Permit
Roofing is not exempt
Massachusetts exempts sheds, fences and finish work from permits (R105.2), not roofing. In Chesterfield the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Roof Replacement in Chesterfield, MA
Chesterfield has 485 homes, and half of them were standing by 1976. 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 Chesterfield
Layers
No third layer
On a roof that already carries two layers, or slate or tile, the code allows no recover: it is a tear-off (IRC R908.3.1.1). 56% of Chesterfield’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 statewide
The state’s climate table marks the ice barrier “yes” statewide. 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
113 mph design wind, 50 psf ground snow
Chesterfield’s code design values are a 113 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 50 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 Chesterfield
Of 411 occupied homes in Chesterfield, 379 (92%) are owner-occupied. By year built, 31% before 1940, 39% before 1960, 56% before 1980; 19% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 92% detached houses.
15% of the homes in Chesterfield 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 16 Hampshire County municipalities on this site, Chesterfield has the 14th largest share of homes built before 1980: 56%, against a county range of 42% to 73%.
ZIP codes: 01012 · 01084 · 01096
Chesterfield and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterfield | 1976 | 56% | 92% | 1% | 7 |
| Worthington | 1958 | 71% | 94% | 2% | 8 |
| Westhampton | 1969 | 64% | 91% | 1% | 7 |
| Williamsburg | 1955 | 63% | 82% | 2% | 8 |
| Huntington | 1963 | 68% | 85% | 0% | 10 |
| Chester | 1951 | 67% | 83% | 1% | 15 |
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 Chesterfield
NOAA’s storm reports show 7 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Chesterfield, topping out at 1.75 in on September 3, 2008. The most recent was June 6, 2025.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 10 days).
Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding (DR-4110, April 2013) is the latest of 6 federal storm declarations covering Hampshire County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Chesterfield, 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 Chesterfield’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; 92% 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 | 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 houses; 31% here predate 1940 | 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 Chesterfield, 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 Chesterfield
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Chesterfield?
Roofing is not exempt. Massachusetts exempts sheds, fences and finish work from permits (R105.2), not roofing. In Chesterfield the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Chesterfield?
On a roof that already carries two layers, or slate or tile, the code allows no recover: it is a tear-off (IRC R908.3.1.1). 56% of Chesterfield’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
How old are the houses in Chesterfield?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Chesterfield was built in 1976, 56% of homes were built before 1980, 92% are owner-occupied.
Does Chesterfield get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 7 days within 10 miles of Chesterfield 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 Chesterfield?
For an owner-occupied home of one to four units in Chesterfield, 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 Chesterfield 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
- 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 Chesterfield
- That you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.