Permit
Roofing is not exempt
Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). In Brewster the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Roof Replacement in Brewster, MA
Half of the 8,110 homes in Brewster were built before 1983. 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 Brewster
Layers
Two layers means a tear-off
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 42% of Brewster’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 statewide
There is no local exception: the state table says “yes.” 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).
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
130 mph design wind, 25 psf ground snow
Brewster’s code design values are a 130 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 25 psf ground snow load (25 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 Brewster
Owners live in 3,982 of Brewster’s occupied homes, or 85%. By year built, 10% before 1960, 42% before 1980; 14% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 79% detached houses, 7% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses).
42% of the homes in Brewster are seasonal or occasional-use homes (ACS 2020–2024). If yours is one of them and you live elsewhere, the call still has to come from you as the owner.
Of the 15 Barnstable County municipalities on this site, Brewster has the 14th largest share of homes built before 1980: 42%, against a county range of 25% to 73%.
ZIP codes: 02631
Brewster and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brewster | 1983 | 42% | 85% | 7% | 1 |
| Harwich | 1976 | 55% | 85% | 3% | 1 |
| Orleans | 1979 | 53% | 81% | 4% | 2 |
| Dennis | 1970 | 73% | 79% | 5% | 3 |
| Eastham | 1975 | 59% | 88% | 2% | 3 |
| Yarmouth | 1974 | 68% | 82% | 6% | 3 |
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 Brewster
Within 10 miles of Brewster, hail of an inch or more was reported on 1 day between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 1 in on August 7, 2014.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 10 days).
Federal major-disaster declarations for storms in Barnstable County since 2006: 6, most recently DR-4372, Severe Winter Storm and Flooding, declared June 2018. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Brewster, not that it damaged a roof. When wind or hail damage means a new roof.
What goes on the roof next
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; 79% of homes here are detached | Class G or H at 130 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 and historic houses | Never a base for a new layer (R908.3.1.1); heavy |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Porches, additions, low-slope rears | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
For an owner-occupied home of one to four units in Brewster, the contractor must be registered under the home improvement law (M.G.L. c. 142A), and a construction supervisor licensed (CSL) for roof covering supervises a permitted reroof. Ask for both numbers.
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 Brewster
Is a permit required for a new roof in Brewster, MA?
Roofing is not exempt. Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). In Brewster the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Brewster?
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 42% of Brewster’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
How old are the houses in Brewster?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Brewster was built in 1983, 42% of homes were built before 1980, 85% are owner-occupied.
Does Brewster get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 1 day within 10 miles of Brewster 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 Brewster?
For an owner-occupied home of one to four units in Brewster, the contractor must be registered under the home improvement law (M.G.L. c. 142A), and a construction supervisor licensed (CSL) for roof covering supervises a permitted reroof. Ask for both numbers.
What they will ask on the phone
- Where the house is: the Brewster 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
- Whether there is one layer or more, if you know
- That you want a new roof or a full replacement, and when you want the work done
- Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Brewster
- That the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.