Permit
Roofing is not exempt
The residential code’s permit-exempt list (R105.2) has no roofing line. In New Salem the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Roof Replacement in New Salem, MA
Half of the 506 homes in New Salem were built before 1973. 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 New Salem
Layers
Two layers means a tear-off
A new roof may go over one existing layer; with two or more, or over slate, clay or cement tile, everything comes off to the deck (IRC R908.3.1.1). 59% of New Salem’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 New Salem
The state’s climate table marks the ice barrier “yes” statewide. 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
114 mph design wind, 50 psf ground snow
New Salem’s code design values are a 114 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 50 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 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))
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 New Salem
Owners live in 389 of New Salem’s occupied homes, or 89%. Counting by decade, 39% before 1940, 45% before 1960, 59% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 13% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 94% detached houses.
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 19 Franklin County municipalities on this site, New Salem has the 16th largest share of homes built before 1980: 59%, against a county range of 52% to 83%.
ZIP codes: 01355
New Salem and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Salem | 1973 | 59% | 89% | 1% | 13 |
| Shutesbury | 1979 | 52% | 91% | 2% | 9 |
| Petersham | 1962 | 63% | 94% | 1% | 8 |
| Pelham | 1958 | 73% | 79% | 5% | 15 |
| Leverett | 1973 | 60% | 87% | 3% | 9 |
| Hardwick | 1968 | 59% | 68% | 3% | 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 New Salem
NOAA’s storm reports show 13 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around New Salem, topping out at 2.25 in on May 22, 2013. The most recent was June 6, 2025.
Franklin County has had 5 federal major-disaster declarations for storms since 2006; the latest was DR-4110, Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding (April 2013). (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; 94% of homes here are detached | Class D, G or H at 114 mph design wind (IRC Table R905.2.4.1) |
| Metal (standing seam, panels) | 50 years | Low pitches and long runs | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 39% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| 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 New Salem 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 New Salem
Does a roof replacement in New Salem need a permit?
Roofing is not exempt. The residential code’s permit-exempt list (R105.2) has no roofing line. In New Salem the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Do the old shingles have to come off in New Salem?
A new roof may go over one existing layer; with two or more, or over slate, clay or cement tile, everything comes off to the deck (IRC R908.3.1.1). 59% of New Salem’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
When were most homes in New Salem built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in New Salem was built in 1973, 59% of homes were built before 1980, 89% are owner-occupied.
Does New Salem get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 13 days within 10 miles of New Salem 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 New Salem have?
In New Salem 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 New Salem 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
- Whether there is one layer or more, if you know
- That the job is a full replacement or a new roof, and your timing
- Whether the house is in a historic district or an HOA
- That the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.