Permit
Expect a building permit
Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). Chester’s building department issues it, and the application carries the contractor’s HIC registration number.
Roof Replacement in Chester, MA
The median home in Chester was built in 1951; there are 686 of them. 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 Chester
Layers
Two layers means a tear-off
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. With 67% of Chester’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 Chester, as in every Massachusetts town
There is no local exception: the state table says “yes.” 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
113 mph design wind, 60 psf ground snow
Chester’s code design values are a 113 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 60 psf ground snow load (40 psf minimum flat-roof snow load). At that wind speed the code calls for asphalt shingles labeled ASTM D7158 Class D, 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. The state’s code edition and the rest of its rules: roof replacement in Massachusetts.
Homes and roofs in Chester
Owners live in 401 of Chester’s occupied homes, or 83%. By year built, 45% before 1940, 58% before 1960, 67% before 1980; 9% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 86% detached houses, 9% buildings of two to four units.
17% of the homes in Chester 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.
On a house built before 1940, ask what the deck is (boards or plywood) and whether slate sits under the later layers: slate can’t be roofed over.
Of the 21 Hampden County municipalities on this site, Chester has the 13th largest share of homes built before 1980: 67%, against a county range of 37% to 86%.
ZIP codes: 01011 · 01050
Chester and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester | 1951 | 67% | 83% | 1% | 15 |
| Huntington | 1963 | 68% | 85% | 0% | 10 |
| Blandford | 1966 | 69% | 97% | 1% | 16 |
| Becket | 1977 | 57% | 98% | 0% | 11 |
| Russell | 1963 | 70% | 85% | 1% | 16 |
| Westhampton | 1969 | 64% | 91% | 1% | 7 |
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 Chester
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 15 separate days within 10 miles of Chester; the largest was 1.75 in on May 26, 2010. The most recent was June 6, 2025.
That is more hail days than 84% of the places in the state on this site.
Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding (DR-4110, April 2013) is the latest of 7 federal storm declarations covering Hampden County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Chester, 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 Chester’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; 86% of homes here are detached | Class D, G or H at 113 mph design wind (IRC Table R905.2.4.1) |
| Metal (standing seam, panels) | 50 years | Low pitches and long runs | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 45% 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 Chester: 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 Chester
Does a roof replacement in Chester 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). Chester’s building department issues it, and the application carries the contractor’s HIC registration number.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Chester?
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. With 67% of Chester’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
How old are the houses in Chester?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Chester was built in 1951, 67% of homes were built before 1980, 83% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has Chester had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 15 days within 10 miles of Chester 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 Chester?
Two numbers to ask for in Chester: 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 Chester address or ZIP
- One story or two (or more), detached or attached
- What is on the roof now (asphalt shingles, metal, slate, tile, or a flat membrane) and roughly how old it is
- 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 Chester
- That the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.