interior remodeling is unaffected, and we can talk with the Historical Commission if exterior changes raise questions.
Is the work warrantied?
Yes. Our labor has a warranty, and manufacturer warranties cover the products we install.
5.0 on Google, from 34 reviews
“Chris and his team did an outstanding job reconstructing our front porch. They worked tirelessly through all of the elements throughout the winter & spring and got the job done much faster than expected! Thank you!”
Neighboring towns
Our Northborough team works across MetroWest and Worcester County. Towns shown on this site are examples, not a complete boundary for project inquiries. Share your location and the work you are considering so we can confirm coverage for your project.
Plan your West Boylston remodel with us
We will look at the space, check how close the work sits to the water, and follow up with a written estimate. Chris Gamache runs the crews from the first visit to the last walkthrough.