Serving Durham, NH
Excavation & structural contractor in Durham, NH
From older homes along the Oyster River to properties on Great Bay and newer houses around town, Payne Construction handles excavation, foundations, structural repair, lifting and flood mitigation across Durham.
✓ No subcontractors ✓ Licensed & fully insured ✓ Free estimates
Get your free estimate
Tell us about your project. Our team will follow up to schedule a site visit.
What we see in Durham
River, bay and college town.
Durham's work splits into three settings.
Oyster River
Old homes on tidal water
Colonists settled along the Oyster River's tidal shores by the 1630s. Homes near the river today can sit low and need foundation and flood work.
Great Bay
Bay front properties
Properties on Great Bay deal with tidal flooding and soft ground. Lifting and pile support help keep them sound.
Town center
Homes near UNH
Around Main Street and the university, older homes need sill, beam and foundation repairs on tight lots.
Durham, Strafford County
A tidal town with deep roots.
Durham began as Oyster River Plantation, part of Dover until it was granted its own parish rights in 1716 and incorporated as Durham in 1732. The University of New Hampshire's main campus now sits at its center.
The whole town lies in the Piscataqua watershed, with the Oyster River running to Great Bay. About a tenth of Durham's area is water, and the low land along the river and bay is where most of our flood and foundation work happens.
Away from the water, the land rises to Beech Hill on the northern border, where projects look more like the rest of Strafford County.
Durham at a glance
County
Strafford County, New Hampshire
Incorporated
1732, from Oyster River Plantation
Water
Oyster River and Great Bay
Landmarks
UNH, Wagon Hill Farm, Wiswall Falls
High point
Beech Hill, about 291 feet
Tidal Durham
Where the river meets the bay.
The Oyster River is tidal where it runs through Durham and empties into Great Bay. FEMA flood maps cover low land along these shores, and homes inside the flood zones have to be repaired and built to those rules.
✓ Flood zone and Base Flood Elevation checked for your lot
✓ Lifting and new foundations for low riverfront homes
✓ Helical piles where soft shoreline soil cannot carry a footing
Services in Durham
What we do in Durham.
Each service has its own page with Durham details.
01
Excavation in Durham
Site work, drainage and trenches across town.
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02
Foundation repair in Durham
Repairs and replacements under older homes.
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03
Structural repair in Durham
Sills, beams and framing in older houses.
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04
House lifting in Durham
Lifting homes for new foundations or elevation.
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05
Flood mitigation in Durham
Protection for homes on the river and bay.
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06
Helical piles
Deep support for soft shoreline soil.
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FAQ
Durham questions we hear often
Is my Durham home in a flood zone?
Homes along the Oyster River and Great Bay may be. We check your lot against the FEMA flood map during the site visit.
Can you work on older homes near the UNH campus?
Yes. We plan access and staging for tight in town lots and older structures.
Do you do helical piles near Great Bay?
Yes. Where shoreline soil is too soft for a footing, helical piles carry the house on load bearing soil deeper down.
How far is Durham from your shop?
Our base is in Strafford, an easy drive to Durham, so site visits are simple to schedule.
How it works
From first visit to final grade
A clear, no surprises process built around how heavy structural and excavation work actually gets done.
01
Site visit & estimate
We walk the property, look at the structure, soil and access, and give you a clear scope and a free estimate.
02
Planning & permits
We plan the lift, the dig or the repair, secure local permits and call 811 Dig Safe before any machine moves.
03
Lift, dig & build
Our crew shores, lifts, excavates and builds in the right order with our own hydraulic jacking systems and equipment.
04
Backfill & grade
We backfill, grade the ground to slope water away from the structure and leave the site clean.
Let's talk
Planning a project in Durham?
Tell us about the property. We will check the flood map, visit and give you an honest plan.
✓ Free on site estimates
✓ Serving New Hampshire and Southern Maine
✓ Every step of the process, covered by us!
Request a free site visit
Takes about 60 seconds. Or call (603) 664-7488.