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 township code office can say what Great Bend requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Great Bend, PA
Half of the 778 homes in Great Bend were built before 1978. 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 Great Bend
Layers
No third layer
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). 53% of Great Bend’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
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 township code office or the contractor what Great Bend’s says.
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Great Bend
Of 648 occupied homes in Great Bend, 547 (84%) are owner-occupied. Counting by decade, 13% before 1940, 23% before 1960, 53% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 17% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 75% detached houses, 7% buildings of two to four units, 18% manufactured homes.
Of the 18 Susquehanna County municipalities on this site, Great Bend has the 10th largest share of homes built before 1980: 53%, against a county range of 44% to 87%.
ZIP codes: 18821 · 18822
Great Bend and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Bend | 1978 | 53% | 84% | 0% | 15 |
| Hallstead | 1949 | 71% | 63% | 0% | 15 |
| Susquehanna Depot | 1938 | 85% | 71% | 1% | 10 |
| New Milford | 1980 | 50% | 79% | 1% | 14 |
| Liberty Township, Susquehanna County | 1974 | 60% | 88% | 2% | 20 |
| Bridgewater | 1980 | 49% | 77% | 1% | 13 |
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 Great Bend
Within 10 miles of Great Bend, hail of an inch or more was reported on 15 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 2 in on June 29, 2019.
Susquehanna County has had 5 federal major-disaster declarations for storms since 2006; the latest was DR-4815, Tropical Storm Debby (September 2024). (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
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; 75% 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; 13% 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 | Where the roof meets a wall or parapet |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in Great Bend, 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 Great Bend
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Great Bend?
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 township code office can say what Great Bend requires.
Is a roof-over allowed in Great Bend, or is it 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). 53% of Great Bend’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
When were most homes in Great Bend built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Great Bend was built in 1978, 53% of homes were built before 1980, 84% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Great Bend?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 15 days within 10 miles of Great Bend 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 Great Bend have?
Before signing for a roof in Great Bend, 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
- Where the house is: the Great Bend address or ZIP
- 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 you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.