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Decks, Porches and Exterior Stairs in Massachusetts and New Hampshire
A new deck off the back of the house, a farmer's porch rebuilt after decades of New England winters, back stairs that wobble, or a deck ledger you no longer trust. Decks and porches hold people up, so they come with footings, stair rules and permits. Call (978) 788-0374 or send the form. A person reads every request and replies with what happens next.
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Out back and up front
Building a deck or bringing back a porch
Structure first. A deck or porch is a small building: footings below the frost line, posts and beams, a connection to the house, joists, guards and stairs. The boards on top are the part you see; the parts underneath are what a building inspector checks and what a licensed supervisor answers for. These are jobs for a contractor and a permit, not a weekend project.
Footings. Massachusetts sets frost depth at 48 inches (780 CMR Chapter 3). In both states, digging the holes counts as excavation, the Dig Safe laws set notice at least 72 hours ahead, not counting weekends and legal holidays, and no more than 30 days ahead, and Dig Safe says no digging project is too small to notify it first; New Hampshire requires anyone excavating within 100 feet of an underground facility to give that notice, with the dig area premarked in white (M.G.L. c.82 §40A, RSA 374:51). The call to 811 is free (Dig Safe).
Old porches. Taking apart a painted porch on a pre-1978 house is demolition of painted surfaces, which the federal lead rule always covers when the work is paid (EPA RRP for contractors).
Massachusetts
Decks and porches in Massachusetts
Permits and supervisors. OCABR's chart marks decks, exterior stairs and structural carpentry as needing a building permit and a construction supervisor license. It has no porch row, so a porch is judged as deck, stair or structural work, and the state tells everyone to consult the building official (HIC contractor resources). The code exempts some decks not over 200 square feet and not more than 30 inches above grade, with further conditions (780 CMR R105.2). On one- and two-family homes, a licensed construction supervisor or a registered design professional must oversee construction (When a CSL is required).
What the code sets. Exterior stair risers can be no more than 8¼ inches and treads no less than 9 inches deep, and the landing outside a door, where a step down is allowed, no more than 8¼ inches below it (780 CMR Chapter 3). Massachusetts made no amendments to the model code's deck section, so footings, ledgers, joists and guards follow the 2021 IRC as adopted, enforced by your local building official (780 CMR Chapter 5 amendments). Ground snow load is set town by town (Table R301.2(2)).
The contract. Decks and porches attached to an owner-occupied home of one to four units are home improvement work: the contractor must be registered, a job over $1,000 needs a written contract, and the deposit is capped at one-third unless special-order materials cost more (M.G.L. c.142A §2). Let the contractor pull the permit to keep access to the Guaranty Fund and state arbitration (OCABR). Check registrations on the Contractor Hub and supervisor licenses on the OPSI verification site.
New Hampshire
Decks and porches in New Hampshire
Your town's permit. The town or city issues building permits and may keep codes stricter than the state's (RSA 155-A:2), so ask your building department what it requires for the footings and the rest of the deck. The state building code moved to the 2024 editions on July 1, 2026; permit requests may follow either set through December 31, 2026, and must follow the new codes from January 1, 2027 (Town of Merrimack code page). A deck designed this year and permitted next falls under the new set.
Near the water. Work in the protected shoreland may need a shoreland permit from NHDES before it starts, and some low-impact projects can use a permit by notification (RSA 483-B:5-b). NHDES says changing the size of an attached deck needs a shoreland impact permit or a permit by notification. On a house that doesn't meet current setbacks, a new or expanded deck may extend no more than 12 feet toward the reference line, and enclosing a porch or deck between that house and the water would be prohibited (NHDES shoreland FAQ). The Inspector of the Day takes questions at (603) 271-2147 (protected shoreland).
The contract. The Attorney General says "contractors do not need to be licensed" in New Hampshire, so ask for references and proof of insurance, and get a written contract with the scope, materials, total price and payment schedule before any work or payment (NH Attorney General). On a contract over $5,000, the contractor must give you the RSA 359-G notice; for a defect claim, you serve written notice at least 60 days before suing and the contractor has 30 days to respond (RSA 359-G).
New Hampshire exterior rules and the towns we cover.
Last verified November 2026. Fees, restrictions and deadlines on this page are due for re-checking by January 2027. New England Exterior Pros is a referral service. We don't design, build or pull permits.
FAQ
Deck and porch questions
Does a deck need a building permit?
Usually. The Massachusetts contractor chart marks decks and exterior stairs as permit work under a construction supervisor license. The residential code exempts some small, low decks, those not over 200 square feet and not more than 30 inches above grade, with further conditions, so ask the building department before you assume yours qualifies. In New Hampshire, your town decides.
How deep do the footings go?
Massachusetts sets frost depth at 48 inches. In New Hampshire, ask your town building department what it requires. Either way, the footing holes need a Dig Safe ticket first.
Do I need to call Dig Safe for a few post holes?
Massachusetts law lists augering as excavation, and Dig Safe says no digging project is too small to notify it first, and New Hampshire requires notice for excavation within 100 feet of an underground facility. The call to 811 is free and must come at least 72 hours ahead, not counting weekends and legal holidays.
We are on a lake in New Hampshire. Can we enlarge the deck?
Changing the size of an attached deck in the protected shoreland needs an NHDES shoreland permit or a permit by notification. On a house that doesn't meet today's setbacks, a new or bigger deck can extend no more than 12 feet toward the water, and enclosing an open porch or deck between such a house and the water is prohibited.
What does it cost me to use New England Exterior Pros?
Nothing. The request and the referral are free; the contractor prices the work.
Town guides
Local rules for decks and porches by town
Each town page covers that town's permits for exterior work, historic review and the homes you'll find there. Towns with a local guide so far: Greater Lowell, MA (Lowell, Chelmsford, Dracut, Tewksbury, Billerica, Westford, Tyngsborough and Pepperell), Andover, Lawrence & Haverhill, MA (Methuen, Lawrence, Andover, North Andover and Haverhill), Woburn, Reading & Melrose, MA (Woburn, Lexington, Burlington, Wilmington, North Reading, Reading, Wakefield, Melrose, Stoneham and Winchester), Nashua Region, NH (Nashua, Hudson and Merrimack), Salem, Derry & Londonderry, NH (Pelham, Salem, Windham, Derry and Londonderry), Manchester & Bedford, NH (Manchester and Bedford) and Portsmouth, Dover & Rochester, NH (Portsmouth, Dover and Rochester). We add towns across New England as we can cover them properly.