Historic South End Roof Deck Transformation

This project at 596 Tremont Street in Boston’s historic South End was an exciting opportunity for Abacus Builders, one of Boston’s best contractors. The client, a long-time resident of the area, wanted to enhance their home with valuable and functional outdoor living space while staying true to the neighborhood’s character.

Abacus Builders, along with our team of architects, engineers, and civil engineers, collaborated to design a beautiful roof deck accessed via an internal staircase with a Bilco custom bubble hatch. This project required meticulous planning to meet City of Boston zoning requirements and gain approval from the Boston Landmarks Commission.

Key features of this project include:

ViewRail Floating Stairs: A modern, sleek choice that added sophistication and style to the interior.

Bilco Automatic Bubble Hatch: Custom-ordered for easy and reliable roof access.

Trex Composite Decking: Installed with hidden fasteners for a clean, seamless finish.

Historic Wrought Iron Handrails: Custom-made on-site and approved by the Boston Landmarks Commission. These included drink caps, and all welding was supervised by the Boston Fire Department.

EPDM Rubber Roofing System: Installed by our expert team with a 20-year manufacturer warranty to ensure durability.

As roofing under deck experts and deck builders with extensive experience, we reinforced the roof structurally to support the new deck and its live load capacity without the need for steel beams. Interior refinishing was also necessary and included light framing, demolition, insulation, electrical adjustments, plumbing relocations, painting, finish carpentry, and more—handled entirely by our in-house team.

Boston residents consistently recognize us as deck remodelers, roofing experts, and contractors with the best reputation, and this project exemplifies why. The stunning views from this five-level townhome’s roof deck are truly unmatched, and we’re thrilled that the client has referred us to several new customers.

As one of Boston’s premier historic builders, we take pride in preserving the integrity of the South End while creating functional and beautiful outdoor spaces. We hope the client enjoys many summers on their new roof deck.