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)). The borough code office can say what Freeland requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Freeland, PA
The median home in Freeland was built in 1938; there are 1,862 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 Freeland
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. 91% of Freeland’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
Ice barrier
Set by the local climate table
Whether an eave membrane is a code item depends on the climate table the municipality filled in when it adopted the code (IRC R905.1.2, Table R301.2). Ask the borough code office or the contractor what Freeland’s says.
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. The state’s code edition and the rest of its rules: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Freeland
Of 1,640 occupied homes in Freeland, 826 (50%) are owner-occupied. Counting by decade, 53% before 1940, 75% before 1960, 91% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 0% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 44% detached houses, 36% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 8% buildings of two to four units, 3% manufactured homes.
With 36% 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.
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 63 Luzerne County municipalities on this site, Freeland has the 4th largest share of homes built before 1980: 91%, against a county range of 19% to 97%.
Freeland and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freeland | 1938 | 91% | 50% | 36% | 7 |
| Foster | 1980 | 49% | 88% | 15% | 6 |
| Butler Township, Luzerne County | 1991 | 36% | 86% | 9% | 7 |
| Dennison | 1983 | 45% | 96% | 1% | 5 |
| White Haven | 1946 | 76% | 73% | 8% | 3 |
| Hazleton | 1952 | 86% | 51% | 29% | 8 |
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 Freeland
Within 10 miles of Freeland, hail of an inch or more was reported on 7 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 2.5 in on August 17, 2007. The most recent was June 26, 2024.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 12 days).
Luzerne County has had 4 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; 44% 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 houses; 53% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Low-slope roofs and rear sections (36% of homes here are attached) | Coating is not a replacement |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
A contractor who does $5,000 or more of home improvement work a year must be registered with the Pennsylvania Attorney General, and the number has to be on every contract and estimate (HICPA § 3, § 6). Ask for it before anyone starts on a roof in Freeland, and search it.
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 Freeland
Does a roof replacement in Freeland 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)). The borough code office can say what Freeland requires.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Freeland?
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. 91% of Freeland’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
When were most homes in Freeland built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Freeland was built in 1938, 91% of homes were built before 1980, 50% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has Freeland had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 7 days within 10 miles of Freeland 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 Freeland have?
A contractor who does $5,000 or more of home improvement work a year must be registered with the Pennsylvania Attorney General, and the number has to be on every contract and estimate (HICPA § 3, § 6). Ask for it before anyone starts on a roof in Freeland, and search it.
What they will ask on the phone
- The street address in Freeland, 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
- How many layers are on it, if you know
- Your timing for a complete replacement
- Whether the house is in a historic district or an HOA
- That you own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.