Permit
A permit from Stow
Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). The application to Stow’s building department carries the contractor’s HIC number (R105.3).
Roof Replacement in Stow, MA
Half of the 2,820 homes in Stow were built before 1974. 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 Stow
Layers
No third layer
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). 60% of Stow’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 Stow
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
117 mph design wind, 50 psf ground snow
Stow’s code design values are a 117 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 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 Stow
Owners live in 2,367 of Stow’s occupied homes, or 85%. Counting by decade, 22% before 1940, 32% before 1960, 60% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 25% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 80% detached houses, 5% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 6% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 54 Middlesex County municipalities on this site, Stow has the 35th largest share of homes built before 1980: 60%, against a county range of 29% to 87%.
ZIP codes: 01775
Stow and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stow | 1974 | 60% | 85% | 5% | 10 |
| Maynard | 1963 | 69% | 75% | 9% | 10 |
| Hudson | 1970 | 60% | 73% | 7% | 11 |
| Boxborough | 1989 | 46% | 73% | 5% | 10 |
| Bolton | 1988 | 40% | 95% | 3% | 12 |
| Acton | 1974 | 61% | 75% | 8% | 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.
Hail and storms near Stow
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 10 separate days within 10 miles of Stow; the largest was 2 in on August 4, 2015. The most recent was June 6, 2025.
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 Stow’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; 80% of homes here are detached | Class G or H at 117 mph design wind (IRC Table R905.2.4.1) |
| Metal (standing seam, panels) | 50 years | Simple roofs with long, unbroken slopes | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 22% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Additions and porch roofs | Coating is not a replacement |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
For an owner-occupied home of one to four units in Stow, 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.
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 Stow
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Stow?
A permit from Stow. Roofing is not on the Massachusetts list of work exempt from a permit (780 CMR 51.00, R105.2). The application to Stow’s building department carries the contractor’s HIC number (R105.3).
Is a roof-over allowed in Stow, or is it 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). 60% of Stow’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
When were most homes in Stow built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Stow was built in 1974, 60% of homes were built before 1980, 85% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has Stow had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 10 days within 10 miles of Stow 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 Stow have?
For an owner-occupied home of one to four units in Stow, 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
- The street address in Stow, or at least the ZIP code
- How many stories the house has, and whether it is detached or attached
- What covers the roof now and about when it went on
- 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.