Permit
Expect a building permit
The residential code’s permit-exempt list (R105.2) has no roofing line. The application to Medfield’s building department carries the contractor’s HIC number (R105.3).
Roof Replacement in Medfield, MA
The median home in Medfield was built in 1970; there are 4,820 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 Medfield
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 64% of Medfield’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 in Medfield, as in every Massachusetts town
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
120 mph design wind, 40 psf ground snow
Medfield’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 Medfield
Owners live in 4,028 of Medfield’s occupied homes, or 86%. By year built, 13% before 1940, 27% before 1960, 64% before 1980; 16% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 81% detached houses, 5% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 5% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 28 Norfolk County municipalities on this site, Medfield has the 14th largest share of homes built before 1980: 64%, against a county range of 41% to 86%.
ZIP codes: 02052
Medfield and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medfield | 1970 | 64% | 86% | 5% | 11 |
| Millis | 1974 | 61% | 83% | 10% | 14 |
| Dover | 1970 | 61% | 98% | 2% | 9 |
| Walpole | 1977 | 53% | 84% | 8% | 10 |
| Sherborn | 1968 | 73% | 89% | 5% | 14 |
| Norfolk | 1984 | 41% | 95% | 6% | 9 |
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 Medfield
Within 10 miles of Medfield, hail of an inch or more was reported on 11 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 2 in on June 28, 2020. The most recent was August 15, 2024.
Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (DR-4651, April 2022) is the latest of 8 federal storm declarations covering Norfolk County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Medfield, 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; 81% 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 | Simple roofs with long, unbroken slopes | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 13% 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 | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
In Medfield 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.
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 Medfield
Does a roof replacement in Medfield need a permit?
Expect a building permit. The residential code’s permit-exempt list (R105.2) has no roofing line. The application to Medfield’s building department carries the contractor’s HIC number (R105.3).
Can a new roof go over the old one in Medfield?
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. With 64% of Medfield’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
How old are the houses in Medfield?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Medfield was built in 1970, 64% of homes were built before 1980, 86% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Medfield?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 11 days within 10 miles of Medfield 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 Medfield?
In Medfield 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 Medfield
- How many stories the house has, and whether it is detached or attached
- The roof you have today, shingle, metal, slate, tile or flat, and its rough age
- How many layers are on it, if you know
- That the job is a full replacement or a new roof, and your timing
- Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Medfield
- That the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.