The median home in Kenilworth was built in 1955; there are 3,027 of them. Below: what the code asks of a replacement here, the permit, and the town’s own records.
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
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). That covers the 70% of Kenilworth’s homes that are detached; twins, rowhouses, townhouses and structural work are outside it.
Source: N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7
Layers
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. 90% of Kenilworth’s homes were built before 1980, so get the layer count and a tear-off price in writing.
Source: N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.21
Ice barrier
Only Sussex County meets New Jersey’s 25 °F January test for a required ice barrier (N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.21; DCA Bulletin 07-3). In Kenilworth 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. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in New Jersey.
Owners live in 2,117 of Kenilworth’s occupied homes, or 75%. By year built, 11% before 1940, 69% before 1960, 90% before 1980; 7% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 70% detached houses, 4% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 23% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 21 Union County municipalities on this site, Kenilworth has the 3rd largest share of homes built before 1980: 90%, against a county range of 65% to 98%.
ZIP codes: 07033
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenilworth | 1955 | 90% | 75% | 4% | 15 |
| Roselle Park | 1952 | 89% | 59% | 2% | 16 |
| Union Township, Union County | 1956 | 79% | 72% | 5% | 12 |
| Cranford | 1951 | 87% | 78% | 3% | 16 |
| Roselle | 1955 | 79% | 55% | 3% | 16 |
| Garwood | 1953 | 79% | 54% | 4% | 15 |
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.
Within 10 miles of Kenilworth, hail of an inch or more was reported on 15 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 1.75 in on May 28, 2019. The most recent was September 8, 2023.
Federal major-disaster declarations for storms in Union County since 2006: 8, most recently DR-4614, Remnants of Hurricane Ida, declared September 2021. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Kenilworth, 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 Kenilworth’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; 70% 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 | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 11% 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 |
Any business offering home improvements in Kenilworth 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. 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). That covers the 70% of Kenilworth’s homes that are detached; twins, rowhouses, townhouses and structural work are outside it.
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Kenilworth was built in 1955, 90% of homes were built before 1980, 75% are owner-occupied.
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 15 days within 10 miles of Kenilworth 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 Kenilworth 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.