The median home in Irvington was built in 1960; there are 25,155 of them. 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.
The rules for a reroof in Irvington
Permit
No permit for a detached house
New Jersey treats a new covering on a detached one- or two-family house as ordinary maintenance: no permit, no notice (N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7). Attached houses (5% of Irvington’s homes) and any work that touches the structure fall outside the rule.
Which layers may stay is a Rehabilitation Subcode question in New Jersey (the IRC definitions are deleted by N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.21), and this site has not read that subcode yet. 80% of Irvington’s homes were built before 1980: ask how many layers yours has and whether the price is for a tear-off to the deck.
The state code’s ice barrier applies where the average January day is 25 °F or colder: Sussex County, per DCA Bulletin 07-3. In Irvington it is the installer’s and the manufacturer’s call; ask whether the quote includes it.
Of 23,542 occupied homes in Irvington, 6,972 (30%) are owner-occupied. Counting by decade, 24% before 1940, 49% before 1960, 80% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 7% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 18% detached houses, 5% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 39% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 22 Essex County municipalities on this site, Irvington has the 10th largest share of homes built before 1980: 80%, against a county range of 54% to 92%.
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.
Hail and storms near Irvington
Within 10 miles of Irvington, hail of an inch or more was reported on 14 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 1.75 in on May 28, 2019. The most recent was July 17, 2021.
Essex County has had 10 federal major-disaster declarations for storms since 2006; the latest was DR-4614, Remnants of Hurricane Ida (September 2021). (OpenFEMA.)
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; 18% 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
A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1)
Slate
75 years
Older houses; 24% here predate 1940
Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot
Flat roof: EPDM or TPO
15 years
Additions and porch roofs
Coating is not a replacement
Checking a contractor in New Jersey
Ask a roofer working in Irvington for the New Jersey home improvement registration number, which the law requires on contracts and advertising (N.J.S.A. 56:8-138, 56:8-144), and look it up with the Division of Consumer Affairs.
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Irvington?
No permit for a detached house. New Jersey treats a new covering on a detached one- or two-family house as ordinary maintenance: no permit, no notice (N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7). Attached houses (5% of Irvington’s homes) and any work that touches the structure fall outside the rule.
When were most homes in Irvington built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Irvington was built in 1960, 80% of homes were built before 1980, 30% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Irvington?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 14 days within 10 miles of Irvington from 2006 through 2025 (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). A report means hail fell nearby, not that a roof was damaged.
What license or registration should a roofer in Irvington have?
Ask a roofer working in Irvington for the New Jersey home improvement registration number, which the law requires on contracts and advertising (N.J.S.A. 56:8-138, 56:8-144), and look it up with the Division of Consumer Affairs.
What they will ask on the phone
The street address in Irvington, or at least the ZIP code
How many stories the house has, and whether it is detached or attached
What covers the roof now and about when it went on
How many layers are on it, if you know
Your timing for a complete replacement
Whether the house is in a historic district or an HOA