Decks & Porches in Pembroke, Massachusetts

Decks are not eligible for Mass Save rebates regardless of Eversource utility territory, so the utility designation has no bearing on deck project costs here. The operative local factor is wetland proximity. The North River, Pembroke's ponds, and associated bordering wetlands mean that a meaningful share of residential parcels sit within the 100-foot buffer zone under the Wetlands Protection Act. Projects within that buffer require a Notice of Intent filed with the Pembroke Conservation Commission before the building permit can be issued. Pond-front lots, particularly on Oldham Pond and Furnace Pond, are the most commonly affected.

Pembroke Building Department issues deck permits under 780 CMR. The 1970s-through-1990s housing stock often has ledger connections that lack proper through-bolt patterns or flashing. Any rebuild or addition permit gives the inspector visibility into the ledger, and deficiencies must be corrected. Footings need to reach 48 inches for frost protection. Guardrails at 36 inches and balusters under 4-inch spacing are required for decks 30 or more inches above grade. If Conservation Commission review is needed, plan for that process to run in parallel.

Pembroke falls in the mid-range South Shore pricing band. A new 350 to 500 square-foot pressure-treated deck runs $16,000 to $30,000 installed. Composite (Trex, TimberTech) adds $7,000 to $12,000 over PT for the same footprint. On pond-front properties, composite or PVC decking is strongly preferred for moisture resistance. Three-season porch additions in Pembroke start around $40,000. Labor rates are consistent with the Hanover and Duxbury market.

Pembroke is a Plymouth County suburb on the South Shore with 18,330 residents and about 6,809 housing units. The median home age is roughly 49 years, placing most of the stock in the 1970s through 1990s, a mix of ranches, split-levels, and colonials on half-acre to one-acre lots. The North River forms Pembroke's northeastern boundary with Marshfield, and the town has several ponds including Oldham Pond, Furnace Pond, and Little Sandy Bottom Pond that create wetland buffer zones throughout residential neighborhoods.