Permit
Ask Jenkintown first
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 Jenkintown is the one to ask before work starts.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Jenkintown, PA
Jenkintown has 2,214 homes, and half of them were standing by 1938. 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 Jenkintown
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). 98% of Jenkintown’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). The contractor or the borough code office in Jenkintown will know.
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Jenkintown
Of 2,015 occupied homes in Jenkintown, 1,356 (67%) are owner-occupied. Counting by decade, 59% before 1940, 77% before 1960, 98% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 1% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 32% detached houses, 16% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 15% 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 61 Montgomery County municipalities on this site, Jenkintown has the largest share of homes built before 1980: 98%, against a county range of 17% to 98%.
Jenkintown and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jenkintown | 1938 | 98% | 67% | 16% | 11 |
| Cheltenham | 1954 | 83% | 63% | 14% | 13 |
| Abington | 1956 | 87% | 77% | 8% | 10 |
| Rockledge | 1951 | 93% | 71% | 20% | 13 |
| Lower Moreland | 1967 | 73% | 87% | 2% | 11 |
| Springfield Township, Montgomery County | 1954 | 83% | 83% | 14% | 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.
Hail and storms near Jenkintown
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 11 separate days within 10 miles of Jenkintown; the largest was 1.75 in on March 29, 2009. The most recent was May 3, 2025.
At the county level, Jenkintown shares Montgomery County’s record of 6 storm disaster declarations since 2006, the newest 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
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; 32% 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; 59% 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 (16% of homes here are attached) | Where the roof meets a wall or parapet |
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 Jenkintown and look it up.
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 Jenkintown
Is a permit required for a new roof in Jenkintown, PA?
Ask Jenkintown first. 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 Jenkintown is the one to ask before work starts.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Jenkintown?
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). 98% of Jenkintown’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
When were most homes in Jenkintown built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Jenkintown was built in 1938, 98% of homes were built before 1980, 67% are owner-occupied.
Does Jenkintown get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 11 days within 10 miles of Jenkintown 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 Jenkintown have?
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 Jenkintown and look it up.
What they will ask on the phone
- Where the house is: the Jenkintown address or ZIP
- One story or two (or more), detached or attached
- The roof you have today, shingle, metal, slate, tile or flat, and its rough age
- 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.