Permit
A permit from Conway
Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). Conway’s building department issues it, and the application carries the contractor’s HIC registration number.
Roof Replacement in Conway, MA
The median home in Conway was built in 1976; there are 818 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 Conway
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. With 57% of Conway’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 Conway
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, 50 psf ground snow
Conway’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))
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Massachusetts.
Homes and roofs in Conway
Owners live in 731 of Conway’s occupied homes, or 93%. Counting by decade, 34% before 1940, 36% before 1960, 57% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 15% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 88% detached houses, 3% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 7% 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 19 Franklin County municipalities on this site, Conway has the 17th largest share of homes built before 1980: 57%, against a county range of 52% to 83%.
ZIP codes: 01341
Conway and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conway | 1976 | 57% | 93% | 3% | 9 |
| Deerfield | 1972 | 65% | 78% | 9% | 7 |
| Ashfield | 1967 | 68% | 86% | 2% | 13 |
| Whately | 1974 | 60% | 88% | 2% | 12 |
| Buckland | 1950 | 80% | 75% | 2% | 13 |
| Williamsburg | 1955 | 63% | 82% | 2% | 8 |
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 Conway
Within 10 miles of Conway, hail of an inch or more was reported on 9 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 1.75 in on May 22, 2013. The most recent was May 17, 2025.
At the county level, Conway shares Franklin County’s record of 5 storm disaster declarations since 2006, the newest DR-4110 (Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding, April 2013). (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
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; 88% 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 | 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; 34% here predate 1940 | Can’t be roofed over; check the framing for the weight |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Additions and porch roofs | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
In Conway 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.
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 Conway
Does a roof replacement in Conway need a permit?
A permit from Conway. Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). Conway’s building department issues it, and the application carries the contractor’s HIC registration number.
Is a roof-over allowed in Conway, or is it 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 57% of Conway’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
When were most homes in Conway built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Conway was built in 1976, 57% of homes were built before 1980, 93% are owner-occupied.
Does Conway get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 9 days within 10 miles of Conway 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 Conway have?
In Conway 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
- The street address in Conway, or at least the ZIP code
- The number of stories, and whether the house stands alone
- What is on the roof now (asphalt shingles, metal, slate, tile, or a flat membrane) and roughly how old it is
- The number of layers, if anyone has counted
- That you want a new roof or a full replacement, and when you want the work done
- 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.