Permit
Chester Township’s ordinance decides
The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). The township code office can say what Chester Township requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Chester Township, PA
The median home in Chester Township was built in 1972; there are 1,771 of them. 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 Chester Township
Layers
One old layer can stay; two cannot
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. 73% of Chester Township’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
Ice barrier
Set by the local climate table
IRC R905.1.2 calls for an ice barrier where Table R301.2 says so; in Pennsylvania the municipality completes that table. The contractor or the township code office in Chester Township will know.
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Chester Township
Owners live in 838 of Chester Township’s occupied homes, or 55%. Counting by decade, 27% before 1960, 73% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 17% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 11% detached houses, 77% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses).
With about three in four 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.
Of the 48 Delaware County municipalities on this site, Chester Township has the 35th largest share of homes built before 1980: 73%, against a county range of 20% to 98%.
Chester Township and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester Township | 1972 | 73% | 55% | 77% | 15 |
| Upland | 1946 | 90% | 42% | 58% | 16 |
| Brookhaven | 1970 | 73% | 85% | 16% | 16 |
| Chester | 1949 | 85% | 40% | 62% | 15 |
| Parkside | 1952 | 98% | 78% | 32% | 15 |
| Trainer | 1957 | 64% | 72% | 54% | 16 |
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 Chester Township
Within 10 miles of Chester Township, hail of an inch or more was reported on 15 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 2.5 in on May 22, 2014. The most recent was April 4, 2025.
Delaware County has had 3 federal major-disaster declarations for storms since 2006; the latest was 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
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; 11% 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 | Low pitches and long runs | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older and historic houses | Can’t be roofed over; check the framing for the weight |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Low-slope roofs and rear sections (77% of homes here are attached) | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in Chester Township, 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).
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 Chester Township
Is a permit required for a new roof in Chester Township, PA?
Chester Township’s ordinance decides. The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). The township code office can say what Chester Township requires.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Chester Township?
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. 73% of Chester Township’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
When were most homes in Chester Township built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Chester Township was built in 1972, 73% of homes were built before 1980, 55% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Chester Township?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 15 days within 10 miles of Chester Township 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 Chester Township have?
Before signing for a roof in Chester Township, 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 Chester Township, or at least the ZIP code
- Whether the house is detached, a twin or a rowhouse, and how many stories
- What covers the roof now and about when it went on
- The number of layers, if anyone has counted
- That you want a new roof or a full replacement, and when you want the work done
- Whether the house is in a historic district or an HOA
- That you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.