Permit
Expect a building permit
Massachusetts exempts sheds, fences and finish work from permits (R105.2), not roofing. In Groveland the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Roof Replacement in Groveland, MA
Groveland has 2,751 homes, and half of them were standing by 1983. 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 Groveland
Layers
One old layer can stay; two cannot
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). 47% of Groveland’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 in Groveland, as in every Massachusetts town
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
116 mph design wind, 50 psf ground snow
Groveland’s code design values are a 116 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 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))
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Massachusetts.
Homes and roofs in Groveland
90% of the occupied homes in Groveland are lived in by their owners: 2,384 households, the people this line is for. By year built, 17% before 1940, 30% before 1960, 47% before 1980; 28% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 75% detached houses, 8% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 12% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 34 Essex County municipalities on this site, Groveland has the 31st largest share of homes built before 1980: 47%, against a county range of 41% to 89%.
ZIP codes: 01834
Groveland and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Groveland | 1983 | 47% | 90% | 8% | 11 |
| Georgetown | 1974 | 59% | 84% | 4% | 10 |
| West Newbury | 1983 | 46% | 96% | 6% | 15 |
| Haverhill | 1964 | 63% | 63% | 10% | 17 |
| Boxford | 1979 | 51% | 95% | 4% | 9 |
| Merrimac | 1982 | 47% | 81% | 11% | 20 |
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.
Storm record around Groveland
NOAA’s storm reports show 11 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Groveland, topping out at 1.75 in on August 16, 2008. The most recent was September 8, 2023.
Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (DR-4379, July 2018) is the latest of 9 federal storm declarations covering Essex County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Groveland, not that it damaged a 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; 75% of homes here are detached | Class D, G or H at 116 mph design wind (IRC Table R905.2.4.1) |
| Metal (standing seam, panels) | 50 years | Roofs that will carry solar later | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 17% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Porches, additions, low-slope rears | Coating is not a replacement |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
Two numbers to ask for in Groveland: 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.
The price side is in what a new roof costs in Massachusetts; the paperwork side in checking a roofing contractor.
Questions about a new roof in Groveland
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Groveland?
Expect a building permit. Massachusetts exempts sheds, fences and finish work from permits (R105.2), not roofing. In Groveland the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Groveland?
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). 47% of Groveland’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
How old are the houses in Groveland?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Groveland was built in 1983, 47% of homes were built before 1980, 90% are owner-occupied.
Does Groveland get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 11 days within 10 miles of Groveland from 2006 through 2025 (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). A report means hail fell nearby, not that a roof was damaged.
How do I check a roofing contractor in Groveland?
Two numbers to ask for in Groveland: 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
- Where the house is: the Groveland address or ZIP
- One story or two (or more), detached or attached
- What is on the roof now (asphalt shingles, metal, slate, tile, or a flat membrane) and roughly how old it is
- Whether there is one layer or more, if you know
- That you want a new roof or a full replacement, and when you want the work done
- Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Groveland
- That you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.