Half of the 1,164 homes in Franklin Township were built before 1974. 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 (1% of Franklin Township’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. 58% of Franklin Township’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 Franklin Township 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
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in New Jersey.
Owners live in 1,020 of Franklin Township’s occupied homes, or 92%. By year built, 18% before 1940, 36% before 1960, 58% before 1980; 12% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 98% detached houses.
Of the 23 Hunterdon County municipalities on this site, Franklin Township has the 10th largest share of homes built before 1980: 58%, against a county range of 27% to 93%.
ZIP codes: 08801 · 08867
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Township, Hunterdon County | 1974 | 58% | 92% | 1% | 8 |
| Raritan Township | 1986 | 27% | 90% | 22% | 7 |
| Union Township, Hunterdon County | 1978 | 54% | 91% | 16% | 8 |
| Clinton Town | 1978 | 53% | 70% | 13% | 6 |
| Alexandria | 1985 | 37% | 91% | 0% | 8 |
| Clinton Township | 1984 | 38% | 88% | 15% | 6 |
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.
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 8 separate days within 10 miles of Franklin Township; the largest was 1.75 in on August 17, 2007. The most recent was August 18, 2019.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 11 days).
Remnants of Hurricane Ida (DR-4614, September 2021) is the latest of 8 federal storm declarations covering Hunterdon County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Franklin Township, not that it damaged a roof. When wind or hail damage means a new roof.
HUD’s useful-life figures are for planning; a warranty is a separate promise. For Franklin Township’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; 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 | 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; 18% here predate 1940 | Can’t be roofed over; check the framing for the weight |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Porches, additions, low-slope rears | Where the roof meets a wall or parapet |
Any business offering home improvements in Franklin Township 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.
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 (1% of Franklin Township’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 Franklin Township was built in 1974, 58% of homes were built before 1980, 92% are owner-occupied.
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 8 days within 10 miles of Franklin Township 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 Franklin Township 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.