Permit
Expect a building permit
Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). Sherborn’s building department issues it, and the application carries the contractor’s HIC registration number.
Roof Replacement in Sherborn, MA
Half of the 1,588 homes in Sherborn were built before 1968. 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 Sherborn
Layers
One old layer can stay; two cannot
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). 73% of Sherborn’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 in Sherborn, as in every Massachusetts town
Massachusetts answers “yes” to the ice barrier for every town. 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
120 mph design wind, 40 psf ground snow
Sherborn’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))
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Massachusetts.
Homes and roofs in Sherborn
Of 1,532 occupied homes in Sherborn, 1,366 (89%) are owner-occupied. Counting by decade, 20% before 1940, 35% before 1960, 73% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 9% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 89% detached houses, 5% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses).
Of the 54 Middlesex County municipalities on this site, Sherborn has the 12th largest share of homes built before 1980: 73%, against a county range of 29% to 87%.
ZIP codes: 01770
Sherborn and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherborn | 1968 | 73% | 89% | 5% | 14 |
| Natick | 1968 | 61% | 68% | 4% | 8 |
| Millis | 1974 | 61% | 83% | 10% | 14 |
| Dover | 1970 | 61% | 98% | 2% | 9 |
| Medfield | 1970 | 64% | 86% | 5% | 11 |
| Holliston | 1966 | 72% | 87% | 6% | 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 Sherborn
NOAA’s storm reports show 14 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Sherborn, topping out at 2 in on June 28, 2020. The most recent was August 15, 2024.
That is more hail days than 80% of the places in the state on this site.
At the county level, Sherborn shares Middlesex County’s record of 8 storm disaster declarations since 2006, the newest 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; 89% 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 | 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; 20% 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
Two numbers to ask for in Sherborn: 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 Sherborn
Is a permit required for a new roof in Sherborn, MA?
Expect a building permit. Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). Sherborn’s building department issues it, and the application carries the contractor’s HIC registration number.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Sherborn?
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). 73% of Sherborn’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
When were most homes in Sherborn built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Sherborn was built in 1968, 73% of homes were built before 1980, 89% are owner-occupied.
Does Sherborn get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 14 days within 10 miles of Sherborn 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 Sherborn have?
Two numbers to ask for in Sherborn: 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 Sherborn address or ZIP
- One story or two (or more), detached or attached
- The roof you have today, shingle, metal, slate, tile or flat, and its rough age
- 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 the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.