Permit
Roofing is not exempt
Massachusetts exempts sheds, fences and finish work from permits (R105.2), not roofing. In Holliston the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Roof Replacement in Holliston, MA
Holliston has 5,884 homes, and half of them were standing by 1966. 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 Holliston
Layers
No third layer
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). 72% of Holliston’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 Holliston
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
120 mph design wind, 40 psf ground snow
Holliston’s code design values are a 120 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))
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in Massachusetts.
Homes and roofs in Holliston
87% of the occupied homes in Holliston are lived in by their owners: 4,970 households, the people this line is for. By year built, 18% before 1940, 36% before 1960, 72% before 1980; 13% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 80% detached houses, 6% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 6% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 54 Middlesex County municipalities on this site, Holliston has the 14th largest share of homes built before 1980: 72%, against a county range of 29% to 87%.
ZIP codes: 01746
Holliston and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holliston | 1966 | 72% | 87% | 6% | 12 |
| Medway | 1976 | 54% | 86% | 4% | 13 |
| Milford | 1971 | 64% | 65% | 9% | 14 |
| Ashland | 1984 | 42% | 75% | 15% | 13 |
| Sherborn | 1968 | 73% | 89% | 5% | 14 |
| Millis | 1974 | 61% | 83% | 10% | 14 |
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 Holliston
NOAA’s storm reports show 12 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Holliston, topping out at 2 in on June 28, 2020.
Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (DR-4379, July 2018) is the latest of 8 federal storm declarations covering Middlesex County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Holliston, not that it damaged a 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; 80% of homes here are detached | Class G or H at 120 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; 18% 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 | Where the roof meets a wall or parapet |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
For an owner-occupied home of one to four units in Holliston, 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.
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 Holliston
Does a roof replacement in Holliston need a permit?
Roofing is not exempt. Massachusetts exempts sheds, fences and finish work from permits (R105.2), not roofing. In Holliston 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 Holliston?
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). 72% of Holliston’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
How old are the houses in Holliston?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Holliston was built in 1966, 72% of homes were built before 1980, 87% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has Holliston had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 12 days within 10 miles of Holliston 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 Holliston?
For an owner-occupied home of one to four units in Holliston, 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 Holliston, or at least the ZIP code
- The number of stories, and whether the house stands alone
- What covers the roof now and about when it went on
- 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 Holliston
- That you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.