Permit
A permit from Orange
The residential code’s permit-exempt list (R105.2) has no roofing line. The application to Orange’s building department carries the contractor’s HIC number (R105.3).
Roof Replacement in Orange, MA
The median home in Orange was built in 1966; there are 3,390 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 Orange
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 72% of Orange’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 Orange, 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
113 mph design wind, 60 psf ground snow
Orange’s code design values are a 113 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 60 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))
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 Orange
Owners live in 2,122 of Orange’s occupied homes, or 70%. By year built, 32% before 1940, 44% before 1960, 72% before 1980; 10% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 62% detached houses, 15% buildings of two to four units, 7% manufactured homes.
On a house built before 1940, ask what the deck is (boards or plywood) and whether slate sits under the later layers: slate can’t be roofed over.
Of the 19 Franklin County municipalities on this site, Orange has the 4th largest share of homes built before 1980: 72%, against a county range of 52% to 83%.
ZIP codes: 01364
Orange and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange | 1966 | 72% | 70% | 0% | 9 |
| Athol | 1953 | 74% | 72% | 2% | 9 |
| Erving | 1957 | 67% | 82% | 5% | 11 |
| Royalston | 1979 | 51% | 96% | 1% | 9 |
| Phillipston | 1984 | 41% | 92% | 6% | 8 |
| Northfield | 1962 | 62% | 85% | 3% | 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 Orange
Within 10 miles of Orange, hail of an inch or more was reported on 9 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 2.25 in on May 22, 2013. The most recent was September 6, 2025.
Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding (DR-4110, April 2013) is the latest of 5 federal storm declarations covering Franklin County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Orange, 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; 62% of homes here are detached | Class D, G or H at 113 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; 32% here predate 1940 | Never a base for a new layer (R908.3.1.1); heavy |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Porches, additions, low-slope rears | Coating is not a replacement |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
For an owner-occupied home of one to four units in Orange, 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 Orange
Does a roof replacement in Orange need a permit?
A permit from Orange. The residential code’s permit-exempt list (R105.2) has no roofing line. The application to Orange’s building department carries the contractor’s HIC number (R105.3).
Can a new roof go over the old one in Orange?
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. With 72% of Orange’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
How old are the houses in Orange?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Orange was built in 1966, 72% of homes were built before 1980, 70% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Orange?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 9 days within 10 miles of Orange 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 Orange?
For an owner-occupied home of one to four units in Orange, 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
- Your address or ZIP code in Orange
- 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 Orange
- That the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.