Permit
Expect a building permit
Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). The application to Chelsea’s building department carries the contractor’s HIC number (R105.3).
Roof Replacement in Chelsea, MA
Half of the 14,165 homes in Chelsea were built before 1941. 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 Chelsea
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). 69% of Chelsea’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 Chelsea
Massachusetts answers “yes” to the ice barrier for every town. 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
120 mph design wind, 40 psf ground snow
Chelsea’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. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Massachusetts.
Homes and roofs in Chelsea
Of 13,716 occupied homes in Chelsea, 3,568 (26%) are owner-occupied. Counting by decade, 50% before 1940, 59% before 1960, 69% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 19% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 8% detached houses, 4% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 43% 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 4 Suffolk County municipalities on this site, Chelsea has the 3rd largest share of homes built before 1980: 69%, against a county range of 65% to 87%.
ZIP codes: 02150
Chelsea and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea | 1941 | 69% | 26% | 4% | 13 |
| Everett | 1938 | 77% | 37% | 6% | 12 |
| Malden | 1950 | 71% | 41% | 7% | 11 |
| Revere | 1965 | 65% | 46% | 8% | 11 |
| Winthrop | 1938 | 87% | 57% | 4% | 11 |
| Somerville | 1938 | 80% | 34% | 4% | 12 |
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 Chelsea
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 13 separate days within 10 miles of Chelsea; the largest was 2 in on August 4, 2015. The most recent was August 23, 2020.
Suffolk 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
HUD’s useful-life figures are for planning; a warranty is a separate promise. For Chelsea’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; 8% 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; 50% 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
Two numbers to ask for in Chelsea: 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.
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 Chelsea
Does a roof replacement in Chelsea need a permit?
Expect a building permit. Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). The application to Chelsea’s building department carries the contractor’s HIC number (R105.3).
Do the old shingles have to come off in Chelsea?
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). 69% of Chelsea’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
When were most homes in Chelsea built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Chelsea was built in 1941, 69% of homes were built before 1980, 26% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has Chelsea had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 13 days within 10 miles of Chelsea 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 Chelsea have?
Two numbers to ask for in Chelsea: 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
- Your address or ZIP code in Chelsea
- 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.