Permit
Local ordinance, not the state
Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8), alterations to a house that make no structural change are outside the state code. The borough code office can say what New Cumberland requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in New Cumberland, PA
Half of the 3,536 homes in New Cumberland were built before 1953. 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 New Cumberland
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). 91% of New Cumberland’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
Ice barrier
New Cumberland’s climate table decides
The code requires an ice barrier where the local climate table (Table R301.2) says so, and each Pennsylvania municipality fills that table in. Ask the borough code office or the contractor what New Cumberland’s says.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. The state’s code edition and the rest of its rules: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in New Cumberland
Of 3,411 occupied homes in New Cumberland, 2,374 (70%) are owner-occupied. By year built, 23% before 1940, 67% before 1960, 91% before 1980; 2% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 68% detached houses, 14% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 11% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 31 Cumberland County municipalities on this site, New Cumberland has the 3rd largest share of homes built before 1980: 91%, against a county range of 24% to 93%.
New Cumberland and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Cumberland | 1953 | 91% | 70% | 14% | 18 |
| Lemoyne | 1949 | 85% | 55% | 26% | 19 |
| Camp Hill | 1953 | 93% | 78% | 3% | 17 |
| Wormleysburg | 1969 | 64% | 44% | 12% | 18 |
| Steelton | 1949 | 84% | 48% | 55% | 21 |
| Lower Allen | 1976 | 54% | 60% | 11% | 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.
Storm record around New Cumberland
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 18 separate days within 10 miles of New Cumberland; the largest was 1.75 in on June 3, 2023.
That is more hail days than 85% of the places in the state on this site.
Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (DR-4267, March 2016) is the latest of 2 federal storm declarations covering Cumberland County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near New Cumberland, not that it damaged a 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; 68% 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 | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 23% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Porches, additions, low-slope rears | Coating is not a replacement |
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 New Cumberland and look it up.
The price side is in what a new roof costs in Pennsylvania; the paperwork side in checking a roofing contractor.
Questions about a new roof in New Cumberland
Does a roof replacement in New Cumberland need a permit?
Local ordinance, not the state. Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8), alterations to a house that make no structural change are outside the state code. The borough code office can say what New Cumberland requires.
Can a new roof go over the old one in New Cumberland?
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). 91% of New Cumberland’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
How old are the houses in New Cumberland?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in New Cumberland was built in 1953, 91% of homes were built before 1980, 70% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit New Cumberland?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 18 days within 10 miles of New Cumberland from 2006 through 2025 (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). A report means hail fell nearby, not that a roof was damaged.
How do I check a roofing contractor in New Cumberland?
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 New Cumberland and look it up.
What they will ask on the phone
- Where the house is: the New Cumberland address or ZIP
- One story or two (or more), detached or attached
- What is on the roof now (asphalt shingles, metal, slate, tile, or a flat membrane) and roughly how old it is
- Whether there is one layer or more, if you know
- That you want a new roof or a full replacement, and when you want the work done
- Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in New Cumberland
- That you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.