Permit
Ask Birdsboro first
The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). So the borough code office in Birdsboro is the one to ask before work starts.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Birdsboro, PA
Half of the 2,197 homes in Birdsboro were built before 1965. 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.
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 Birdsboro
Layers
Two layers means a tear-off
A new roof may go over one existing layer; with two or more, or over slate, clay or cement tile, everything comes off to the deck (IRC R908.3.1.1). 68% of Birdsboro’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
Ice barrier
Birdsboro’s climate table decides
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 Birdsboro’s says.
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 Birdsboro
Of 2,132 occupied homes in Birdsboro, 1,457 (68%) are owner-occupied. By year built, 38% before 1940, 46% before 1960, 68% before 1980; 1% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 45% detached houses, 37% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 8% buildings of two to four units.
With 37% 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.
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 67 Berks County municipalities on this site, Birdsboro has the 15th largest share of homes built before 1980: 68%, against a county range of 18% to 97%.
Birdsboro and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birdsboro | 1965 | 68% | 68% | 37% | 19 |
| Union Township, Berks County | 1978 | 53% | 87% | 3% | 16 |
| Exeter Township, Berks County | 1985 | 43% | 87% | 15% | 23 |
| Amity | 1990 | 41% | 84% | 7% | 18 |
| Robeson | 1981 | 48% | 88% | 2% | 16 |
| St. Lawrence | 1968 | 70% | 77% | 24% | 22 |
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 Birdsboro
Within 10 miles of Birdsboro, hail of an inch or more was reported on 19 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 2 in on May 28, 2019. The most recent was July 8, 2025.
That is more hail days than 89% of the places in the state on this site.
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 Birdsboro, not that it damaged a roof. When wind or hail damage means a new roof.
What goes on the roof next
HUD’s useful-life figures are for planning; a warranty is a separate promise. For Birdsboro’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; 45% 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; 38% 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 (37% of homes here are attached) | Where the roof meets a wall or parapet |
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 Birdsboro, and search it.
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 Birdsboro
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Birdsboro?
Ask Birdsboro first. The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). So the borough code office in Birdsboro is the one to ask before work starts.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Birdsboro?
A new roof may go over one existing layer; with two or more, or over slate, clay or cement tile, everything comes off to the deck (IRC R908.3.1.1). 68% of Birdsboro’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
How old are the houses in Birdsboro?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Birdsboro was built in 1965, 68% of homes were built before 1980, 68% are owner-occupied.
Does Birdsboro get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 19 days within 10 miles of Birdsboro 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 Birdsboro?
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 Birdsboro, and search it.
What they will ask on the phone
- The street address in Birdsboro, or at least the ZIP code
- Detached, twin or rowhouse, and the number of stories
- What covers the roof now and about when it went on
- The number of layers, if anyone has counted
- Your timing for a complete replacement
- Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Birdsboro
- That you own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.