REScheck & COMcheck Bridgewater MA - Quick Facts
Local energy code in Bridgewater
- Bridgewater enforces the Massachusetts Stretch Energy Code for new construction and major renovations. IECC Climate Zone 5A.
- Massachusetts has three energy-code levels - base (2021 IECC), Stretch, and Specialized (Opt-In) - and Bridgewater is on the Stretch Code.
REScheck & COMcheck in Bridgewater
- REScheck documents the prescriptive residential path for Bridgewater additions, alterations and renovations (from $300); new-construction performance projects use a full HERS energy model instead.
- Commercial projects use COMcheck for the prescriptive path (from $600); larger new commercial buildings need third-party performance certification under the Stretch Code.
- 24-48 hour turnaround - documentation ready to upload with your Bridgewater permit application.
2026 Mass Save incentives in Bridgewater
- All-electric renovations and additions can earn Mass Save incentives up to $20,000 (Level 1) or $30,000 (Level 2) for a single-family home, verified by a RESNET-certified HERS rater.
RESNET-certified · 15,000+ ratings completed · 5.0 stars across 136 Google reviews · (617) 501-6788
REScheck & COMcheck Bridgewater MA
Fast, accurate REScheck and COMcheck energy code compliance reports for residential and commercial projects in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. We prepare the documentation your building department needs to issue a permit — without the cost of a full performance-path energy rating when your project does not require one.
What we deliver
A signed compliance report matched to your plans and ready to upload with your Bridgewater building permit application.
REScheck vs. COMcheck: What’s the Difference?
Both are free compliance software tools developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to demonstrate that a building meets the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). They document your envelope, and for commercial work your lighting and mechanical systems, so a plan reviewer in Bridgewater can confirm compliance quickly.
What is a REScheck?
REScheck is the DOE’s residential compliance tool. It covers one- and two-family dwellings and low-rise multifamily (three stories or fewer), using a UA trade-off so a stronger wall or roof can make up for a weaker window while the overall envelope still meets the IECC.
What is a COMcheck?
COMcheck handles commercial work and high-rise residential of four stories or more. The DOE tool evaluates envelope, lighting (interior and exterior), and mechanical systems against either the IECC or ASHRAE 90.1, with trade-offs allowed across components.
REScheck Projects in Bridgewater
REScheck is the simplest path for smaller residential projects in Bridgewater that do not need a HERS rating. It is typically the right tool for:
- New residential construction or an addition of 1,000 sq ft or less that does not require a HERS rating
- Finished basements, attic conversions, and dormer additions on existing homes
- Additions, alterations, or renovations to a one- or two-family home
- Detached accessory structures with conditioned space
- Permit applications needing residential envelope documentation on the prescriptive or UA trade-off path
COMcheck Projects in Bridgewater
COMcheck is required for commercial and larger projects in Bridgewater. Reach for a COMcheck when your project involves:
- New mechanical (HVAC) or service water heating systems in commercial spaces
- Restaurant build-outs and retail white-box improvements
- Medical, dental, and professional office construction
- Commercial buildings — offices, retail, restaurants, warehouses, and mixed-use
- Envelope work on commercial structures requiring IECC or ASHRAE 90.1 compliance
Inside Your REScheck or COMcheck Report
REScheck report
A signed REScheck compliance certificate matched to your plans, the inspection checklist, and the UA trade-off summary showing your insulation R-values and window U-factors meet the residential energy code.
Fast, permit-ready turnaround
We deliver documentation ready to upload with your building permit application, and we answer plan-review questions if the department asks for revisions.
COMcheck report
The COMcheck Envelope, Lighting, and Mechanical Compliance Certificates plus the Plan Review Checklist — the full package a commercial plan reviewer expects for permit submission.
Plans matched to code
We enter your assemblies, fenestration, and (for commercial) lighting and mechanical details exactly as designed, so the report reflects what you are actually building in Bridgewater.
Serving Bridgewater and Plymouth County
Bridgewater sits in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, in IECC climate zone 5A — the cold-climate zone that drives the insulation and air-sealing levels your REScheck or COMcheck must document. We prepare compliance reports for projects throughout Plymouth County, matched to the code edition Bridgewater currently enforces.
REScheck & COMcheck Pricing in Bridgewater
Transparent starting prices. Final cost depends on project size, number of assemblies, and scope.
- REScheck (residential): starting at $300
- COMcheck (commercial): starting at $600
- Revisions to match plan-review comments are handled promptly
REScheck reports start at $300 and COMcheck reports start at $600 for projects in Bridgewater. Send your plans for an exact quote.
