Permit
Ask Cumru first
Pennsylvania’s code leaves residential alterations without structural change to local ordinance (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). The township code office can say what Cumru requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Cumru, PA
Half of the 6,852 homes in Cumru were built before 1977. 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 Cumru
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). With 58% of Cumru’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
Ice barrier
Cumru’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. Ask the township code office or the contractor what Cumru’s says.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Cumru
Owners live in 4,418 of Cumru’s occupied homes, or 71%. By year built, 11% before 1940, 25% before 1960, 58% before 1980; 18% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 63% detached houses, 15% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses).
Of the 67 Berks County municipalities on this site, Cumru has the 33rd largest share of homes built before 1980: 58%, against a county range of 18% to 97%.
ZIP codes: 19540 · 19602 · 19607
Cumru and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumru | 1977 | 58% | 71% | 15% | 19 |
| Mohnton | 1969 | 62% | 65% | 17% | 19 |
| Shillington | 1943 | 97% | 63% | 47% | 20 |
| Kenhorst | 1954 | 93% | 79% | 18% | 20 |
| Brecknock Township, Berks County | 1983 | 44% | 88% | 2% | 18 |
| West Reading | 1938 | 89% | 56% | 61% | 19 |
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 Cumru
NOAA’s storm reports show 19 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Cumru, topping out at 2.5 in on May 22, 2014. The most recent was July 8, 2025.
That is more hail days than 89% of the places in the state on this site.
Federal major-disaster declarations for storms in Berks County since 2006: 2, most recently DR-4267, Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm, declared March 2016. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Cumru, 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; 63% 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 | Roofs that will carry solar later | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 11% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Porches, additions, low-slope rears | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s home improvement law (HICPA § 3, § 6) requires registration with the Attorney General from $5,000 a year of such work and puts the number on every estimate; ask for it in Cumru and look it up.
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 Cumru
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Cumru?
Ask Cumru first. Pennsylvania’s code leaves residential alterations without structural change to local ordinance (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). The township code office can say what Cumru requires.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Cumru?
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). With 58% of Cumru’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
How old are the houses in Cumru?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Cumru was built in 1977, 58% of homes were built before 1980, 71% are owner-occupied.
Does Cumru get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 19 days within 10 miles of Cumru 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 Cumru?
Pennsylvania’s home improvement law (HICPA § 3, § 6) requires registration with the Attorney General from $5,000 a year of such work and puts the number on every estimate; ask for it in Cumru and look it up.
What they will ask on the phone
- Your address or ZIP code in Cumru
- The number of stories, and whether the house stands alone
- 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 Cumru
- That you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.