Permit
Local ordinance, not the state
Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8), alterations to a house that make no structural change are outside the state code. The borough code office can say what Bally requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Bally, PA
Bally has 511 homes, and half of them were standing by 1960. 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.
Call (833) 781-1806 Replacement and new roofs only · homeowners
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 Bally
Layers
One old layer can stay; two cannot
On a roof that already carries two layers, or slate or tile, the code allows no recover: it is a tear-off (IRC R908.3.1.1). 63% of Bally’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
Ice barrier
Bally’s climate table decides
Whether an eave membrane is a code item depends on the climate table the municipality filled in when it adopted the code (IRC R905.1.2, Table R301.2). The contractor or the borough code office in Bally will know.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. The state’s code edition and the rest of its rules: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Bally
71% of the occupied homes in Bally are lived in by their owners: 354 households, the people this line is for. By year built, 24% before 1940, 50% before 1960, 63% before 1980; 21% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 59% detached houses, 29% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 10% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 67 Berks County municipalities on this site, Bally has the 19th largest share of homes built before 1980: 63%, against a county range of 18% to 97%.
ZIP codes: 19503
Bally and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bally | 1960 | 63% | 71% | 29% | 14 |
| Washington Township, Berks County | 1981 | 49% | 83% | 1% | 15 |
| Hereford | 1973 | 62% | 82% | 1% | 14 |
| Douglass Township, Montgomery County | 1985 | 44% | 86% | 8% | 17 |
| Upper Hanover | 1989 | 36% | 96% | 18% | 14 |
| East Greenville | 1958 | 76% | 60% | 48% | 14 |
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 Bally
NOAA’s storm reports show 14 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Bally, topping out at 2 in on May 29, 2019. The most recent was August 15, 2023.
Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (DR-4267, March 2016) is the latest of 2 federal storm declarations covering Berks County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Bally, not that it damaged a roof. When wind or hail damage means a new roof.
What goes on the roof next
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; 59% 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; 24% here predate 1940 | Never a base for a new layer (R908.3.1.1); heavy |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Low-slope roofs and rear sections (29% of homes here are attached) | Where the roof meets a wall or parapet |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in Bally, get the contractor’s PA registration number: the home improvement law requires registration with the Attorney General above $5,000 a year of such work, and the number on contracts and estimates (HICPA § 3, § 6).
The price side is in what a new roof costs in Pennsylvania; the paperwork side in checking a roofing contractor.
Questions about a new roof in Bally
Is a permit required for a new roof in Bally, PA?
Local ordinance, not the state. Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8), alterations to a house that make no structural change are outside the state code. The borough code office can say what Bally requires.
Is a roof-over allowed in Bally, or is it a tear-off?
On a roof that already carries two layers, or slate or tile, the code allows no recover: it is a tear-off (IRC R908.3.1.1). 63% of Bally’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
How old are the houses in Bally?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Bally was built in 1960, 63% of homes were built before 1980, 71% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has Bally had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 14 days within 10 miles of Bally 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 Bally?
Before signing for a roof in Bally, get the contractor’s PA registration number: the home improvement law requires registration with the Attorney General above $5,000 a year of such work, and the number on contracts and estimates (HICPA § 3, § 6).
What they will ask on the phone
- Where the house is: the Bally address or ZIP
- One story or two (or more), detached or attached
- What is on the roof now (asphalt shingles, metal, slate, tile, or a flat membrane) and roughly how old it is
- 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 Bally
- That you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.