The median home in Stratford was built in 1958; there are 21,663 of them. Below: what the code asks of a replacement here, the permit, and the town’s own records.
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 Stratford
Permit
A permit from Stratford
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
Replacing the whole roof crosses that line; Stratford’s building department issues the permit.
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. 84% of Stratford’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
Connecticut answers “yes” to the ice barrier for every town. Membrane or doubled underlayment, eave to 24 inches inside the wall line (IRC R905.1.2), is a line on every quote here.
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.
Stratford’s code design values are a 120 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 30 psf ground snow load; it is in Connecticut’s hurricane-prone region. At that wind speed the code calls for asphalt shingles labeled ASTM D7158 Class G or H (Table R905.2.4.1).
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in Connecticut.
Homes and roofs in Stratford
Owners live in 16,817 of Stratford’s occupied homes, or 82%. By year built, 20% before 1940, 54% before 1960, 84% before 1980; 4% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 69% detached houses, 9% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 13% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 23 Fairfield County municipalities on this site, Stratford has the largest share of homes built before 1980: 84%, 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 Stratford
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 9 separate days within 10 miles of Stratford; the largest was 1.75 in on October 4, 2010. The most recent was August 3, 2024.
Federal major-disaster declarations for storms in Fairfield County since 2006: 11, most recently DR-4820, Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides, declared September 2024. (OpenFEMA.)
Lifespans come from HUD’s capital-needs table, not from a brochure. 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; 69% of homes here are detached
Class G or H at 120 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; 20% 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
Seams at walls and drainage
Checking a contractor in Connecticut
Look up the home improvement registration (C.G.S. § 20-420) of anyone pricing a roof in Stratford; the law forbids presenting it as an endorsement of workmanship (§ 20-427(b)(6)).
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Stratford?
A permit from Stratford. Replacing the whole roof crosses that line; Stratford’s building department issues the permit.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Stratford?
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. 84% of Stratford’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
How old are the houses in Stratford?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Stratford was built in 1958, 84% of homes were built before 1980, 82% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Stratford?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 9 days within 10 miles of Stratford 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 Stratford?
Look up the home improvement registration (C.G.S. § 20-420) of anyone pricing a roof in Stratford; the law forbids presenting it as an endorsement of workmanship (§ 20-427(b)(6)).
What they will ask on the phone
The street address in Stratford, or at least the ZIP code
One story or two (or more), detached or attached
What is on the roof now (asphalt shingles, metal, slate, tile, or a flat membrane) and roughly how old it is
The number of layers, if anyone has counted
Your timing for a complete replacement
Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Stratford