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Foundation Repair and Basement Waterproofing in Pelham, NH
Every house in Pelham is on its own septic system, so sump and footing drain water has to go somewhere on the lot, and the town's 50-foot wetland zone is meant to be left undisturbed. Call (978) 800-2819 or use the form. A person reads every request and replies with what happens next.
- Free for homeowners
- Town and state rules on this page
- Beaver Brook to Island Pond
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Basements in Pelham
What's the basement problem?
Waterproofing & Drainage
Wet walls, seepage at the floor joint and spring water in the basement, handled with interior drains, exterior work or both.
Sump Pumps
New pits, replacement pumps and battery backups, with the discharge going somewhere your town allows.
Foundation Cracks & Repair
Leaking cracks, bowing or settling walls and failing mortar in old fieldstone, with an engineer brought in when the job is structural.
Crawl Spaces & Finishing
Damp crawl spaces sealed up, and dry basements turned into finished space with the right permits.
Not sure what it needs?
(978) 800-2819Tell us where the water shows up and how close the house sits to wet ground, and we'll help you work out the job.
Permits
Permits and rules for basement work in Pelham
Pelham's Planning/Building Department at 6 Village Green, (603) 635-7811, handles building permits. Permits can be paid online, but there's no online filing portal, and the town has posted a warning about a permit payment scam (Building Permits; Building Services).
- Planning/Building Department
- 6 Village Green; (603) 635-7811
- How to file
- No online filing; online payment only
- Fee schedule
- Adopted February 10, 2026, effective March 1, 2026
- Inspections
- Required for all permits
- Electrical permits
- NH master electricians, or homeowners doing all the work themselves
- Sewer
- None; every home is on private septic
Which basement jobs need a permit. The town's "Do I Need a Permit" sheet says replacing windows or doors in kind, with no change in size or location, needs no permit, and that all permits require inspections. It doesn't list basement finishing, foundation repair, waterproofing, egress windows or sump pumps; its advice is "WHEN IN DOUBT, CONTACT THE PELHAM PLANNING DEPARTMENT" (Do I Need a Permit). The current building permit fee schedule was adopted by the Board on February 10, 2026 and took effect March 1, 2026; ask the department for the rate that applies to your job (fee schedule). A town memo dated July 14, 2025 says only New Hampshire master electricians may apply for electrical permits, unless a homeowner is doing all of the work (electrical memo). Statewide, the 2024 building code took effect July 1, 2026, and permits may be filed under either the 2021 or the 2024 codes through December 31, 2026 (state code change).
Contractor rules. The Attorney General's office says, "In New Hampshire, contractors do not need to be licensed," so checking a basement contractor is up to you: ask for references and proof of insurance, and sign a written contract with the scope, materials, total price and payment schedule before paying. A down payment over 50% of the final cost is a red flag (NH Attorney General). Plumbing needs a licensed plumber unless an owner does it in their own single-family home (Mec 300). For contracts over $5,000, the contractor owes you the RSA 359-G notice on resolving defects, and a homeowner must give 60 days' written notice before suing (RSA 359-G). Exterior digging needs a Dig Safe ticket at least 72 hours ahead, not counting weekends and holidays (Dig Safe; RSA 374:51).
Last verified November 2026. Fees, restrictions and deadlines on this page are due for re-checking by January 2027. New England Basement Pros is a referral service. We don't pull permits or do basement work; the contractor files the permit.
Water
Where the water comes from in Pelham
No sewer, so the water stays on the lot. "100% of Pelham uses private septic systems," the town's Water Commission page says, and about 95% of homes are on private wells (Water Commission). The town's list of allowable non-stormwater discharges names foundation and footing drains, uncontaminated pumped groundwater and crawl-space pump water (allowable discharges). Under the zoning ordinance's illicit discharge article, other non-stormwater discharges to storm drains are illicit, and owners must keep watercourses on their property free of debris and obstructions (Zoning Ordinance, revised March 2026; Stormwater). Ask the department where your sump line may end, and keep it well away from the septic system.