Trusted by Bridgewater Builders & Owners
Google Review
“Best decision I made was hiring Home Energy Efficiency Consultants LLC. Their attention to detail and willingness to answer all my questions made the process stress-free.”
Which Energy Code Report Does a Bridgewater Project Need?
Bridgewater adopted the Massachusetts Stretch Code effective July 1, 2012, according to the state's adoption list, and is not one of the 60 communities on the Specialized (Opt-In) Code. Projects in Bridgewater follow the Stretch Code (225 CMR 22.00 and 23.00). We confirm Bridgewater's current code status against the state list before we prepare any report.
| Your Bridgewater project | What the energy code paperwork usually is |
|---|---|
| New single-family home or low-rise residential building | In Stretch Code towns, a HERS rating (maximum HERS 42 mixed-fuel, 45 all-electric) or Passive House. REScheck is not accepted for new homes under the Stretch Code. |
| Residential addition of 1,000 sq ft or less (and not over 100% of the existing home) | REScheck (REScheck-Web, 2023 Massachusetts Stretch Code) or the prescriptive tables |
| Residential addition over 1,000 sq ft or over 100% of the existing home | A HERS rating of the whole house (HERS 65 or lower mixed-fuel, 70 or lower all-electric) |
| Basement or attic conversion with no change to footprint or roofline | No HERS rating required; REScheck or prescriptive documentation |
| Residential renovation or alteration | Prescriptive alteration rules; REScheck can document the envelope. Large "extensive" alterations over 1,000 sq ft may need a HERS rating. |
| New commercial building up to 20,000 sq ft | COMcheck: Envelope, Lighting and Mechanical certificates plus the Plan Review Inspection Checklist |
| New commercial building over 20,000 sq ft | COMcheck Lighting and Mechanical, with the envelope shown by backstop and thermal-bridge calculations, on a performance path (Targeted Performance/TEDI or ASHRAE 90.1 Appendix G) or Passive House |
| Commercial addition, alteration, or lighting/HVAC change | COMcheck for the altered systems |
| Multifamily building over 12,000 sq ft | Passive House or a HERS/performance path |
Based on 225 CMR 22.00 and 23.00 (Massachusetts energy code, 2025 edition). Building departments make the final call, so we confirm the path for your project before we start. Bridgewater is in Plymouth County, served from our Framingham (68 South St) office.
How We Prepare Your Bridgewater REScheck or COMcheck
Send your plans
Email the permit set for your Bridgewater project. We tell you the same day whether you need a REScheck, a COMcheck or a HERS rating.
We model the building
We enter every assembly, window, light fixture and HVAC unit as designed and flag anything that fails before the plan reviewer sees it.
Permit-ready report
You get the signed compliance certificates and checklists, ready to upload with your Bridgewater building permit application.
Plan review support
If the building department asks for changes, we revise the report and answer the reviewer's questions.
REScheck & COMcheck for Bridgewater Permits
Bridgewater was an early adopter of the Massachusetts Stretch Code, with an effective date of July 1, 2012 on the state's list. It is not on the Specialized (Opt-In) Code. Permits are handled by the Building Department in the Municipal Office Building at 66 Central Square, and the town asks contractors and homeowners to apply online through PermitEyes; paper applications carry an extra $50 administrative fee.
Commercial work is steady here. Bridgewater's list of approved development projects includes the Claremont Hotel, the Henry Perkins Foundry redevelopment, a 2024 storage building for a local hardware store and commercial contractor bays at 1 Jasmine Way. Projects like these are documented with COMcheck, which covers the envelope, lighting and mechanical systems. Under the Stretch Code, a commercial building over 20,000 sq ft needs more than COMcheck, usually an energy model.
Residential quick guide for Bridgewater
| Project | Energy code document |
|---|---|
| Addition up to 1,000 sq ft and not more than 100% of the existing home, where the prescriptive path is allowed | REScheck |
| New single-family home | HERS rating of 42 or lower (mixed-fuel) or 45 or lower (all-electric) |
| Larger addition or major renovation | Whole-house HERS rating of 65 (mixed-fuel) or 70 (all-electric) |
Our Somerville office at 519 Broadway is HEEC's nearest location to Bridgewater. Reports arrive as PDFs ready to upload to PermitEyes.
Basement and attic conversions that do not change the footprint or roofline generally stay on the prescriptive path. Send your plan set and we will confirm which row your Bridgewater project falls into before you file.
