Half of the 472 homes in Elmer were built before 1938. 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.
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
Replacing the covering on a detached one- or two-family house needs no permit and no notice to the town (N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7). Attached houses (7% of Elmer’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. With 90% of Elmer’s homes were built before 1980, ask the contractor to count the layers before quoting.
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). Elmer is outside it, so whether to add one is up to you and the installer.
Source: N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.21; NJ DCA Bulletin 07-3
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in New Jersey.
Of 420 occupied homes in Elmer, 284 (68%) are owner-occupied. By year built, 55% before 1940, 76% before 1960, 90% before 1980; 4% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 81% detached houses, 7% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 11% 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 14 Salem County municipalities on this site, Elmer has the largest share of homes built before 1980: 90%, against a county range of 56% to 90%.
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elmer | 1938 | 90% | 68% | 7% | 6 |
| Upper Pittsgrove | 1971 | 69% | 91% | 0% | 6 |
| Pittsgrove | 1976 | 58% | 85% | 2% | 7 |
| Elk | 1985 | 44% | 89% | 2% | 9 |
| Upper Deerfield | 1972 | 67% | 77% | 4% | 6 |
| Clayton | 1975 | 58% | 81% | 3% | 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 6 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Elmer, topping out at 1.75 in on May 22, 2014. The most recent was June 29, 2019.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 11 days).
Federal major-disaster declarations for storms in Salem County since 2006: 8, most recently DR-4614, Remnants of Hurricane Ida, declared September 2021. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Elmer, not that it damaged a 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; 81% 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 | 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; 55% 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 | Coating is not a replacement |
Any business offering home improvements in Elmer must be registered with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, with the number on its contracts and ads (N.J.S.A. 56:8-138, 56:8-144); 47,473 registrations were active in October 2026.
The price side is in what a new roof costs in New Jersey; the paperwork side in checking a roofing contractor.
None for a detached one- or two-family house. Replacing the covering on a detached one- or two-family house needs no permit and no notice to the town (N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7). Attached houses (7% of Elmer’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 Elmer was built in 1938, 90% of homes were built before 1980, 68% are owner-occupied.
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 6 days within 10 miles of Elmer from 2006 through 2025 (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). A report means hail fell nearby, not that a roof was damaged.
Any business offering home improvements in Elmer must be registered with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, with the number on its contracts and ads (N.J.S.A. 56:8-138, 56:8-144); 47,473 registrations were active in October 2026.
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.