Permit
A permit from Brookline
Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). The application to Brookline’s building department carries the contractor’s HIC number (R105.3).
Roof Replacement in Brookline, MA
Half of the 28,873 homes in Brookline were built before 1938. 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.
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 Brookline
Layers
No third layer
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). 86% of Brookline’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
Source: IRC 2021, Chapter 9 (Pennsylvania edition, UpCodes); 780 CMR 51.00, Chapter 9 amendments
Ice barrier
Required in Brookline, as in every Massachusetts town
The state’s climate table marks the ice barrier “yes” statewide. 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
120 mph design wind, 40 psf ground snow
Brookline’s code design values are a 120 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 40 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))
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. The state’s code edition and the rest of its rules: roof replacement in Massachusetts.
Homes and roofs in Brookline
Of 27,587 occupied homes in Brookline, 12,925 (47%) are owner-occupied. Counting by decade, 52% before 1940, 65% before 1960, 86% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 7% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 18% detached houses, 5% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 26% buildings of two to four units.
Older houses hide their history: ask the contractor to confirm the deck (board or sheet) and every layer above it before pricing, because slate or two layers mean a full tear-off.
Of the 28 Norfolk County municipalities on this site, Brookline has the largest share of homes built before 1980: 86%, against a county range of 41% to 86%.
ZIP codes: 02445 · 02446 · 02467
Brookline and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookline | 1938 | 86% | 47% | 5% | 12 |
| Newton | 1942 | 80% | 70% | 8% | 9 |
| Watertown | 1947 | 78% | 48% | 10% | 11 |
| Cambridge | 1950 | 68% | 34% | 7% | 13 |
| Somerville | 1938 | 80% | 34% | 4% | 12 |
| Belmont | 1938 | 87% | 65% | 6% | 11 |
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.
Hail and storms near Brookline
NOAA’s storm reports show 12 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Brookline, topping out at 2 in on August 4, 2015. The most recent was August 15, 2024.
Norfolk County has had 8 federal major-disaster declarations for storms since 2006; the latest was DR-4651, Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (April 2022). (OpenFEMA.)
Storm reports are what observers logged, not a measure of damage to any 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; 18% 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 | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 52% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Additions and porch roofs | Coating is not a replacement |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
In Brookline the contractor’s HIC registration (M.G.L. c. 142A) and the CSL of the supervisor licensed for roof covering are the two numbers to look up before signing.
Contracts, deposits and the right to cancel: checking a roofing contractor. What moves the price: new roof cost in Massachusetts.
Questions about a new roof in Brookline
Does a roof replacement in Brookline need a permit?
A permit from Brookline. Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). The application to Brookline’s building department carries the contractor’s HIC number (R105.3).
Do the old shingles have to come off in Brookline?
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). 86% of Brookline’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
When were most homes in Brookline built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Brookline was built in 1938, 86% of homes were built before 1980, 47% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has Brookline had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 12 days within 10 miles of Brookline from 2006 through 2025 (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). A report means hail fell nearby, not that a roof was damaged.
What license or registration should a roofer in Brookline have?
In Brookline the contractor’s HIC registration (M.G.L. c. 142A) and the CSL of the supervisor licensed for roof covering are the two numbers to look up before signing.
What they will ask on the phone
- Your address or ZIP code in Brookline
- One story or two (or more), 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 the job is a full replacement or a new roof, and your timing
- Whether the house is in a historic district or an HOA
- That the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.