Water tables and ledge. Pelham's 2023 Conservation Plan ties its wetlands to "a localized higher water table" and describes them as areas "subjected to high water tables for extended periods of time." The town's bedrock aquifers are "composed of fractured rock or ledge," and its streams include Beaver Brook, Golden Brook, Island Pond Brook and Gumpas Pond Brook (2023 Conservation Plan). A house built near one of those wet areas can see groundwater against the foundation for long stretches of the year.
Flood zones. The zoning ordinance's floodplain article adopts the Hillsborough County flood study dated September 25, 2009, and along watercourses with a designated floodplain, fill is allowed only with equal flood storage created on the same site (Zoning Ordinance). Check your address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center.
The 50-foot zone. The Wetland Conservation District takes in wetlands of 2,000 square feet or more, any wetland next to surface water, and all land within 50 feet of a wetland, perennial stream or water body; "No building or structure may be located within a Wetland Conservation District area" (Zoning Ordinance). The town's 2026 wetlands FAQ says the district is "sometimes referred to as a 'no cut, no disturb' zone," and the Conservation Commission lists disturbing soil among the prohibited activities (Wetlands FAQs 2026; Wetlands). Find that line before planning an outside drain, a footing trench or regrading.
Pelham's homes
A farm town that grew after the war
Pelham grew from a farming community after World War II (About Pelham). We couldn't read year-built figures from the town's 2024 Master Plan, but nearly every house shares the same setup: its own well, its own septic system, and leach fields that the 2023 Conservation Plan says must sit at least 50 feet from poorly drained soils (2023 Conservation Plan). On those lots, a waterproofing plan has to account for the well, the septic and the wet ground all at once.
Pelham's historic regulations aren't posted online; the town says they can be seen at the Planning Office (Zoning Ordinance and Development Regulations). If you're unsure whether they reach your house, ask there before adding a bulkhead or window well.
Radon
Radon in Pelham's wells and basements
Pelham's 2023 Conservation Plan notes higher-than-average arsenic and radionuclide levels in some of the town's groundwater-sourced water, and the well ordinance requires tests for "Bacteria, Nitrates, Arsenic and Radon" before a certificate of occupancy (2023 Conservation Plan). Indoor air is a separate test. There's no town-level indoor figure, and Hillsborough County has no median in the state's August 2023 data brief; statewide, about 37% of 32,747 homes tested from 2007 to 2021 were at or above 4 pCi/L (NH radon data brief). The state health department says homes on private wells can also get radon through the water (NH Radon Program) and strongly recommends treating well water at 10,000 pCi/L or more (testing your home). Free air test kits: (603) 271-1708.
FAQ
Pelham basement questions
Can my footing drain discharge to a town storm drain in Pelham?
Pelham's list of allowable non-stormwater discharges includes foundation and footing drains, uncontaminated pumped groundwater and crawl-space pump water. Other non-stormwater discharges to storm drains are illicit. Confirm the outlet with the Planning/Building Department before the line goes in.
How close to a wetland can I dig in Pelham?
The Wetland Conservation District covers all land within 50 feet of a wetland, perennial stream or water body. The town calls it a "no cut, no disturb" zone, the Conservation Commission lists disturbing soil among prohibited activities, and no building or structure may go there.
Does my basement job need a permit in Pelham?
The town's "Do I Need a Permit" sheet doesn't list basement finishing, foundation repair or waterproofing, and says "WHEN IN DOUBT, CONTACT THE PELHAM PLANNING DEPARTMENT." Call (603) 635-7811 before work starts.
Should I test for radon in Pelham?
Yes. Pelham's 2023 Conservation Plan notes higher-than-average radionuclide levels in some groundwater, and the town's well ordinance requires radon testing of well water before a certificate of occupancy. The state offers free indoor air test kits at (603) 271-1708.
What does it cost me to use New England Basement 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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