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Fence and Gate Repair in Massachusetts and New Hampshire
A section leaning further after every thaw, a post snapped at ground level, a gate that drags or won't latch, or panels flattened by a fallen limb. Some fences need a few new posts or a rehung gate; others are near the end of their life. Call (978) 800-2452 or send the form. A person reads every request and replies with what happens next.
- No charge to you
- Screened contractors only
- MA and NH rules covered
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Posts, gates and storm damage
What usually goes wrong with a fence
Leaning and heaving posts. A post set too shallow, in wet soil or without good drainage, can be lifted a little by frost each winter until the line goes out of plumb. Solid privacy sections add wind load. A contractor can tell you whether the posts can be reset or braced, or whether they need replacing.
Rot at the ground. Wood posts tend to fail just below the surface, where they stay damp. Rails and bottom boards that sit in mulch or soil go next. Pushing on a post and looking for soft wood at grade gives you something to describe when you call.
Sagging and dragging gates. Gates take the most wear: a hinge post that has shifted, loose or worn hinges, a frame that has racked out of square, or a latch that no longer lines up. On a pool fence, a gate that won't close and latch by itself needs attention right away.
Storm and impact damage. Fallen limbs, plowed snow and vehicles break boards, crack vinyl panels, bend chain-link top rails and knock aluminum sections out of line. Take photos before anything is moved.
Repair or replace? That is a question for the contractor after seeing the whole fence. The answer usually turns on how many posts are failing, the state of the rest of the run and whether matching materials can still be found. If it comes to a new fence, see wood fences, vinyl fences and chain link and aluminum.
Massachusetts
Fence repair in Massachusetts
Permits. The residential code makes it unlawful to "construct, reconstruct, alter, repair, remove or demolish a building or structure" without any required permit, and its list of work needing no building permit includes "Fences not over seven feet" high (780 CMR R105). Town zoning still applies, so ask the building or zoning office before a fence is rebuilt taller, moved or replaced in full.
New post holes. State law counts digging and augering as excavation (<a href="https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIV/Chapter82/Section40">M.G.L. c.82 §40</a>), with notice due at least 72 hours ahead, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, and no more than 30 days before (M.G.L. c.82 §40A). Dig Safe says property owners and contractors alike must notify it; call 811 (how Dig Safe works).
The contractor. Fence-only contractors are exempt from Home Improvement Contractor registration (201 CMR 18.01). A company that also takes on decks or other covered work must be registered; check the Contractor Hub. Either way, get the repair in writing.
New Hampshire
Fence repair in New Hampshire
Permits. Towns and cities issue building permits and can keep stricter local codes (RSA 155-A:2), so ask the building department whether your repair or rebuild needs one. Permit requests may follow either the earlier codes or the 2024 editions through December 31, 2026, and only the 2024 codes from January 1, 2027 (Town of Merrimack code page).
New post holes. Notice to Dig Safe is due at least 72 hours ahead, excluding weekends and legal holidays, after the area is premarked in white, and the notice is good for 30 calendar days. A homeowner digging at home is exempt from the civil penalty, not from the duty to notify (RSA 374:51 and 374:55).
The contractor. The Attorney General says "contractors do not need to be licensed" here, and recommends references, proof of insurance and a written contract before any work or payment (NH Attorney General).
New Hampshire fence 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 Fence Pros is a referral service. We don't repair or install fences.
FAQ
Fence repair questions
Should I repair the fence or replace it?
That depends on what the contractor finds: how many posts are failing, the condition of the rails and boards or panels, the age of the fence and whether matching materials are still available. Ask the contractor to walk the whole run with you and explain what it sees.
Do I need to call Dig Safe to replace a post?
If a new hole is being dug, yes. Dig Safe says no digging project is too small, and both states give it at least 72 hours, not counting weekends and legal holidays. Notice in New Hampshire also calls for marking the area in white.
My pool gate no longer closes and latches by itself. What now?
Treat it as urgent and keep the pool area closed off until it is fixed. Federal CPSC guidance says pool gates should be self-closing and self-latching and open outward away from the pool.
Does a fence repair need a permit?
Ask your building department. The Massachusetts code makes it unlawful to repair a structure without any required permit and lists fences not over seven feet among work exempt from a building permit; town zoning can still apply, especially if a fence is being moved or rebuilt. In New Hampshire, permits are the town's decision.
Do I pay New England Fence Pros anything?
No. Requests and referrals are free; the contractor prices the repair.
Town guides
Local rules for fence repair by town
Each town page explains when that town wants a fence permit, the height and setback limits, pool barrier and historic rules, and the kinds of homes 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.