Permit
Expect a building permit
The residential code’s permit-exempt list (R105.2) has no roofing line. In Whitman the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Roof Replacement in Whitman, MA
The median home in Whitman was built in 1957; there are 5,980 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 Whitman
Layers
One old layer can stay; two cannot
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. With 73% of Whitman’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 statewide
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
124 mph design wind, 35 psf ground snow
Whitman’s code design values are a 124 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 35 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))
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. The state’s code edition and the rest of its rules: roof replacement in Massachusetts.
Homes and roofs in Whitman
Owners live in 4,101 of Whitman’s occupied homes, or 71%. By year built, 38% before 1940, 53% before 1960, 73% before 1980; 16% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 58% detached houses, 11% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 18% buildings of two to four units.
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 27 Plymouth County municipalities on this site, Whitman has the 2nd largest share of homes built before 1980: 73%, against a county range of 42% to 81%.
ZIP codes: 02382
Whitman and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitman | 1957 | 73% | 71% | 11% | 10 |
| Abington | 1970 | 63% | 73% | 8% | 9 |
| East Bridgewater | 1977 | 54% | 83% | 3% | 11 |
| Rockland | 1962 | 68% | 77% | 11% | 9 |
| Hanson | 1972 | 61% | 89% | 7% | 8 |
| Brockton | 1960 | 81% | 57% | 3% | 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.
Storm record around Whitman
NOAA’s storm reports show 10 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Whitman, topping out at 1.5 in on August 14, 2025.
Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (DR-4651, April 2022) is the latest of 8 federal storm declarations covering Plymouth County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Whitman, not that it damaged a roof. When wind or hail damage means a new roof.
What goes on the roof next
Lifespans come from HUD’s capital-needs table, not from a brochure. 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; 58% of homes here are detached | Class G or H at 124 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; 38% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Porches, additions, low-slope rears | Coating is not a replacement |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
In Whitman 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.
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 Whitman
Is a permit required for a new roof in Whitman, MA?
Expect a building permit. The residential code’s permit-exempt list (R105.2) has no roofing line. In Whitman the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Is a roof-over allowed in Whitman, or is it 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 73% of Whitman’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
How old are the houses in Whitman?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Whitman was built in 1957, 73% of homes were built before 1980, 71% are owner-occupied.
Does Whitman get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 10 days within 10 miles of Whitman 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 Whitman?
In Whitman 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
- The street address in Whitman, or at least the ZIP code
- The number of stories, and whether the house stands alone
- What covers the roof now and about when it went on
- Whether there is one layer or more, if you know
- That you want a new roof or a full replacement, and when you want the work done
- Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Whitman
- That you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.