Replacing a roof.

A roof replacement is one of the biggest checks most homeowners ever write, and it's one of the projects where permit rules surprise people most. Some towns treat a like-for-like reroof as routine maintenance. Others require a permit for any reroof over a certain size, and many require one when you tear off down to the deck, change materials or touch the structure.

This guide covers what to decide, measure and ask before you sign a roofing contract. General guidance only. Your permit office has the final word.

Why roofs get reviewed

Roofs protect everything under them, and the details that make a roof last are invisible once the shingles go on: the condition of the decking, the underlayment, the flashing at walls and chimneys, the ice protection at the eaves in cold climates, and the ventilation that keeps the attic dry. An inspection is the town's chance to see those details before they're covered. There's also a weight question. Adding another layer of shingles over an old one adds load, and many codes limit how many layers a roof can carry.

When a permit usually comes up

• Tear-off versus overlay. Removing the old roof down to the deck often triggers a permit. Adding a layer may be limited or not allowed.
• Area. Some towns exempt small repairs below a certain area.
• Changing materials. Going from shingles to metal, or to a heavier material like tile or slate, can bring structural review.
• Structural work. Replacing rafters, decking or changing the roof shape almost always needs a permit.
• Skylights, vents and chimneys. New openings, or removing a chimney, are often separate items.
• Historic districts and HOAs. Material and color may need approval.

What to decide first

• Tear-off or overlay. Ask your roofer what they recommend and why. Tear-offs let everyone see the deck.
• Material. Asphalt shingles, metal, or something else, and the specific product line.
• Ventilation plan. Ridge vents, soffit vents, or existing vents kept as they are.
• Gutters and drip edge. Often replaced at the same time.
• Who pulls the permit. If you hire a roofer, confirm in writing who pulls it. In many places it should be the contractor.

What to measure

You don't need to climb on the roof. Roofers measure in "squares" (100 square feet of roof surface), and many use satellite measurements. What you can usefully do from the ground:

• Note the roof's overall shape: gables, hips, valleys, dormers.
• Count roof penetrations: vents, pipes, skylights, chimneys.
• Look in the attic on a sunny day for daylight, stains or damp spots.
• Count the layers at the edge of the roof if you can see them safely.

Sully's materials list estimates bundles, underlayment, drip edge, starter strip and ridge cap from confirmed measurements only, adds a waste allowance that accounts for hips and valleys, and tells you plainly which numbers are still missing.

Questions to ask your permit office

• Does a reroof need a permit here? Does tear-off versus overlay change that?
• How many roof layers are allowed?
• Which inspections are required, and when? Some towns inspect after tear-off, before the new roof goes on.
• Are there requirements for ice protection, underlayment or ventilation I should mention to my roofer?
• Does a change in material need structural review?
• Does the contractor need to be registered or licensed with the town or state?

Contracts and the permit

A good roofing contract names the permit and who pulls it, the material and product line, how rotted decking is handled and priced, cleanup, and the warranty. Don't let anyone talk you out of a required permit to save a few days. Unpermitted roofs can come up in a home sale or an insurance claim.

Common reasons roof permits run into trouble

• No inspection called between tear-off and new roof where one was required.
• Too many layers.
• A material change without structural review.
• Work done by a contractor who isn't registered where the town requires it.
• Missing details for skylights or new vents.

Weather, timing and the inspection window

Roofing is a weather business. A tear-off leaves the house exposed until underlayment goes on, so crews plan around rain, and an inspection that has to happen between tear-off and new roof adds a scheduling step. Ask your office how inspections are booked and how much notice they need, and ask your roofer how they protect the house if an inspection is delayed. These are logistics questions, not code questions, but they're where roof jobs most often slip.

Insurance claims and storm damage

If the roof is being replaced after storm damage, read your insurance policy and talk to your adjuster before work begins. Policies differ on code-upgrade coverage, which can matter if the new roof has to meet requirements the old one didn't. Be cautious of contractors who arrive right after a storm and press for a quick signature.

Do it yourself or hire a pro?

Roofing is dangerous work at height. Small repairs on a low-slope roof are within reach for some careful homeowners, but full replacements are a job for a professional crew with fall protection and the right equipment. Sully's report says so plainly, and some towns require a registered contractor for roofing. Whoever does it, the permit and inspections protect you.

How Sully helps with a roof

Tell Sully what's on the roof now, what you want, and roughly how big it is. Sully reads your town's permit and fee pages first and labels each rule with its source. If your town doesn't publish its reroof rule, the report says so and lists who to call. The report includes the inspections your town lists, common rejection reasons, and a plain note on hiring a pro. The filing packet gathers project details, the rules and the office's checklist so the application is complete the first time, whether you file it or your roofer does.

Related reading: Roof replacement permits and DIY or hire a pro?.