Permit
Local ordinance, not the state
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 Colwyn is the one to ask before work starts.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Colwyn, PA
The median home in Colwyn was built in 1951; there are 873 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 Colwyn
Layers
Two layers means a tear-off
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. With 82% of Colwyn’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
Ice barrier
Colwyn’s climate table decides
IRC R905.1.2 calls for an ice barrier where Table R301.2 says so; in Pennsylvania the municipality completes that table. Colwyn’s answer is with the borough code office.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Colwyn
45% of the occupied homes in Colwyn are lived in by their owners: 352 households, the people this line is for. By year built, 39% before 1940, 72% before 1960, 82% before 1980; 9% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 12% detached houses, 61% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 19% buildings of two to four units.
With about three 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.
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 48 Delaware County municipalities on this site, Colwyn has the 28th largest share of homes built before 1980: 82%, against a county range of 20% to 98%.
Colwyn and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colwyn | 1951 | 82% | 45% | 61% | 16 |
| Darby Borough | 1949 | 93% | 50% | 64% | 15 |
| Sharon Hill | 1954 | 83% | 58% | 63% | 15 |
| Collingdale | 1951 | 92% | 58% | 57% | 15 |
| Darby Township | 1958 | 89% | 74% | 77% | 17 |
| Yeadon | 1951 | 88% | 45% | 43% | 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.
Storm record around Colwyn
NOAA’s storm reports show 16 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Colwyn, topping out at 1.75 in on June 24, 2010. The most recent was April 4, 2025.
Remnants of Hurricane Ida (DR-4618, September 2021) is the latest of 3 federal storm declarations covering Delaware County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Colwyn, 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; 12% 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 | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 39% 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 (61% of homes here are attached) | Coating is not a replacement |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in Colwyn, 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 Colwyn
Does a roof replacement in Colwyn need a permit?
Local ordinance, not the state. 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 Colwyn is the one to ask before work starts.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Colwyn?
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. With 82% of Colwyn’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
How old are the houses in Colwyn?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Colwyn was built in 1951, 82% of homes were built before 1980, 45% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Colwyn?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 16 days within 10 miles of Colwyn 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 Colwyn?
Before signing for a roof in Colwyn, 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
- Your address or ZIP code in Colwyn
- Detached, twin or rowhouse, and the number of stories
- The roof you have today, shingle, metal, slate, tile or flat, and its rough age
- The number of layers, if anyone has counted
- Your timing for a complete replacement
- Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Colwyn
- That the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.