Half of the 1,392 homes in Bethlehem 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.
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.
Permit
Under N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7 a reroof of a detached one- or two-family house goes ahead without a permit or a notice to the construction office. Attached houses (2% of Bethlehem’s homes) and any work that touches the structure fall outside the rule.
Source: N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7
Layers
New Jersey deletes the IRC’s reroofing definitions (N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.21(c)2.xxii); its layer rule for existing houses is in the Rehabilitation Subcode, which this site has not read yet. 54% of Bethlehem’s homes were built before 1980: ask how many layers yours has and whether the price is for a tear-off to the deck.
Source: N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.21
Ice barrier
New Jersey requires the eave membrane only where January averages 25 °F or colder, which the state says is Sussex County (DCA Bulletin 07-3). In Bethlehem it is the installer’s and the manufacturer’s call; ask whether the quote includes it.
Source: N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.21; NJ DCA Bulletin 07-3
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. The state’s code edition and the rest of its rules: roof replacement in New Jersey.
95% of the occupied homes in Bethlehem are lived in by their owners: 1,286 households, the people this line is for. Counting by decade, 19% before 1940, 26% before 1960, 54% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 8% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 98% detached houses.
Of the 23 Hunterdon County municipalities on this site, Bethlehem has the 15th largest share of homes built before 1980: 54%, against a county range of 27% to 93%.
ZIP codes: 08802 · 08827
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem | 1979 | 54% | 95% | 2% | 13 |
| Union Township, Hunterdon County | 1978 | 54% | 91% | 16% | 8 |
| Hampton Borough | 1963 | 69% | 70% | 4% | 6 |
| Franklin Township, Warren County | 1980 | 50% | 90% | 2% | 9 |
| Glen Gardner | 1981 | 46% | 76% | 13% | 6 |
| Alexandria | 1985 | 37% | 91% | 0% | 8 |
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.
NOAA’s storm reports show 13 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Bethlehem, topping out at 1.75 in on May 27, 2010. The most recent was June 22, 2024.
At the county level, Bethlehem shares Hunterdon County’s record of 8 storm disaster declarations since 2006, the newest DR-4614 (Remnants of Hurricane Ida, September 2021). (OpenFEMA.)
Storm reports are what observers logged, not a measure of damage to any roof. When wind or hail damage means a new roof.
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; 98% of homes here are detached | Wind class set by the design wind speed (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; 19% here predate 1940 | Never a base for a new layer (R908.3.1.1); heavy |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Additions and porch roofs | Seams at walls and drainage |
New Jersey had 47,473 active home improvement registrations in October 2026; the one belonging to whoever quotes your roof in Bethlehem should be on the contract (N.J.S.A. 56:8-144).
Contracts, deposits and the right to cancel: checking a roofing contractor. What moves the price: new roof cost in New Jersey.
Detached houses: no permit, no notice. Under N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7 a reroof of a detached one- or two-family house goes ahead without a permit or a notice to the construction office. Attached houses (2% of Bethlehem’s homes) and any work that touches the structure fall outside the rule.
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Bethlehem was built in 1979, 54% of homes were built before 1980, 95% are owner-occupied.
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 13 days within 10 miles of Bethlehem from 2006 through 2025 (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). A report means hail fell nearby, not that a roof was damaged.
New Jersey had 47,473 active home improvement registrations in October 2026; the one belonging to whoever quotes your roof in Bethlehem should be on the contract (N.J.S.A. 56:8-144).
The full list: before you call.
Checked October 24, 2026. Laws and code editions change; the date says when these were last read at the source.