Permit
Roofing is not exempt
Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). Gloucester’s building department issues it, and the application carries the contractor’s HIC registration number.
Roof Replacement in Gloucester, MA
Half of the 14,867 homes in Gloucester were built before 1946. 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.
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 Gloucester
Layers
Two layers means a tear-off
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). 76% of Gloucester’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
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
119 mph design wind, 50 psf ground snow
Gloucester’s code design values are a 119 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 50 psf ground snow load (30 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. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Massachusetts.
Homes and roofs in Gloucester
Owners live in 8,597 of Gloucester’s occupied homes, or 64%. Counting by decade, 47% before 1940, 61% before 1960, 76% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 11% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 49% detached houses, 5% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 33% 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 34 Essex County municipalities on this site, Gloucester has the 8th largest share of homes built before 1980: 76%, against a county range of 41% to 89%.
ZIP codes: 01930
Gloucester and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gloucester | 1946 | 76% | 64% | 5% | 0 |
| Essex | 1969 | 56% | 75% | 6% | 4 |
| Rockport | 1951 | 80% | 68% | 5% | 0 |
| Manchester-by-the-Sea | 1955 | 74% | 75% | 5% | 4 |
| Hamilton | 1958 | 79% | 85% | 3% | 6 |
| Ipswich | 1964 | 64% | 74% | 12% | 5 |
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 Gloucester
From 2006 through 2025 no hail of 1 inch or larger was reported within 10 miles of Gloucester (NOAA Storm Prediction Center).
At the county level, Gloucester shares Essex County’s record of 9 storm disaster declarations since 2006, the newest DR-4379 (Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm, July 2018). (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
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; 49% of homes here are detached | Class G or H at 119 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; 47% 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 | Coating is not a replacement |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
For an owner-occupied home of one to four units in Gloucester, 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.
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 Gloucester
Is a permit required for a new roof in Gloucester, MA?
Roofing is not exempt. Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). Gloucester’s building department issues it, and the application carries the contractor’s HIC registration number.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Gloucester?
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). 76% of Gloucester’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
When were most homes in Gloucester built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Gloucester was built in 1946, 76% of homes were built before 1980, 64% are owner-occupied.
Does Gloucester get hail that damages roofs?
From 2006 through 2025 no hail of 1 inch or larger was reported within 10 miles of Gloucester (NOAA Storm Prediction Center).
What license or registration should a roofer in Gloucester have?
For an owner-occupied home of one to four units in Gloucester, 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
- The street address in Gloucester, 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
- How many layers are on it, if you know
- Your timing for a complete replacement
- Whether the house is in a historic district or an HOA
- That you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.