Permit
Expect a building permit
Massachusetts exempts sheds, fences and finish work from permits (R105.2), not roofing. Melrose’s building department issues it, and the application carries the contractor’s HIC registration number.
Roof Replacement in Melrose, MA
Melrose has 12,771 homes, and half of them were standing by 1938. 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 Melrose
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). With 84% of Melrose’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 Melrose, as in every Massachusetts town
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
Melrose’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. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in Massachusetts.
Homes and roofs in Melrose
67% of the occupied homes in Melrose are lived in by their owners: 8,328 households, the people this line is for. Counting by decade, 52% before 1940, 70% before 1960, 84% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 9% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 53% detached houses, 4% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 14% 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, Melrose has the 3rd largest share of homes built before 1980: 84%, against a county range of 29% to 87%.
ZIP codes: 02176
Melrose and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melrose | 1938 | 84% | 67% | 4% | 11 |
| Malden | 1950 | 71% | 41% | 7% | 11 |
| Stoneham | 1964 | 70% | 71% | 4% | 10 |
| Saugus | 1962 | 72% | 72% | 5% | 10 |
| Wakefield | 1956 | 71% | 71% | 5% | 9 |
| Medford | 1942 | 76% | 54% | 7% | 10 |
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 Melrose
NOAA’s storm reports show 11 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Melrose, topping out at 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
HUD’s useful-life figures are for planning; a warranty is a separate promise. For Melrose’s houses: 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; 53% 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; 52% here predate 1940 | Never a base for a new layer (R908.3.1.1); heavy |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Additions and porch roofs | Where the roof meets a wall or parapet |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
In Melrose 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 Melrose
Is a permit required for a new roof in Melrose, MA?
Expect a building permit. Massachusetts exempts sheds, fences and finish work from permits (R105.2), not roofing. Melrose’s building department issues it, and the application carries the contractor’s HIC registration number.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Melrose?
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). With 84% of Melrose’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
When were most homes in Melrose built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Melrose was built in 1938, 84% of homes were built before 1980, 67% are owner-occupied.
Does Melrose get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 11 days within 10 miles of Melrose 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 Melrose have?
In Melrose 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
- Where the house is: the Melrose 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.