Permit
Roofing is not exempt
The residential code’s permit-exempt list (R105.2) has no roofing line. In Malden the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Roof Replacement in Malden, MA
The median home in Malden was built in 1950; there are 27,876 of them. 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 Malden
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. 71% of Malden’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
There is no local exception: the state table says “yes.” 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
119 mph design wind, 40 psf ground snow
Malden’s code design values are a 119 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 40 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. The state’s code edition and the rest of its rules: roof replacement in Massachusetts.
Homes and roofs in Malden
41% of the occupied homes in Malden are lived in by their owners: 10,744 households, the people this line is for. Counting by decade, 45% before 1940, 56% before 1960, 71% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 15% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 24% detached houses, 7% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 34% 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 54 Middlesex County municipalities on this site, Malden has the 15th largest share of homes built before 1980: 71%, against a county range of 29% to 87%.
ZIP codes: 02148
Malden and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malden | 1950 | 71% | 41% | 7% | 11 |
| Everett | 1938 | 77% | 37% | 6% | 12 |
| Melrose | 1938 | 84% | 67% | 4% | 11 |
| Medford | 1942 | 76% | 54% | 7% | 10 |
| Chelsea | 1941 | 69% | 26% | 4% | 13 |
| Somerville | 1938 | 80% | 34% | 4% | 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 Malden
Within 10 miles of Malden, hail of an inch or more was reported on 11 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 3 in on July 11, 2006. The most recent was August 23, 2020.
Middlesex County has had 8 federal major-disaster declarations for storms since 2006; the latest was 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; 24% 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; 45% 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 | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
Two numbers to ask for in Malden: 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 Malden
Is a permit required for a new roof in Malden, MA?
Roofing is not exempt. The residential code’s permit-exempt list (R105.2) has no roofing line. In Malden 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 Malden?
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. 71% of Malden’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
When were most homes in Malden built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Malden was built in 1950, 71% of homes were built before 1980, 41% are owner-occupied.
Does Malden get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 11 days within 10 miles of Malden 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 Malden have?
Two numbers to ask for in Malden: 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 Malden address or ZIP
- 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
- The number of layers, if anyone has counted
- That you want a new roof or a full replacement, and when you want the work done
- 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.