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 township code office can say what Charlestown requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Charlestown, PA
Half of the 2,258 homes in Charlestown were built before 2000. 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 Charlestown
Layers
One old layer can stay; two cannot
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). 27% of Charlestown’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
Ice barrier
Charlestown’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 township code office or the contractor what Charlestown’s says.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Charlestown
Of 2,236 occupied homes in Charlestown, 2,041 (91%) are owner-occupied. By year built, 7% before 1960, 27% before 1980; 51% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 57% detached houses, 42% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses).
With about two in five 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.
51% 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 71 Chester County municipalities on this site, Charlestown has the 60th largest share of homes built before 1980: 27%, against a county range of 12% to 80%.
ZIP codes: 19355
Charlestown and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlestown | 2000 | 27% | 91% | 42% | 16 |
| East Pikeland | 1986 | 40% | 86% | 24% | 16 |
| East Whiteland | 1993 | 37% | 60% | 18% | 18 |
| West Pikeland | 1991 | 26% | 94% | 11% | 16 |
| Phoenixville | 1974 | 55% | 55% | 40% | 16 |
| Schuylkill | 1976 | 53% | 92% | 5% | 15 |
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 Charlestown
Within 10 miles of Charlestown, hail of an inch or more was reported on 16 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 2 in on August 10, 2008. The most recent was July 14, 2024.
Remnants of Hurricane Ida (DR-4618, September 2021) is the latest of 5 federal storm declarations covering Chester County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Charlestown, 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; 57% 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 and historic houses | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Low-slope roofs and rear sections (42% of homes here are attached) | Where the roof meets a wall or parapet |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in Charlestown, 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 Charlestown
Is a permit required for a new roof in Charlestown, 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 township code office can say what Charlestown requires.
Is a roof-over allowed in Charlestown, or is it 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). 27% of Charlestown’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
How old are the houses in Charlestown?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Charlestown was built in 2000, 27% of homes were built before 1980, 91% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has Charlestown had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 16 days within 10 miles of Charlestown 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 Charlestown?
Before signing for a roof in Charlestown, 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
- The street address in Charlestown, 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 Charlestown
- That you own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.