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 Bath requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Bath, PA
The median home in Bath was built in 1969; there are 1,165 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.
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 Bath
Layers
No third layer
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. With 65% of Bath’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
Ice barrier
Set by the local climate table
The code requires an ice barrier where the local climate table (Table R301.2) says so, and each Pennsylvania municipality fills that table in. Ask the borough code office or the contractor what Bath’s says.
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Bath
Owners live in 623 of Bath’s occupied homes, or 57%. Counting by decade, 31% before 1940, 44% before 1960, 65% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 18% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 43% detached houses, 18% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 17% buildings of two to four units.
Older houses hide their history: ask the contractor to confirm the deck (board or sheet) and every layer above it before pricing, because slate or two layers mean a full tear-off.
Of the 34 Northampton County municipalities on this site, Bath has the 15th largest share of homes built before 1980: 65%, against a county range of 20% to 91%.
Bath and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bath | 1969 | 65% | 57% | 18% | 24 |
| East Allen | 1978 | 53% | 91% | 1% | 23 |
| Upper Nazareth | 1998 | 31% | 82% | 10% | 21 |
| Moore | 1979 | 51% | 95% | 2% | 18 |
| Lower Nazareth | 1984 | 43% | 95% | 11% | 21 |
| Nazareth | 1938 | 86% | 42% | 16% | 17 |
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 Bath
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 24 separate days within 10 miles of Bath; the largest was 2 in on August 17, 2007. The most recent was July 3, 2025.
That is more hail days than 99% of the places in the state on this site.
At the county level, Bath shares Northampton County’s record of 6 storm disaster declarations since 2006, the newest DR-4618 (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.
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; 43% 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 | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 31% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Low-slope roofs and rear sections (18% of homes here are attached) | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
A contractor who does $5,000 or more of home improvement work a year must be registered with the Pennsylvania Attorney General, and the number has to be on every contract and estimate (HICPA § 3, § 6). Ask for it before anyone starts on a roof in Bath, and search it.
Contracts, deposits and the right to cancel: checking a roofing contractor. What moves the price: new roof cost in Pennsylvania.
Questions about a new roof in Bath
Is a permit required for a new roof in Bath, 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 Bath requires.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Bath?
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. With 65% of Bath’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
When were most homes in Bath built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Bath was built in 1969, 65% of homes were built before 1980, 57% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Bath?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 24 days within 10 miles of Bath 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 Bath have?
A contractor who does $5,000 or more of home improvement work a year must be registered with the Pennsylvania Attorney General, and the number has to be on every contract and estimate (HICPA § 3, § 6). Ask for it before anyone starts on a roof in Bath, and search it.
What they will ask on the phone
- Where the house is: the Bath address or ZIP
- One story or two (or more), detached or attached
- The roof you have today, shingle, metal, slate, tile or flat, and its rough age
- Whether there is one layer or more, if you know
- That the job is a full replacement or a new roof, and your timing
- Whether the house is in a historic district or an HOA
- That you own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.