Permit
Expect a building permit
Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). In Braintree the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Roof Replacement in Braintree, MA
Half of the 15,163 homes in Braintree were built before 1957. What the code requires when that roof is replaced, and who signs off, is below.
New Roofing Costs connects homeowners with independent local roofing contractors. We do not perform roofing work.
Call (833) 781-1806 Replacement and new roofs only · homeowners
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 Braintree
Layers
One old layer can stay; two cannot
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). With 75% of Braintree’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
Source: IRC 2021, Chapter 9 (Pennsylvania edition, UpCodes); 780 CMR 51.00, Chapter 9 amendments
Ice barrier
Required in Braintree
Massachusetts 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.
Source: 780 CMR 51.00, Chapter 3 amendments (Tables R301.2(1) and R301.2(2)); IRC 2021, Chapter 9 (Pennsylvania edition, UpCodes)
Wind and snow
122 mph design wind, 35 psf ground snow
Braintree’s code design values are a 122 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 35 psf ground snow load (30 psf minimum flat-roof snow load). At that wind speed the code calls for asphalt shingles labeled ASTM D7158 Class G or H (Table R905.2.4.1).
Source: 780 CMR 51.00, Chapter 3 amendments (Tables R301.2(1) and R301.2(2)); IRC 2021, Chapter 9 (Pennsylvania edition, UpCodes) (780 CMR 51.00, Table R301.2(2))
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in Massachusetts.
Homes and roofs in Braintree
78% of the occupied homes in Braintree are lived in by their owners: 11,199 households, the people this line is for. By year built, 28% before 1940, 55% before 1960, 75% before 1980; 14% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 65% detached houses, 4% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 9% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 28 Norfolk County municipalities on this site, Braintree has the 6th largest share of homes built before 1980: 75%, against a county range of 41% to 86%.
ZIP codes: 02184
Braintree and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braintree | 1957 | 75% | 78% | 4% | 13 |
| Weymouth | 1964 | 71% | 67% | 5% | 9 |
| Randolph | 1966 | 70% | 71% | 10% | 15 |
| Quincy | 1958 | 69% | 45% | 5% | 11 |
| Holbrook | 1957 | 80% | 84% | 2% | 8 |
| Milton | 1945 | 82% | 85% | 5% | 13 |
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 Braintree
Within 10 miles of Braintree, hail of an inch or more was reported on 13 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 2 in on August 4, 2015. The most recent was August 14, 2025.
Federal major-disaster declarations for storms in Norfolk County since 2006: 8, most recently DR-4651, Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm, declared April 2022. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Braintree, not that it damaged a roof. When wind or hail damage means a new roof.
What goes on the roof next
HUD’s useful-life figures are for planning; a warranty is a separate promise. For Braintree’s houses: 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; 65% of homes here are detached | Class G or H at 122 mph design wind (IRC Table R905.2.4.1) |
| Metal (standing seam, panels) | 50 years | Roofs that will carry solar later | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 28% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Porches, additions, low-slope rears | Where the roof meets a wall or parapet |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
Two numbers to ask for in Braintree: the HIC registration (M.G.L. c. 142A, for owner-occupied homes of one to four units) and the construction supervisor license (CSL) with the roof covering specialty.
The price side is in what a new roof costs in Massachusetts; the paperwork side in checking a roofing contractor.
Questions about a new roof in Braintree
Is a permit required for a new roof in Braintree, MA?
Expect a building permit. Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). In Braintree the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Braintree?
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). With 75% of Braintree’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
How old are the houses in Braintree?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Braintree was built in 1957, 75% of homes were built before 1980, 78% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has Braintree had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 13 days within 10 miles of Braintree 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 Braintree?
Two numbers to ask for in Braintree: the HIC registration (M.G.L. c. 142A, for owner-occupied homes of one to four units) and the construction supervisor license (CSL) with the roof covering specialty.
What they will ask on the phone
- Where the house is: the Braintree address or ZIP
- How many stories the house has, and whether it is detached or attached
- The roof you have today, shingle, metal, slate, tile or flat, and its rough age
- How many layers are on it, if you know
- That the job is a full replacement or a new roof, and your timing
- Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Braintree
- That you own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.