Permit
Expect a building permit
The residential code’s permit-exempt list (R105.2) has no roofing line. Chatham’s building department issues it, and the application carries the contractor’s HIC registration number.
Roof Replacement in Chatham, MA
The median home in Chatham was built in 1974; there are 7,377 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.
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 Chatham
Layers
No third layer
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. 58% of Chatham’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 Chatham
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
132 mph design wind, 25 psf ground snow
Chatham’s code design values are a 132 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 25 psf ground snow load (25 psf minimum flat-roof snow load); the town is in the windborne debris region. 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. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Massachusetts.
Homes and roofs in Chatham
85% of the occupied homes in Chatham are lived in by their owners: 2,852 households, the people this line is for. By year built, 13% before 1940, 33% before 1960, 58% before 1980; 17% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 89% detached houses.
54% of the homes in Chatham 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, Chatham has the 7th largest share of homes built before 1980: 58%, against a county range of 25% to 73%.
ZIP codes: 02633 · 02650 · 02659
Chatham and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chatham | 1974 | 58% | 85% | 3% | 1 |
| Harwich | 1976 | 55% | 85% | 3% | 1 |
| Brewster | 1983 | 42% | 85% | 7% | 1 |
| Orleans | 1979 | 53% | 81% | 4% | 2 |
| Dennis | 1970 | 73% | 79% | 5% | 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 Chatham
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 1 separate day within 10 miles of Chatham; the largest was 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 Chatham, not that it damaged a roof. When wind or hail damage means a new roof.
What goes on the roof next
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; 89% of homes here are detached | Class G or H at 132 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 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Porches, additions, low-slope rears | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
In Chatham 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.
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 Chatham
Is a permit required for a new roof in Chatham, MA?
Expect a building permit. The residential code’s permit-exempt list (R105.2) has no roofing line. Chatham’s building department issues it, and the application carries the contractor’s HIC registration number.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Chatham?
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. 58% of Chatham’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
How old are the houses in Chatham?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Chatham was built in 1974, 58% of homes were built before 1980, 85% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has Chatham had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 1 day within 10 miles of Chatham 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 Chatham?
In Chatham 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 Chatham
- 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 Chatham
- That you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.