New Hampshire home project guides

Licensing, permits, costs and hiring advice for NH homeowners.

• Which Contractors Need a License in New Hampshire? — NH has no state general contractor license, but electricians, plumbers, gas fitters, well drillers and asbestos contractors need one. Here's how to check.
• NH Building Permits: What Homeowners Need to Know — How NH building permits work: the state building code, what your town enforces, which projects usually need a permit, who pulls it, and the inspections.
• NH Septic System Rules for Homeowners — When NH requires state septic approval: new systems, replacements, added bedrooms and waterfront sales, plus who can design and install a system.
• Lead Paint Rules for Renovating an Older NH Home — Renovating or painting a pre-1978 NH home? How EPA's lead-safe (RRP) rule works, what to ask your contractor, and NH rules for rentals and sales.
• Hiring a Contractor in NH: A Homeowner's Checklist — A step-by-step checklist for hiring a contractor in NH: checking insurance and licenses, contracts, deposits, your right to cancel, liens and red flags.
• NH Heat Pump and Energy Rebates in 2026 — What NH homeowners can get in 2026: NHSaves heat pump and weatherization rebates and loans, the pending HEAR program, and the end of federal tax credits.
• The Best Time of Year for Home Projects in New Hampshire — Plan around NH weather: when to paint, roof, pour concrete and dig. Covers frost depth, spring road postings, Dig Safe notice and heating season prep.
• Ice Dams and Winter Roof Care for New Hampshire Homes — Why ice dams form on NH roofs, what to do when you see one, roof snow safety, and how air sealing, insulation and the eave ice barrier rule help.
• NH Shoreland and Wetlands Permits — Building, clearing or adding a dock near NH water? What the shoreland protection act and wetlands rules require, and when you need an NHDES permit.
• Radon and Private Well Water in New Hampshire — Arsenic and radon occur naturally in NH. How often NHDES says to test your well, the radon action level, and who can install treatment or mitigation.
• Hiring an Electrician in New Hampshire — How to hire an electrician in NH: master, journeyman and apprentice licenses, checking a license with OPLC, permits, the homeowner exception and red flags.
• Hiring a Plumber in New Hampshire — How to hire a plumber or gas fitter in NH: license levels, gas fitter types, checking a license with OPLC, homeowner exemptions, permits and the code.
• NH Home Improvement Contracts & Complaints — What to put in a NH contractor contract, your right to cancel, and how to complain to the Attorney General, small claims court or OPLC when a job goes bad.
• Home Inspections Before Buying in NH — What a licensed NH home inspection covers and leaves out, plus add-on tests NH buyers often need: radon, well water, septic, lead, oil tanks and chimneys.
• How Much Does a New Roof Cost in NH? — What drives the price of a new roof in New Hampshire: tear-off or overlay, deck repairs, ice barrier, materials, permits, storm claims and comparing bids.
• Choosing a Heating System in NH — Oil, propane, natural gas, cold-climate heat pumps or wood in NH: how to compare fuel costs, read AFUE and HSPF2 ratings, and plan for backup heat.
• Insulation and Weatherization in NH — Air sealing before insulation, recommended R-values for NH, energy audits through NHSaves, income-based weatherization help, and attic hazards to check.
• Well Drilling and Water Testing in NH — How NH wells are drilled and licensed, septic setbacks, what NHDES says to test for and how often, plus shock chlorination, flood and drought advice.
• Asbestos in Older New Hampshire Homes — Where asbestos hides in older NH homes, when to leave it alone, and NHDES rules on inspections, licensed contractors, the homeowner exemption and disposal.
• Chimney and Wood Stove Safety in NH — Annual chimney inspections, creosote, dry firewood, EPA-certified stoves, ash disposal, NH's carbon monoxide detector law and what to ask a chimney sweep.
• Generators and Storm Prep in NH — Run a portable generator safely, why backfeeding kills, transfer switches and permits in NH, fuel storage, outage reporting, downed lines and storm trees.
• Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Rules in NH — NH's ADU law after the 2025 and 2026 changes: what towns must allow, what they can still require, septic approval, garage conversions and building permits.
• Deck Permits and Code Basics in NH — Building a deck in NH? How permits work, what inspectors check (footings, ledger, guards, stairs), Dig Safe, shoreland rules, lumber and fasteners.