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Building an ADU sounds simple — until the ground says no.
In this episode of the BuildX Podcast, host Buz Artiano sits down with Greg Morse, P.E., President of Morse Engineering Company. Greg is a civil engineer with over 25 years of experience designing, surveying, and permitting residential and commercial projects across Massachusetts’ South Shore.
Greg didn’t learn engineering from textbooks alone.
He grew up on job sites, running excavators as a kid alongside his father. That hands-on foundation evolved into a career spanning septic design, land surveying, subdivision permitting, and some of the most complex ADU challenges homeowners face today.
This conversation pulls back the curtain on what actually determines whether an ADU is possible — and why zoning is often the easy part.
• Why septic systems — not zoning — are the #1 ADU deal breaker
• How bedroom count quietly controls everything
• What “by-right ADUs” really mean in practice
• Why older septic variances can permanently block ADU plans
• How nitrogen-sensitive areas and Zone II regulations change the math
• The truth about alternative septic systems and long-term maintenance
• Why wetland buffers may be the next battleground for housing reform
“Zoning is easy. Septic is the wild card.” — Greg Morse
Greg also shares real-world insights from permitting ADUs in towns like Scituate, Hanover, Marshfield, and Norwell — where the rules may look the same on paper but behave very differently in reality.
The episode goes beyond engineering.
Greg opens up about entrepreneurship, starting Morse Engineering during the 2009 downturn, and even winning his class in the Newport–Bermuda sailing race, navigating 630 nautical miles using strategy, data, and instinct.
“You never really know what’s underground until you dig.” — Greg Morse
If you’re a homeowner, builder, or architect thinking about an ADU — or any project involving septic, wetlands, or permitting — this episode is required listening.
Because you can’t build what the ground won’t allow.
00:00 Welcome to the BuildX Podcast
01:45 Greg Morse’s path from excavator to engineer
05:30 Building Morse Engineering during the 2009 downturn
09:40 Why septic systems decide ADU feasibility
14:30 Bedroom count, Board of Health rules, and hidden limits
20:15 Alternative septic systems explained (Nitro, Presby, GeoMat)
27:40 Wetlands, setbacks, and why change is coming
34:10 Real ADU permitting stories from the South Shore
41:20 Sailing, strategy, and winning the Bermuda Race
46:30 Lessons for builders, homeowners, and towns
50:10 Final thoughts on the future of ADUs and housing
#BuildX #BuzArtiano #GregMorse #MorseEngineering
#ADU #SepticSystems #CivilEngineering #SouthShoreMA
#HousingCrisis #JustBuildBaby
👇 Learn more from Greg Morse
🌐 https://www.morsecoinc.com
📲 Instagram / Facebook: @MorseEngineering
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