Remodeling and Additions for New Castle Homes
New Castle is the only town in New Hampshire made up entirely of islands. Older houses line village streets such as Piscataqua and Walbach, and tidal water is never far away.
On an island, you cannot buy more land when the house feels small. In an old village house, the kitchen, the baths, and the guest room all have to work harder inside the walls you already have.
Your New Castle remodeler
Persson Construction is a remodeler in Greenland, about 6 miles from New Castle. Older homes are a large part of our work.
Our order is the same every time: plan, price, build. In an old island house, planning is when we look for trouble in the frame and walls, so less of it is waiting for the build.
How your project takes shape
We start with a fit call about your goals, how you live in the house, what you want to spend, and your timing. Planning comes next, under a Project Development Agreement.
During planning, our subcontractors visit on trade days and look for the problems in the house that would change the price. Then they price their part from what they see.
The build runs on Cost Plus, and the books stay open. You see the actual cost of materials and subcontractors, plus our markup.
What we build on the island
Many New Castle homes are old enough for historic renovations, where we look at the frame and trim during planning, before anything changes. When the whole house needs work, a whole-home remodel handles it in one plan. If the lot has room, home additions can give you more space.
We also take on kitchen remodeling and bathroom remodeling. Book a fit call and tell us what your island home needs.
Our New Castle Remodeling & Historic Renovations Services
Kitchen Remodeling
We remodel kitchens in the room you have, or add on when the room is too small. We plan each kitchen with the designer, then price it and build it.
Bathroom Remodeling
Primary baths, plus showers with a low curb or no curb at all. We also swap old Jacuzzi tubs for bigger showers.
Whole Home Remodeling
Two or more rooms done as one job, such as a kitchen and a bath. We plan and price the whole job before the build starts.
Home Additions
First-floor primary suites, bump-outs, and great rooms. We also build ADUs, like an apartment over a detached garage.
Historic Renovations
In a historic district, window sizes, siding, and trim come with rules we plan around. Many old houses outside the district need a lot of work too.
See More of Our Work
View Our Work →Why New Castle Homeowners Choose Us
Plan First
After Chris sees your house, we plan the job under a Project Development Agreement. Then the trades who will do the work walk the house and price their part for your proposal.
Open Books
With Cost Plus pricing, you see the actual cost of materials and subcontractors, plus our markup.
Daily Logs and Photos
After you sign the build contract, you can follow the job in Buildertrend, our online portal. It has daily logs and photos of the work, and you get an update each week.
Based in Greenland
Our office is at 17 Alden Ave in Greenland. Much of our work is in Portsmouth, Rye, and North Hampton, and older homes are a large part of it.
Our Reviews
Straight from the People We've Built For
Recent Projects
Kitchen Renovation & Addition in Rye, NH
We built a kitchen addition, two-car garage, deck, and bigger basement for a family whose kitchen was very small.
View Project →
Whole Home Remodel in Portsmouth, NH
Homeowners Chris and Janet bought their waterfront condo new in 2023. We remodeled its kitchen, dining area, and primary suite.
View Project →
ADU & Garage Build in Lee, NH
Since 2018, we've built Amber and Ben a home addition and a garage with an apartment and office above it.
View Project →Serving New Castle and Surrounding Areas
Find Us Near New Castle
New Castle, Then and Now
According to the town, New Castle was founded in 1623, chartered in 1679, and incorporated in 1693. The 1693 charter made Great Island, the main island, a town under the name New Castle.
Today the whole town fits on about 500 acres. It is home to Great Island Common, Wentworth by the Sea, and two state parks, Fort Constitution and Fort Stark.
The 2020 Census counted 1,000 people and 525 homes. Census survey data shows about one in three houses was built before 1940 and about 92 percent are lived in by their owners. Only about 59 homes are held for seasonal use.
Our Greenland office is about 6 miles from New Castle. The town’s neighbors include Portsmouth and Rye, two of the towns where much of our work happens.
New Castle Remodeling & Historic Renovations FAQs
How close to the water can I build on New Castle's islands?
Under RSA 483-B:9, the house itself has to stay at least 50 feet back from the tide line. Land within 250 feet of the highest tide line is protected shoreland under state law. The state sets rules for work in that band.
Water surrounds the whole town, so we check your lot against that line early. The NHDES shoreland page explains the state rules.
Does my New Castle house need Historic District Commission approval?
If it is inside the New Castle Historic District, most exterior work does. The commission looks at the outside of the building and the site, not the inside.
Some routine repairs are exempt, and we check with the town on which parts of your project need review.
Can I add on if my New Castle lot is already near its coverage limit?
Sometimes, with a variance. Town zoning caps how much of a lot a building may cover. Some older houses already cover more than the rules now allow.
We plan the addition with the designer to fit the cap first. If a variance still makes sense, you will know before you commit.
How do I get a remodel started in New Castle?
Reach us at (603) 292-5901, or pick a time for a fit call on our contact page. Let us know which street your house is on and whether it is in the Historic District.