Permit
Roofing is not exempt
Massachusetts exempts sheds, fences and finish work from permits (R105.2), not roofing. In Franklin the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Roof Replacement in Franklin, MA
Franklin has 13,011 homes, and half of them were standing by 1985. 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 Franklin
Layers
Two layers means a tear-off
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). 41% of Franklin’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
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
121 mph design wind, 40 psf ground snow
Franklin’s code design values are a 121 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 40 psf ground snow load (35 psf minimum flat-roof snow load). At that wind speed the code calls for asphalt shingles labeled ASTM D7158 Class 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.
Homes and roofs in Franklin
78% of the occupied homes in Franklin are lived in by their owners: 9,671 households, the people this line is for. Counting by decade, 14% before 1940, 23% before 1960, 41% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 22% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 63% detached houses, 10% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 9% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 28 Norfolk County municipalities on this site, Franklin has the 27th largest share of homes built before 1980: 41%, against a county range of 41% to 86%.
ZIP codes: 02038
Franklin and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin | 1985 | 41% | 78% | 10% | 13 |
| Bellingham | 1973 | 62% | 79% | 8% | 11 |
| Wrentham | 1984 | 44% | 82% | 6% | 11 |
| Norfolk | 1984 | 41% | 95% | 6% | 9 |
| Medway | 1976 | 54% | 86% | 4% | 13 |
| Plainville | 1978 | 53% | 70% | 7% | 11 |
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 Franklin
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 13 separate days within 10 miles of Franklin; the largest was 2 in on June 28, 2020.
At the county level, Franklin shares Norfolk County’s record of 8 storm disaster declarations since 2006, the newest DR-4651 (Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm, April 2022). (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
HUD’s useful-life figures are for planning; a warranty is a separate promise. For Franklin’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; 63% of homes here are detached | Class G or H at 121 mph design wind (IRC Table R905.2.4.1) |
| Metal (standing seam, panels) | 50 years | Low pitches and long runs | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 14% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Additions and porch roofs | Coating is not a replacement |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
Two numbers to ask for in Franklin: 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.
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 Franklin
Is a permit required for a new roof in Franklin, MA?
Roofing is not exempt. Massachusetts exempts sheds, fences and finish work from permits (R105.2), not roofing. In Franklin the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Franklin?
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). 41% of Franklin’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
When were most homes in Franklin built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Franklin was built in 1985, 41% of homes were built before 1980, 78% are owner-occupied.
Does Franklin get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 13 days within 10 miles of Franklin 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 Franklin have?
Two numbers to ask for in Franklin: 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
- Your address or ZIP code in Franklin
- How many stories the house has, and whether it is detached or attached
- What covers the roof now and about when it went on
- Whether there is one layer or more, if you know
- That the job is a full replacement or a new roof, and your timing
- Whether the house is in a historic district or an HOA
- That you own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.