REScheck & COMcheck Andover MA - Quick Facts
Local energy code in Andover
- Andover 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 Andover is on the Stretch Code.
REScheck & COMcheck in Andover
- REScheck documents the prescriptive residential path for Andover 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 Andover permit application.
2026 Mass Save incentives in Andover
- 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 135 Google reviews · (617) 501-6788
REScheck & COMcheck Andover MA
Home Energy Efficiency Consultants prepares REScheck (residential) and COMcheck (commercial) compliance documentation for Andover projects. When your build does not trigger a full HERS rating, these DOE compliance reports are the fast, affordable path to your permit.
What we deliver
A stamped, signed compliance report matched to your plans and ready to upload with your Andover building permit application.
Understanding REScheck and COMcheck
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 Andover can confirm compliance quickly.
What is a REScheck?
REScheck is DOE software for residential compliance — detached one- and two-family homes and multifamily buildings three stories or fewer. It runs a UA (insulation and window) trade-off calculation against the IECC, letting extra performance in one assembly offset another so the whole envelope still passes.
What is a COMcheck?
For commercial and four-plus-story residential buildings, COMcheck is required. It documents envelope, lighting, and mechanical compliance against the IECC or ASHRAE Standard 90.1 and produces the certificates a commercial plan reviewer expects.
When Do You Need a REScheck in Andover?
REScheck is the simplest path for smaller residential projects in Andover that do not trigger a full performance-path energy rating. It is typically the right tool when your project is:
- New residential construction or an addition under 1,200 square feet that does not require a HERS rating
- Window and insulation upgrades that must be documented for a building permit
- Finished basements, attic conversions, and dormer additions on existing homes
- Detached accessory structures with conditioned space
- Multifamily buildings of three stories or fewer
Commercial Work That Needs a COMcheck in Andover
COMcheck is required for commercial and larger projects in Andover. Reach for a COMcheck when your project involves:
- Medical, dental, and professional office construction
- High-rise residential buildings of four stories or more
- Tenant fit-outs and interior or exterior lighting alterations
- New mechanical (HVAC) or service water heating systems in commercial spaces
- Commercial buildings — offices, retail, restaurants, warehouses, and mixed-use
Inside Your REScheck or COMcheck Report
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.
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.
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 Andover.
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.
Serving Andover and Essex County
Andover sits in Essex 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 Essex County, matched to the code edition Andover currently enforces.
REScheck & COMcheck Pricing in Andover
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 Andover. Send your plans for an exact quote.
Trusted by Andover 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.”
Need a REScheck or COMcheck in Andover?
Send us your plans and we will tell you which report you need and get it back to you fast — ready for your Andover permit.
Email Energyconsultants01@gmail.com Call 617-501-6788HERS Ratings Across Andover and Nearby Communities
Home Energy Efficiency Consultants rates new homes, additions, and major renovations throughout Andover — including Andover Center, Shawsheen Village, Ballardvale, and West Andover. Every Andover project is filed with the Town of Andover Building Division, 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 Andover, including North Andover, Lawrence, Tewksbury, Wilmington, and Reading. Our Everett office at 371 Main St is the closest of our four Massachusetts locations — see our Everett office or call (617) 501-6788 to get a Andover rating on the schedule.
Andover Specialized Energy Code — HERS Index Targets
Andover enforces the Massachusetts Specialized (Opt-In) Energy Code. The required HERS score depends on fuel type and project scope — a lower index is stricter.
| Project type | Mixed-fuel | Mixed-fuel + solar | All-electric | All-electric + solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New construction | HERS 42 | 42 | 45 | 45 |
| New construction — embodied-carbon credit | 45 | 45 | 48 | 48 |
| Accessory dwelling unit (ADU) | 52 | 55 | 55 | 58 |
| Major alteration / renovation / change of use | 65 | 70 | 70 | 75 |
A HERS rating is triggered by new construction, additions over 1,000 sq ft (or more than 100% of the existing conditioned area), and Level 3 alterations over 1,000 sq ft affecting more than 50% of the home. New homes must also pass a blower-door test at 3.0 ACH50 and include electrification-ready wiring for heat pumps, EV charging, and solar. We model your Andover project up front so you know the exact target and the fastest path to hit it — call (617) 501-6788.
More Massachusetts Towns We Serve
Certified HERS ratings, blower door testing and energy code compliance across all 351 Massachusetts cities and towns.
