Permit
Ask Plains first
The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). So the township code office in Plains is the one to ask before work starts.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Plains, PA
Half of the 4,909 homes in Plains were built before 1964. 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 Plains
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). 67% of Plains’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
Ice barrier
Set by the local climate table
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 township code office or the contractor what Plains’s says.
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 Plains
Owners live in 3,047 of Plains’s occupied homes, or 67%. Counting by decade, 32% before 1940, 47% before 1960, 67% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 11% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 55% detached houses, 20% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 12% buildings of two to four units, 7% manufactured homes.
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 63 Luzerne County municipalities on this site, Plains has the 35th largest share of homes built before 1980: 67%, against a county range of 19% to 97%.
ZIP codes: 18705
Plains and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plains | 1964 | 67% | 67% | 20% | 16 |
| Laflin | 1975 | 72% | 90% | 21% | 17 |
| Wilkes-Barre Township | 1957 | 80% | 46% | 17% | 15 |
| Wyoming | 1950 | 85% | 62% | 14% | 16 |
| Forty Fort | 1942 | 95% | 57% | 8% | 16 |
| Wilkes-Barre | 1943 | 86% | 51% | 13% | 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.
Hail and storms near Plains
NOAA’s storm reports show 16 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Plains, topping out at 1.75 in on February 25, 2017. The most recent was July 1, 2022.
At the county level, Plains shares Luzerne County’s record of 4 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
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; 55% 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; 32% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Low-slope roofs and rear sections (20% of homes here are attached) | Coating is not a replacement |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in Plains, 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 Plains
Is a permit required for a new roof in Plains, PA?
Ask Plains first. The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). So the township code office in Plains is the one to ask before work starts.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Plains?
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). 67% of Plains’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
When were most homes in Plains built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Plains was built in 1964, 67% of homes were built before 1980, 67% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Plains?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 16 days within 10 miles of Plains 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 Plains have?
Before signing for a roof in Plains, 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
- The street address in Plains, or at least the ZIP code
- 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 the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.