Permit
Roofing is not exempt
Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). In Colrain the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Roof Replacement in Colrain, MA
The median home in Colrain was built in 1963; there are 790 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 Colrain
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. 72% of Colrain’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 Colrain, as in every Massachusetts town
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
112 mph design wind, 60 psf ground snow
Colrain’s code design values are a 112 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 60 psf ground snow load (40 psf minimum flat-roof snow load); the town is in a special wind region. 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. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Massachusetts.
Homes and roofs in Colrain
Owners live in 620 of Colrain’s occupied homes, or 87%. By year built, 38% before 1940, 46% before 1960, 72% before 1980; 10% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 84% detached houses, 14% buildings of two to four units.
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 19 Franklin County municipalities on this site, Colrain has the 5th largest share of homes built before 1980: 72%, against a county range of 52% to 83%.
ZIP codes: 01340
Colrain and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colrain | 1963 | 72% | 87% | 1% | 9 |
| Shelburne | 1938 | 72% | 68% | 4% | 8 |
| Bernardston | 1972 | 60% | 78% | 3% | 11 |
| Greenfield | 1947 | 83% | 56% | 5% | 7 |
| Buckland | 1950 | 80% | 75% | 2% | 13 |
| Charlemont | 1965 | 72% | 78% | 3% | 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.
Storm record around Colrain
NOAA’s storm reports show 9 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Colrain, topping out at 2 in on June 16, 2008. The most recent was June 6, 2025.
Federal major-disaster declarations for storms in Franklin County since 2006: 5, most recently DR-4110, Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding, declared April 2013. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Colrain, not that it damaged a 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; 84% of homes here are detached | Class D, G or H at 112 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; 38% 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 Colrain, 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 Colrain
Is a permit required for a new roof in Colrain, MA?
Roofing is not exempt. Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). In Colrain the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Colrain?
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. 72% of Colrain’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
How old are the houses in Colrain?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Colrain was built in 1963, 72% of homes were built before 1980, 87% are owner-occupied.
Does Colrain get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 9 days within 10 miles of Colrain 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 Colrain?
For an owner-occupied home of one to four units in Colrain, 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
- Your address or ZIP code in Colrain
- The number of stories, and whether the house stands alone
- What covers the roof now and about when it went on
- 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 Colrain
- That you own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.