Wide-plank floors under three layers of carpet, plaster walls with hairline cracks, a kitchen squeezed into a house built long before kitchens looked like this. Silva Construction Pro is a licensed and insured general contractor in Salem, MA, based at 96 Main St in Saugus. We take your project from the first conversation to the final walkthrough. Request a free estimate below, or call (978) 239-4443.
Licensed in Massachusetts: HIC #213421 · CSL #123919 | Fully licensed and insured | 20+ years of experience | Rated 5.0 on Google | 2-year workmanship warranty on renovation projects
Premium Renovations Without the Premium Price Tag
Wide-plank floors under three layers of carpet, plaster walls with hairline cracks, a kitchen squeezed into a house built long before kitchens looked like this. Silva Construction Pro is a licensed and insured general contractor in Salem, MA, based at 96 Main St in Saugus. We take your project from the first conversation to the final walkthrough. Request a free estimate below, or call (978) 239-4443.
Licensed in Massachusetts: HIC #213421 · CSL #123919 | Fully licensed and insured | 20+ years of experience | Rated 5.0 on Google | 2-year workmanship warranty on renovation projects
Premium Renovations Without the Premium Price Tag
Salem is a short trip up the coast from our Saugus office. For 20+ years we have handled bathrooms, kitchens, floors, walls, paint, masonry and exterior cleaning for Massachusetts homeowners, with more than 1,000 projects behind us.
Our HIC #213421 and CSL #123919 numbers are public and easy to verify. Hiring a general contractor in Salem means one point of contact who can sequence plaster, masonry, tile and paint so they do not undo each other’s work.
He treats our home as if it was his own
Highly recommended
Salem has one of the richest collections of early American architecture in the country. The Federal-style district around Chestnut Street and the McIntire buildings, the waterfront along Salem Harbor and the neighborhoods around Salem Willows all hold houses that have been standing for generations. Many are two- and three-family homes, and many have been divided, updated and repaired many times over.
That history is part of the appeal and part of the challenge. Old houses have plaster over lath, framing that has settled, chimneys that have been patched and floors that are no longer level. The right approach is to assess before you promise: we walk through the home with you, look at what the structure is telling us and plan the work around it. We do not treat an old house like a new one, and we tell you what we find along the way.
Historic Salem houses ask for repair before replacement. Drywall and plaster is often the first call, restoring plaster walls and ceilings instead of tearing them out, followed by painting for interiors, trim and exteriors. Masonry keeps chimneys, brick and steps sound, flooring brings back the hardwood that is often under old carpet, and kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling and tile installation modernize the rooms that work hardest. Pressure washing cleans siding and walks, and demolition removes what is beyond repair.
A general contractor in Salem who plans these steps together can protect the original details of the house while updating how it works.
Salem’s waterfront setting puts extra demands on buildings. Salt air and humidity wear down exterior paint and trim. Freeze and thaw works into brick and mortar. Older basements stay damp and old plaster reacts to moisture, cracking and flaking where water has been present.
For a historic house, repair usually beats replacement. Plaster can often be patched, skim coated and restored instead of torn out. Brick can be repointed, and trim can be repaired and repainted. That approach protects the character of the house and usually costs less. Schedule outside repairs in fall, before the first freeze, and washing and repainting in late spring; a general contractor in Salem who works to that calendar will not be back next winter fixing the same spot.
Most renovation work in Salem, including kitchens, bathrooms and anything structural, requires a city building permit. In Massachusetts the registered contractor applies for covered work. Owners of an owner-occupied one- or two-family home may use the homeowner exemption but give up the protections of the state’s Home Improvement Contractor program. In practice, a general contractor in Salem takes care of this for you.
Salem has several historic districts, and exterior changes to a building in one can require review before work begins. The city also has a demolition delay bylaw for older buildings. Give us your address at the free estimate and we will go over what applies.
Every job starts with a free visit and a conversation about the house, its condition and what you want from it. We then put together a detailed plan and an itemized estimate. Work proceeds with dust barriers and daily cleanup, which matters around plaster and old paint, and we close with a walkthrough of the finished project.
We work as a general contractor in Salem and in 14 other cities across the North Shore, Greater Boston and southern New Hampshire. Nearby, we also work in Peabody, Beverly, Lynn and Danvers. See every town on our service areas page.
Is Silva Construction Pro a licensed general contractor in Salem?
Yes. Massachusetts HIC #213421 and CSL #123919, with liability insurance and workers’ compensation.
Is there a fee for the estimate?
No fee. We visit, assess the project and explain the work and cost.
Can you restore old plaster instead of replacing it?
Often, yes. Plaster repair and skim coating can restore a wall without tearing it out, and we assess how sound the plaster is before deciding.
Does my home need approval because of a historic district?
It depends on where the house sits and what the work involves. Exterior changes in a historic district can require review. Tell us your address and we will help you work out what applies.
How long does your workmanship warranty last?
Two years on renovation projects, with manufacturer warranties on fixtures, tile and materials.
Can we stay in the house while you work?
Most of the time, yes. Dust barriers and daily cleanup keep the rest of the house usable, and kitchens get a temporary kitchen area.
How do payments work?
A deposit reserves the date and pays for materials, progress payments come at agreed stages and the balance is paid when the job is complete.
Why use a general contractor on an old house?
Old houses involve several trades, and the order matters. One contractor keeps plaster, masonry, tile and paint in sequence and answers for the result.
Request your free estimate or call (978) 239-4443.
Silva Construction Pro · 96 Main St, Saugus, MA 01906 · Monday–Saturday, 7:00 AM–5:00 PM