Permit
Dickson City’s ordinance decides
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 Dickson City is the one to ask before work starts.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Dickson City, PA
Dickson City has 3,106 homes, and half of them were standing by 1946. Below: what the code asks of a replacement here, the permit, and the town’s own records.
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 Dickson City
Layers
No third layer
On a roof that already carries two layers, or slate or tile, the code allows no recover: it is a tear-off (IRC R908.3.1.1). 83% of Dickson City’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
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. Dickson City’s answer is with the borough code office.
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Dickson City
67% of the occupied homes in Dickson City are lived in by their owners: 1,856 households, the people this line is for. Counting by decade, 37% before 1940, 66% before 1960, 83% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 8% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 67% detached houses, 8% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 17% buildings of two to four units.
Older houses hide their history: ask the contractor to confirm the deck (board or sheet) and every layer above it before pricing, because slate or two layers mean a full tear-off.
Of the 34 Lackawanna County municipalities on this site, Dickson City has the 5th largest share of homes built before 1980: 83%, against a county range of 42% to 88%.
ZIP codes: 18508 · 18519
Dickson City and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dickson City | 1946 | 83% | 67% | 8% | 16 |
| Blakely | 1945 | 83% | 68% | 3% | 15 |
| South Abington | 1984 | 43% | 74% | 11% | 15 |
| Throop | 1948 | 84% | 79% | 5% | 17 |
| Olyphant | 1958 | 68% | 69% | 5% | 16 |
| Clarks Green | 1959 | 77% | 92% | 2% | 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.
Hail and storms near Dickson City
NOAA’s storm reports show 16 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Dickson City, topping out at 1.75 in on February 25, 2017. The most recent was April 30, 2024.
At the county level, Dickson City shares Lackawanna County’s record of 3 storm disaster declarations since 2006, the newest DR-4408 (Severe Storms and Flooding, November 2018). (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; 67% 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 | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 37% here predate 1940 | Can’t be roofed over; check the framing for the weight |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Additions and porch roofs | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in Dickson City, 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 Dickson City
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Dickson City?
Dickson City’s ordinance decides. 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 Dickson City is the one to ask before work starts.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Dickson City?
On a roof that already carries two layers, or slate or tile, the code allows no recover: it is a tear-off (IRC R908.3.1.1). 83% of Dickson City’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
When were most homes in Dickson City built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Dickson City was built in 1946, 83% of homes were built before 1980, 67% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has Dickson City had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 16 days within 10 miles of Dickson City 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 Dickson City have?
Before signing for a roof in Dickson City, 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 Dickson City, or at least the ZIP code
- The number of stories, and whether the house stands alone
- What is on the roof now (asphalt shingles, metal, slate, tile, or a flat membrane) and roughly how old it is
- 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 the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.