Half of the 5,107 homes in New Fairfield were built before 1969. The rules below decide how much of the old roof has to come off and what goes under the new one.
New Roofing Costs connects homeowners with independent local roofing contractors. We do not perform roofing work.
This number connects homeowners who are planning a new roof or a full roof replacement with independent local roofing contractors. It is not for leak repairs or patch jobs. The call must come from the homeowner who decides on the roof. Calls may be recorded.
The rules for a reroof in New Fairfield
Permit
The 25 percent line
Without a permit, Connecticut allows only:
Repairs that are limited to 25 percent of roof covering and building siding within one calendar year.
2022 CSBC, (Amd) R105.2, item 11
A whole new roof is more than that, so it goes to New Fairfield’s building official.
A new roof may go over one existing layer; with two or more, or over slate, clay or cement tile, everything comes off to the deck (IRC R908.3.1.1). 72% of New Fairfield’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
Required in New Fairfield, as in every Connecticut town
The state’s climate table marks the ice barrier “yes” statewide. That is a self-adhering membrane, or two cemented layers of underlayment, from the eave to at least 24 inches inside the wall line (IRC R905.1.2).
Connecticut adds a 4-inch self-adhering strip over all joints of a plywood or OSB deck ((Amd) R905.1.1). It is not needed under a fully adhered membrane, or on board decks under 3 feet wide.
New Fairfield’s code design values are a 115 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 30 psf ground snow load. At that wind speed the code calls for asphalt shingles labeled ASTM D7158 Class D, G or H (Table R905.2.4.1).
Of 4,562 occupied homes in New Fairfield, 4,183 (92%) are owner-occupied. By year built, 13% before 1940, 35% before 1960, 72% before 1980; 7% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 97% detached houses.
Of the 23 Fairfield County municipalities on this site, New Fairfield has the 6th largest share of homes built before 1980: 72%, against a county range of 53% to 84%.
Median built: median year the homes were built. Before 1980: share of homes built then. Owners: share of homes that are owner-occupied. Row, twin: share of homes that are rowhouses, twins or townhouses. Census ACS 2020–2024. Hail days: days with hail of 1 inch or larger within 10 miles, 2006–2025, NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
Storm record around New Fairfield
Within 10 miles of New Fairfield, hail of an inch or more was reported on 13 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 1.5 in on July 26, 2009. The most recent was June 2, 2023.
That is more hail days than 87% of the places in the state on this site.
Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (DR-4820, September 2024) is the latest of 11 federal storm declarations covering Fairfield County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
Useful life is HUD’s planning figure, not a warranty. More in the guides to shingles, metal, slate and flat roofs.
Material
HUD useful life
Fits a house like
Watch for
Asphalt shingles
20 years
Most pitched roofs; 97% of homes here are detached
Class D, G or H at 115 mph design wind (IRC Table R905.2.4.1)
Metal (standing seam, panels)
50 years
Simple roofs with long, unbroken slopes
Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1)
Slate
75 years
Older houses; 13% here predate 1940
Can’t be roofed over; check the framing for the weight
Flat roof: EPDM or TPO
15 years
Porches, additions, low-slope rears
Where the roof meets a wall or parapet
Checking a contractor in Connecticut
Connecticut registers home improvement contractors and their salespeople with the Department of Consumer Protection (C.G.S. § 20-420); 24,065 contractor registrations were active in October 2026. Ask for the number of anyone pricing a roof in New Fairfield.
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in New Fairfield?
The 25 percent line. A whole new roof is more than that, so it goes to New Fairfield’s building official.
Do the old shingles have to come off in New Fairfield?
A new roof may go over one existing layer; with two or more, or over slate, clay or cement tile, everything comes off to the deck (IRC R908.3.1.1). 72% of New Fairfield’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
How old are the houses in New Fairfield?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in New Fairfield was built in 1969, 72% of homes were built before 1980, 92% are owner-occupied.
Does New Fairfield get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 13 days within 10 miles of New Fairfield from 2006 through 2025 (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). A report means hail fell nearby, not that a roof was damaged.
How do I check a roofing contractor in New Fairfield?
Connecticut registers home improvement contractors and their salespeople with the Department of Consumer Protection (C.G.S. § 20-420); 24,065 contractor registrations were active in October 2026. Ask for the number of anyone pricing a roof in New Fairfield.
What they will ask on the phone
The street address in New Fairfield, or at least the ZIP code
The number of stories, and whether the house stands alone
What covers the roof now and about when it went on
The number of layers, if anyone has counted
Your timing for a complete replacement
Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in New Fairfield