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Window Replacement, Siding, Doors and Decks in Derry, NH
Derry needs no permit for replacement windows but does for adding one or changing its size, and it lists replacement decks and screen porches as permit work. Call (978) 788-0374 or use the form. A person reads every request and replies with what happens next.
- Free for homeowners
- Town and state exterior rules on this page
- East Derry to Beaver Lake
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Exterior work in Derry
What are you replacing or building?
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.
Same-size windows or new openings?
(978) 788-0374Tell us what's changing outside and whether the lot backs onto a pond or wetland, and we'll connect you with a contractor who handles Derry permits.
Permits
Permits for siding, windows and decks in Derry
Windows, in the town's words. Derry's Windows page says "There is no permit required for replacement windows," then: "However, if you are adding windows or changing window sizes, then a building permit is required," filed under residential addition and renovations in the online portal (Windows). Re-roofing alone needs no permit either, though changing the pitch or structure does (Roof Shingles).
Decks and porches. The town's list of items requiring a building permit includes "New or replacement decks, screen porches," along with additions, renovations, sheds of any size and razing any structure; electrical and plumbing permits, new or repair, must be obtained by an NH-licensed master electrician or plumber (Items That Require a Building Permit). The list doesn't mention siding or exterior doors, so check with Code Enforcement before those jobs.
Filing and fees. Permits are filed on PermitEyes, and inspections need at least 24 hours' notice (Online Permits; Code Enforcement). The fee schedule effective September 15, 2023 charges decks $35 plus $7 per $1,000 of construction cost, the same formula as residential renovations (permit fees).
- Replacement windows
- No permit (town Windows page)
- New or resized window openings
- Building permit, as residential addition/renovation
- New or replacement decks, screen porches
- Building permit
- Apply
- PermitEyes; inspections on 24 hours' notice
- Deck fee
- $35 plus $7 per $1,000 of cost (effective September 15, 2023)
- Siding, exterior doors
- Not addressed by the town; ask Code Enforcement
State rules. New Hampshire reserves permits and permit fees to towns (RSA 155-A:2). The 2024 State Building Code took effect July 1, 2026, with either code set accepted through December 31, 2026, and the 2024 codes govern every permit request from January 1, 2027 (state code summary). Exterior contractors aren't licensed by the state; the Attorney General says "contractors do not need to be licensed," and urges a written contract with scope, materials, total price and payment schedule before work or payment, references and proof of insurance, and caution about any down payment over 50% (NH AG). When a contract tops $5,000, the contractor must give you the RSA 359-G notice; a homeowner gives written notice of a defect at least 60 days before suing (RSA 359-G).
Lead and asbestos. On a pre-1978 house, paid work that disturbs more than 20 square feet of exterior paint needs an EPA-certified firm, and window replacement is always covered whatever its size (EPA RRP for contractors). If cement-asbestos siding is coming off and the job is hired out, NHDES requires an inspection by a qualified asbestos inspector and a state-licensed asbestos contractor, with 10 working days' notice before a major project (NHDES asbestos).
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 do the work or file permits; the contractor does.
Historic review
Historic review of exteriors in Derry
Derry's Heritage Commission "shall have the powers and duties of both the Heritage Commission and a Historic District Commission," but the town names no local historic district and posts no exterior review process (Heritage Commission). The East Derry Historic District, the old center of the Nutfield parish, is on the National Register, and the town has sought recognition for the Robert Frost Farm, the Matthew Thornton House and the Adams Memorial Building through the National Register and National Historic Landmark programs (Summary of Existing Conditions). A National Register listing doesn't by itself put siding or window choices under local review. Razing any structure needs a building permit; we found no demolition delay.
Decks and porches
Decks and porches in Derry
Setbacks. The town FAQ says deck "setback requirements are 15 feet from the side and rear of your property lines," with 35 feet in front (FAQ). A front setback may instead "conform with the average setback of the structures 300 feet from either side of the building on the same side of the street" (zoning). Derry has six residential districts with their own dimensional rules, and where coverage isn't otherwise specified it is limited by the setbacks (Zoning Ordinance, September 3, 2026).
Wetlands and ponds. Buildings stay 75 feet from wetlands of an acre or more and 30 feet from smaller ones, and a 150-foot Prime Wetlands Buffer allows special exceptions only in its outer 75 feet (Section 165-20; prime wetlands). Land within 150 feet of a pond, lake, stream or river must be kept free of debris and yard waste (Chapter 131). Big Island Pond and Hood Pond have town watershed plans (Big Island Pond; Hood Pond), and for a lot in the protected shoreland, changing an attached deck takes a state shoreland permit or permit by notification (NHDES shoreland FAQ).
Flood zones and footings. The town's flood page refers to county flood maps effective May 17, 2005 and says the town can't issue flood-zone letters, so check the current FEMA map for your lot (Flood Zones). Derry posts no deck construction guide or frost depth; the inspector sets footing details. Before digging, file a free Dig Safe ticket (811) at least 72 hours ahead, weekends and legal holidays excluded (RSA 374; Dig Safe).
Derry's homes
Most houses date from 1970 to 1990
"Fifty-four percent of the existing housing units in Derry were constructed between 1970 and 1990," according to the town's October 2019 master plan inventory, which counts 13,577 units: about half detached single-family, 12% attached single-family and 25% in buildings of five or more units (Master Plan Volume II, ACS 2013–2017). Houses of that age are where original windows, siding and decks tend to come due together.
The town traces its start to the settlement of Nutfield in 1719, and its history also names Derry Village and Beaver Lake (History of Derry).
FAQ
Derry exterior questions
Do I need a permit for replacement windows in Derry?
Not for a straight replacement. The town's Windows page says there is no permit required for replacement windows, but adding windows or changing window sizes needs a building permit, filed as a residential addition or renovation on PermitEyes.
Does replacing an old deck need a permit?
Yes. Derry's list of items that require a building permit includes new or replacement decks and screen porches. Under the fee schedule effective September 15, 2023, a deck permit is $35 plus $7 per $1,000 of construction cost.
How close to the property line can a deck be?
The town FAQ gives deck setbacks of 15 feet from the side and rear property lines and 35 feet from the front. Zoning also lets a front setback match the average of the houses within 300 feet on the same side of the street.
Is East Derry a historic district with design review?
East Derry is a National Register Historic District, which is a listing, not a local district with design review. The Heritage Commission holds historic district commission powers, but the town names no local district and posts no exterior review process.
What does it cost me to use New England Exterior Pros?
Nothing. Asking is free for homeowners; the contractor prices the job, and the price and contract are between you and them.
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