Half of the 33,812 homes in Lakewood were built before 1994. 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
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). That covers the 36% of Lakewood’s homes that are detached; twins, rowhouses, townhouses and structural work are outside it.
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. 35% of Lakewood’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
The state code’s ice barrier applies where the average January day is 25 °F or colder: Sussex County, per DCA Bulletin 07-3. Lakewood 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
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in New Jersey.
Of 31,407 occupied homes in Lakewood, 16,159 (52%) are owner-occupied. Counting by decade, 9% before 1960, 35% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 42% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 36% detached houses, 36% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 9% buildings of two to four units.
With 36% of homes attached, many roofs here meet a neighbor’s roof at a party wall. Say so on the call, and ask the contractor how the new roof will be tied in where it meets the house next door. New Jersey’s no-permit rule for reroofing covers detached houses only, so an attached house is outside it.
42% of homes here were built in 2000 or later. HUD’s useful-life table gives an asphalt-shingle roof 20 years, so roofs on houses from the early 2000s are reaching that age.
Of the 29 Ocean County municipalities on this site, Lakewood has the 26th largest share of homes built before 1980: 35%, against a county range of 30% to 84%.
ZIP codes: 08701
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood | 1994 | 35% | 52% | 36% | 13 |
| Brick | 1976 | 59% | 82% | 11% | 11 |
| Toms River | 1978 | 54% | 82% | 5% | 13 |
| Point Pleasant | 1970 | 64% | 82% | 5% | 9 |
| Howell | 1985 | 36% | 89% | 11% | 12 |
| Brielle | 1964 | 74% | 91% | 9% | 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 Lakewood, topping out at 1.75 in on May 28, 2019. The most recent was April 3, 2024.
At the county level, Lakewood shares Ocean County’s record of 9 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.
HUD’s useful-life figures are for planning; a warranty is a separate promise. For Lakewood’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; 36% 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 and historic houses | Can’t be roofed over; check the framing for the weight |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Low-slope roofs and rear sections (36% of homes here are attached) | Coating is not a replacement |
New Jersey had 47,473 active home improvement registrations in October 2026; the one belonging to whoever quotes your roof in Lakewood 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.
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). That covers the 36% of Lakewood’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 Lakewood was built in 1994, 35% of homes were built before 1980, 52% are owner-occupied.
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 13 days within 10 miles of Lakewood 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 Lakewood 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.