Permit
Ask Marietta 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 Marietta is the one to ask before work starts.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Marietta, PA
Half of the 1,446 homes in Marietta were built before 1938. 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 Marietta
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). 82% of Marietta’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). The contractor or the borough code office in Marietta 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 Marietta
Of 1,406 occupied homes in Marietta, 867 (62%) are owner-occupied. Counting by decade, 66% before 1940, 76% before 1960, 82% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 14% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 30% detached houses, 36% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 11% buildings of two to four units, 4% 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 59 Lancaster County municipalities on this site, Marietta has the 4th largest share of homes built before 1980: 82%, against a county range of 27% to 87%.
Marietta and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marietta | 1938 | 82% | 62% | 36% | 17 |
| East Donegal | 1994 | 31% | 77% | 24% | 16 |
| Wrightsville | 1944 | 86% | 68% | 23% | 19 |
| Hellam | 1977 | 56% | 91% | 8% | 19 |
| Columbia | 1938 | 85% | 53% | 31% | 17 |
| West Hempfield | 1985 | 36% | 86% | 13% | 22 |
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 Marietta
NOAA’s storm reports show 17 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Marietta, topping out at 2 in on May 14, 2010. The most recent was June 28, 2025.
That is more hail days than 79% of the places in the state on this site.
At the county level, Marietta shares Lancaster County’s record of 3 storm disaster declarations since 2006, the newest DR-4267 (Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm, March 2016). (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; 30% 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 | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 66% 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 (36% of homes here are attached) | Coating is not a replacement |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in Marietta, 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 Marietta
Does a roof replacement in Marietta need a permit?
Ask Marietta 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 Marietta is the one to ask before work starts.
Is a roof-over allowed in Marietta, 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). 82% of Marietta’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
When were most homes in Marietta built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Marietta was built in 1938, 82% of homes were built before 1980, 62% are owner-occupied.
Does Marietta get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 17 days within 10 miles of Marietta 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 Marietta have?
Before signing for a roof in Marietta, 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 Marietta address or ZIP
- Whether the house is detached, a twin or a rowhouse, and how many stories
- The roof you have today, shingle, metal, slate, tile or flat, and its rough age
- Whether there is one layer or more, if you know
- That the job is a full replacement or a new roof, and your timing
- 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.