Permit
Ask North Wales first
Pennsylvania’s code leaves residential alterations without structural change to local ordinance (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). The borough code office can say what North Wales requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in North Wales, PA
Half of the 1,363 homes in North Wales were built before 1943. What the code requires when that roof is replaced, and who signs off, is below.
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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 North Wales
Layers
Two layers means 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). With 89% of North Wales’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
Ice barrier
North Wales’s climate table decides
IRC R905.1.2 calls for an ice barrier where Table R301.2 says so; in Pennsylvania the municipality completes that table. Ask the borough code office or the contractor what North Wales’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 North Wales
Of 1,276 occupied homes in North Wales, 949 (74%) are owner-occupied. By year built, 47% before 1940, 77% before 1960, 89% before 1980; 2% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 57% detached houses, 21% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 18% buildings of two to four units.
On a house built before 1940, ask what the deck is (boards or plywood) and whether slate sits under the later layers: slate can’t be roofed over.
Of the 61 Montgomery County municipalities on this site, North Wales has the 4th largest share of homes built before 1980: 89%, against a county range of 17% to 98%.
North Wales and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Wales | 1943 | 89% | 74% | 21% | 15 |
| Upper Gwynedd | 1983 | 44% | 74% | 21% | 16 |
| Lansdale | 1958 | 81% | 55% | 34% | 14 |
| Lower Gwynedd | 1979 | 52% | 78% | 17% | 14 |
| Montgomery Township, Montgomery County | 1992 | 21% | 89% | 31% | 17 |
| Whitpain | 1983 | 41% | 77% | 24% | 15 |
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 North Wales
NOAA’s storm reports show 15 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around North Wales, topping out at 1.25 in on July 21, 2021. The most recent was August 18, 2024.
Federal major-disaster declarations for storms in Montgomery County since 2006: 6, most recently DR-4618, Remnants of Hurricane Ida, declared September 2021. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near North Wales, not that it damaged a 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; 57% 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 | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 47% 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 (21% of homes here are attached) | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in North Wales, 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).
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 North Wales
Does a roof replacement in North Wales need a permit?
Ask North Wales first. Pennsylvania’s code leaves residential alterations without structural change to local ordinance (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). The borough code office can say what North Wales requires.
Is a roof-over allowed in North Wales, 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). With 89% of North Wales’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
How old are the houses in North Wales?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in North Wales was built in 1943, 89% of homes were built before 1980, 74% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has North Wales had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 15 days within 10 miles of North Wales 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 North Wales?
Before signing for a roof in North Wales, 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 North Wales address or ZIP
- How many stories the house has, and whether it is detached or attached
- 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 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 North Wales
- That the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.