Permit
Roofing is not exempt
Massachusetts exempts sheds, fences and finish work from permits (R105.2), not roofing. In Grafton the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Roof Replacement in Grafton, MA
The median home in Grafton was built in 1977; there are 7,826 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 Grafton
Layers
Two layers means 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 54% of Grafton’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 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
119 mph design wind, 50 psf ground snow
Grafton’s code design values are a 119 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 50 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. The state’s code edition and the rest of its rules: roof replacement in Massachusetts.
Homes and roofs in Grafton
73% of the occupied homes in Grafton are lived in by their owners: 5,608 households, the people this line is for. Counting by decade, 14% before 1940, 28% before 1960, 54% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 23% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 63% detached houses, 15% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 10% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 59 Worcester County municipalities on this site, Grafton has the 38th largest share of homes built before 1980: 54%, against a county range of 35% to 79%.
ZIP codes: 01519 · 01536 · 01560
Grafton and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grafton | 1977 | 54% | 73% | 15% | 19 |
| Upton | 1981 | 48% | 87% | 5% | 14 |
| Millbury | 1965 | 65% | 75% | 8% | 16 |
| Westborough | 1976 | 57% | 62% | 7% | 18 |
| Shrewsbury | 1979 | 51% | 72% | 8% | 18 |
| Northbridge | 1973 | 56% | 71% | 13% | 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.
Hail and storms near Grafton
Within 10 miles of Grafton, hail of an inch or more was reported on 19 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 2 in on June 1, 2011. The most recent was August 23, 2020.
That is more hail days than 97% of the places in the state on this site.
At the county level, Grafton shares Worcester County’s record of 7 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
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; 63% 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 | 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; 14% here predate 1940 | Can’t be roofed over; check the framing for the weight |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Low-slope roofs and rear sections (15% of homes here are attached) | Where the roof meets a wall or parapet |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
In Grafton 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 Grafton
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Grafton?
Roofing is not exempt. Massachusetts exempts sheds, fences and finish work from permits (R105.2), not roofing. In Grafton the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Grafton?
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. With 54% of Grafton’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
When were most homes in Grafton built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Grafton was built in 1977, 54% of homes were built before 1980, 73% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Grafton?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 19 days within 10 miles of Grafton 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 Grafton have?
In Grafton 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
- Your address or ZIP code in Grafton
- 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.