If the plans change during review, we update the report so the version on file matches what gets built.
REScheck & COMcheck Questions for Bridgewater Projects
Do I need a REScheck or a HERS rating in Bridgewater?
Under the Massachusetts Stretch Code, new homes need a HERS rating (HERS 42 mixed-fuel or 45 all-electric) or Passive House. REScheck is used for additions of 1,000 sq ft or less that are not over 100% of the existing home, basement and attic conversions, and renovations. We confirm Bridgewater's code status before we start.
When is a COMcheck required in Massachusetts?
A COMcheck documents commercial energy code compliance for new commercial buildings up to 20,000 sq ft (envelope, lighting and mechanical), for lighting and mechanical on larger buildings, and for commercial additions and alterations such as fit-outs, lighting changes and HVAC replacements. Massachusetts commercial code is based on the 2021 IECC with state amendments in 225 CMR 23.00.
What does a COMcheck include?
The COMcheck Envelope Compliance Certificate, the Interior and Exterior Lighting Compliance Certificates, the Mechanical Compliance Certificate, and the Plan Review Inspection Checklist. Massachusetts 225 CMR 23.00 Section C103.2 lists these as the construction-document requirements for buildings up to 20,000 sq ft.
What does a REScheck include?
A REScheck compares your home's envelope (insulation R-values and window U-values) to the code using a total UA trade-off, so stronger performance in one assembly can offset another. The report includes the compliance certificate and inspection checklist. Mandatory items such as air sealing and duct sealing still apply.
What size addition needs a HERS rating instead of REScheck?
In Massachusetts, a residential addition over 1,000 sq ft, or over 100% of the existing conditioned floor area, needs a HERS rating of the whole house (225 CMR 22.00 R502.1.1). Converting an existing basement or attic without changing the footprint or roofline does not.
What information do you need to prepare a REScheck or COMcheck?
Plans with wall, roof and floor sections, insulation types and R-values, the window and door schedule with U-factors and SHGC, and for commercial work the lighting fixture schedule with wattages, lighting controls, and HVAC and water heating equipment schedules.
Which software version is used in Massachusetts?
REScheck-Web with the 2023 Massachusetts Stretch Code option for residential, and COMcheck-Web set to the 2021 IECC (or ASHRAE 90.1-2019) for commercial, matching the code Massachusetts enforces.
How much does a REScheck or COMcheck cost in Bridgewater?
REScheck reports start at $300 and COMcheck reports start at $600. The final price depends on the size of the project and how many assemblies and systems need to be entered. Send your plans for an exact quote.
Can I file a Bridgewater building permit on paper?
Bridgewater asks contractors and homeowners to apply online through PermitEyes. According to the Building Department page, paper applications are accepted with an additional $50 administrative fee.
Does Bridgewater's Stretch Code affect commercial projects?
Yes. Bridgewater has been on the Stretch Code since July 1, 2012. Commercial projects use COMcheck for the envelope, lighting and mechanical systems, and new commercial buildings over 20,000 sq ft need more than COMcheck, typically an energy model.
Related: HERS rating in Bridgewater · Blower door testing · COMcheck & REScheck reports
Need a REScheck or COMcheck in Bridgewater?
Send us your plans and we will tell you which report you need and get it back to you fast — ready for your Bridgewater permit.
Email Energyconsultants01@gmail.com Call 617-501-6788
Mass Save®-Listed HERS Rater
U.S. DOE Efficient New HomeTrusted Partner — Verified
ENERGY STAR®Partner
Phius CertifiedPassive House Verifier
ICCMember★★★★★136 Google
Reviews
The Phius Certified Verifier logo is used under license from Phius.
Last updated · Home Energy Efficiency Consultants, RESNET-certified HERS raters
HERS Ratings Across Bridgewater and Nearby Communities
Home Energy Efficiency Consultants rates new homes, additions, and major renovations throughout Bridgewater — including Bridgewater Center, Scotland, and Titicut. Every Bridgewater project is filed with the Town of Bridgewater Building Department, and we handle the energy model, blower door and duct leakage testing, and the compliance paperwork from start to finish.
We also serve the communities right around Bridgewater, including West Bridgewater, East Bridgewater, Raynham, Middleborough, and Halifax. Our Framingham office at 68 South St is the closest of our four Massachusetts locations — see our Framingham office or call (617) 501-6788 to get a Bridgewater rating on the schedule.
More Massachusetts Towns We Serve
Certified HERS ratings, blower door testing and energy code compliance across all 351 Massachusetts cities and towns.
