Permit
Roofing is not exempt
Massachusetts exempts sheds, fences and finish work from permits (R105.2), not roofing. In Wilmington the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Roof Replacement in Wilmington, MA
Half of the 8,077 homes in Wilmington were built before 1979. 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 Wilmington
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). 51% of Wilmington’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 Wilmington, 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
118 mph design wind, 50 psf ground snow
Wilmington’s code design values are a 118 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 50 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. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in Massachusetts.
Homes and roofs in Wilmington
Owners live in 6,979 of Wilmington’s occupied homes, or 88%. By year built, 8% before 1940, 29% before 1960, 51% before 1980; 20% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 85% detached houses, 3% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses).
Of the 54 Middlesex County municipalities on this site, Wilmington has the 44th largest share of homes built before 1980: 51%, against a county range of 29% to 87%.
ZIP codes: 01887
Wilmington and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | 1979 | 51% | 88% | 3% | 11 |
| Reading | 1960 | 75% | 82% | 3% | 12 |
| North Reading | 1975 | 57% | 84% | 6% | 13 |
| Tewksbury | 1981 | 48% | 85% | 13% | 12 |
| Burlington | 1972 | 62% | 74% | 3% | 9 |
| Billerica | 1973 | 62% | 79% | 6% | 10 |
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 Wilmington
NOAA’s storm reports show 11 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Wilmington, topping out at 1.75 in on July 18, 2012. The most recent was September 8, 2023.
Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (DR-4379, July 2018) is the latest of 8 federal storm declarations covering Middlesex County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Wilmington, not that it damaged a 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 Wilmington’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; 85% of homes here are detached | Class G or H at 118 mph design wind (IRC Table R905.2.4.1) |
| Metal (standing seam, panels) | 50 years | Low pitches and long runs | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 8% 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 | Where the roof meets a wall or parapet |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
For an owner-occupied home of one to four units in Wilmington, 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 Wilmington
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Wilmington?
Roofing is not exempt. Massachusetts exempts sheds, fences and finish work from permits (R105.2), not roofing. In Wilmington the building department takes the application, with the contractor’s home improvement registration on it.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Wilmington?
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). 51% of Wilmington’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
How old are the houses in Wilmington?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Wilmington was built in 1979, 51% of homes were built before 1980, 88% are owner-occupied.
Does Wilmington get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 11 days within 10 miles of Wilmington 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 Wilmington?
For an owner-occupied home of one to four units in Wilmington, 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
- Where the house is: the Wilmington address or ZIP
- 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 Wilmington
- That you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.