Permit
Expect a building permit
Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). Egremont’s building department issues it, and the application carries the contractor’s HIC registration number.
Half of the 901 homes in Egremont were built before 1969. The rules below decide how much of the old roof has to come off and what goes under the new one.
New Roofing Costs connects homeowners with independent local roofing contractors. We do not perform roofing work.
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.

Permit
Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). Egremont’s building department issues it, and the application carries the contractor’s HIC registration number.
Layers
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). 65% of Egremont’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
Source: IRC 2021, Chapter 9 (Pennsylvania edition, UpCodes); 780 CMR 51.00, Chapter 9 amendments
Ice barrier
Massachusetts answers “yes” to the ice barrier for every town. It runs from the eave to 24 inches inside the exterior wall, more on steep roofs (IRC R905.1.2); check that the quote lists it.
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
Egremont’s code design values are a 112 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 40 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. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in Massachusetts.
Of 533 occupied homes in Egremont, 438 (82%) are owner-occupied. Counting by decade, 27% before 1940, 38% before 1960, 65% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 7% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 94% detached houses.
37% of the homes in Egremont 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.
Of the 21 Berkshire County municipalities on this site, Egremont has the 13th largest share of homes built before 1980: 65%, against a county range of 56% to 91%.
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egremont | 1969 | 65% | 82% | 1% | 12 |
| Sheffield | 1975 | 56% | 82% | 2% | 14 |
| Great Barrington | 1958 | 63% | 69% | 6% | 14 |
| West Stockbridge | 1974 | 57% | 90% | 1% | 14 |
| Stockbridge | 1958 | 82% | 83% | 2% | 12 |
| New Marlborough | 1970 | 56% | 95% | 2% | 13 |
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.
Within 10 miles of Egremont, hail of an inch or more was reported on 12 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 1.75 in on July 7, 2013. The most recent was September 6, 2025.
At the county level, Egremont shares Berkshire County’s record of 6 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.
HUD’s useful-life figures are for planning; a warranty is a separate promise. For Egremont’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; 94% 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 | Roofs that will carry solar later | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 27% here predate 1940 | Never a base for a new layer (R908.3.1.1); heavy |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Additions and porch roofs | Coating is not a replacement |
In Egremont 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.
Expect a building permit. Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). Egremont’s building department issues it, and the application carries the contractor’s HIC registration number.
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). 65% of Egremont’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Egremont was built in 1969, 65% of homes were built before 1980, 82% are owner-occupied.
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 12 days within 10 miles of Egremont from 2006 through 2025 (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). A report means hail fell nearby, not that a roof was damaged.
In Egremont 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.
The full list: before you call.
Checked October 24, 2026. Laws and code editions change; the date says when these were last read at the source.