The median home in Washington Borough was built in 1960; there are 3,220 of them. 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.
The rules for a reroof in Washington Borough
Permit
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). In Washington Borough, 55% of homes are detached. An attached house, or work on rafters and beams, is not covered.
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. With 71% of Washington Borough’s homes were built before 1980, ask the contractor to count the layers before quoting.
The state code’s ice barrier applies where the average January day is 25 °F or colder: Sussex County, per DCA Bulletin 07-3. Washington Borough is outside it, so whether to add one is up to you and the installer.
Owners live in 1,805 of Washington Borough’s occupied homes, or 58%. By year built, 31% before 1940, 50% before 1960, 71% before 1980; 18% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 55% detached houses, 13% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 14% 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 22 Warren County municipalities on this site, Washington Borough has the 5th largest share of homes built before 1980: 71%, against a county range of 24% to 89%.
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.
Storm record around Washington Borough
Within 10 miles of Washington Borough, hail of an inch or more was reported on 4 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 1.25 in on June 30, 2015. The most recent was September 8, 2023.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 11 days).
Severe Storm and Flooding (DR-4725, August 2023) is the latest of 10 federal storm declarations covering Warren County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
Lifespans come from HUD’s capital-needs table, not from a brochure. 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; 55% 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
Simple roofs with long, unbroken slopes
Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1)
Slate
75 years
Older houses; 31% 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
Seams at walls and drainage
Checking a contractor in New Jersey
Any business offering home improvements in Washington Borough 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.
Does a roof replacement in Washington Borough need a permit?
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). In Washington Borough, 55% of homes are detached. An attached house, or work on rafters and beams, is not covered.
How old are the houses in Washington Borough?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Washington Borough was built in 1960, 71% of homes were built before 1980, 58% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has Washington Borough had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 4 days within 10 miles of Washington Borough from 2006 through 2025 (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). A report means hail fell nearby, not that a roof was damaged.
How do I check a roofing contractor in Washington Borough?
Any business offering home improvements in Washington Borough 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.
What they will ask on the phone
The street address in Washington Borough, or at least the ZIP code
The number of stories, and whether the house stands alone
What covers the roof now and about when it went on
Whether there is one layer or more, if you know
That you want a new roof or a full replacement, and when you want the work done
Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Washington Borough