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A New Hampshire Homeowner's Guide to Siding, Windows, Doors and Decks
Our exterior referrals reach four parts of the state: around Nashua; Salem, Derry and Londonderry; Manchester and Bedford; and the Seacoast, Portsmouth through Rochester. In New Hampshire, sizing up a contractor is mostly the homeowner's job and permits are up to the town, so every town page lays out what its building department expects. Phone (978) 788-0374 or use the form. A person reads every request and replies with what happens next.
- No cost to you
- New Hampshire law made readable
- Nashua to the Seacoast
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Where we work
Our New Hampshire towns
Building permits in New Hampshire come from the city or town, which can hold on to codes tougher than the state's, and historic districts, deck setback rules and wetland protections change from place to place. Every town page describes the local building department, the exterior work it lists as needing a permit, historic review for siding, windows and porches, and the housing typical of that town. Towns that don't have a page yet are still covered, and requests from them are welcome.
Nashua Region
Salem, Derry & Londonderry
Manchester & Bedford
Portsmouth, Dover & Rochester
New Hampshire law
Vetting, contracts, defects and permits
Licensing. The Attorney General's office, in home improvement guidance issued March 2022, states that "contractors do not need to be licensed" in New Hampshire. Checking a contractor out is therefore up to you: get references from earlier customers and from the contractor's suppliers, and get proof of insurance from every contractor you consider (Attorney General advice).
Contracts and payments. That guidance also says to sign a written contract before work begins or money is paid, setting out the scope, materials, total price and payment schedule. Treat a down payment above 50% of the final cost, or paying everything before the job is complete, as a red flag. To complain, call the Consumer Protection Hotline, 1-888-468-4454 (Consumer Protection Hotline). Under the Consumer Protection Act, deceptive practices, including lying about approvals or about the quality or grade of goods, are prohibited, and a homeowner can bring a lawsuit for damages (RSA 358-A).
Defect claims. On any contract above $5,000, the contractor has to hand over a written notice opening with "NEW HAMPSHIRE LAW, RSA 359-G, CONTAINS IMPORTANT REQUIREMENTS YOU MUST FOLLOW BEFORE YOU MAY FILE A LAWSUIT." That statute has the homeowner send the contractor a written claim notice 60 or more days ahead of filing suit, and gives the contractor 30 days from receiving it to answer (RSA 359-G).
Permits and codes. Cities and towns run permitting and set permit fees, and local code provisions tougher than the state building code remain in effect (RSA 155-A:2). If a town doesn't enforce the code itself, the State Fire Marshal enforces it there only when the town requests that in writing (RSA 155-A:7). New Hampshire switched its building code to the 2024 editions on July 1, 2026, with a six-month overlap in which either the old or the new codes may be used, ending December 31, 2026; from January 1, 2027 all permit applications fall under the 2024 codes (Town of Merrimack code page). Before work begins, find out from your town building department which siding, window, door or deck projects need a permit there. If bedroom windows are being replaced, raise egress with the town building official first.
Last verified November 2026. Fees, restrictions and deadlines on this page are due for re-checking by January 2027.
Before work starts
Old paint, old siding, shoreland and digging
Lead paint. EPA has not authorized New Hampshire to run its own program, so the federal rule governs here without a state layer: whoever is paid to disturb paint in a home built before 1978 needs EPA certification, and that includes one-person businesses (EPA RRP). Small exterior jobs that disturb 20 square feet or less are exempt, though replacing windows and demolishing painted surfaces are covered no matter the size (EPA RRP for contractors).
Cement asbestos siding. When an owner hires the work out, a qualified asbestos inspector must look first, a state-licensed asbestos contractor must do the removal, and NHDES gets notice at least 10 working days before a major abatement project (NHDES asbestos management). An owner may remove it personally from a private single-family home the owner lives in that isn't a rental, but not within six months of selling the house. Some rules still apply to that owner: the material has to be kept wet and lowered rather than dropped, and the waste has to be packaged, reported to NHDES before transport and disposed of under the state rules (Env-A 1800). Talk to NHDES before you decide to do it yourself.
Decks and porches near the water. Building, digging or filling within the protected shoreland can require a state shoreland permit beforehand, and certain low-impact projects can go through a permit by notification instead (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 that sits between that house and the water would be prohibited (NHDES shoreland FAQ). Use the department's "Do you need a Shoreland Permit?" tool or call its Inspector of the Day at (603) 271-2147 (protected shoreland).
Digging footings. Before excavating within 100 feet of an underground facility, Dig Safe must be notified 72 hours or more in advance, weekends and legal holidays excluded, but not over 30 days ahead, and the area to be dug must be premarked in white (RSA 374:51). Calling Dig Safe at 811 costs nothing (Dig Safe).
What we refer
Exterior projects, explained for New Hampshire homeowners
Siding
Vinyl, fiber cement and wood siding replaced or repaired, with the lead-safe rules older houses bring.
Window Replacement
Replacement and new-construction windows, sized and installed to the energy and egress rules your town uses.
Exterior Doors
Entry, storm, patio and sliding doors, swapped in existing openings or framed into new ones.
Decks & Porches
New decks, rebuilt porches and stairs, with the footings, setbacks and permits they usually need.
FAQ
Common New Hampshire exterior questions
Do siding and window contractors have to be licensed in NH?
No. According to the Attorney General, New Hampshire does not require contractors to be licensed. Get references from earlier customers and from the contractor's suppliers, and get proof of insurance.
Is there a cap on what a contractor can collect before starting?
The Attorney General's office flags a down payment above 50% of the final cost, or paying everything before the work is complete, as a red flag. Set out the payment schedule in a signed written contract before work begins or you hand over any money.
Which code covers a new deck or porch?
New Hampshire adopted the 2024 codes on July 1, 2026, and until December 31, 2026 the old and new codes are both accepted. Starting January 1, 2027, applications are reviewed under the 2024 codes. Your town building department, which issues the permit, can say which codes apply to your application.
Our house is on a lake. Can the deck get bigger?
Projects in the protected shoreland may require a shoreland permit from NHDES, and enlarging or shrinking an attached deck there takes either a shoreland permit or a permit by notification. Where the house doesn't meet current setbacks, a new or enlarged deck can reach no more than 12 feet closer to the water. For help, call the NHDES Inspector of the Day at (603) 271-2147.
Do I pay anything to New England Exterior Pros?
No. Sending a request and getting a referral cost you nothing; pricing the job is up to the contractor.