Radnor has 10,263 homes, and half of them were standing by 1962. 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.
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 Radnor
Permit
Local ordinance, not the state
The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). Whether Radnor wants a permit is in its own ordinance; ask the township code office before the old roof comes off.
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). 77% of Radnor’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
IRC R905.1.2 calls for an ice barrier where Table R301.2 says so; in Pennsylvania the municipality completes that table. Ask the township code office or the contractor what Radnor’s says.
Owners live in 6,315 of Radnor’s occupied homes, or 66%. By year built, 20% before 1940, 46% before 1960, 77% before 1980; 7% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 56% detached houses, 9% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 9% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 48 Delaware County municipalities on this site, Radnor has the 33rd largest share of homes built before 1980: 77%, against a county range of 20% to 98%.
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 Radnor
NOAA’s storm reports show 17 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Radnor, topping out at 1.75 in on June 6, 2023. The most recent was April 4, 2025.
That is more hail days than 79% of the places in the state on this site.
Federal major-disaster declarations for storms in Delaware County since 2006: 3, most recently DR-4618, Remnants of Hurricane Ida, declared September 2021. (OpenFEMA.)
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; 56% 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; 20% here predate 1940
Can’t be roofed over; check the framing for the weight
Flat roof: EPDM or TPO
15 years
Porches, additions, low-slope rears
Seams at walls and drainage
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 Radnor and look it up.
Local ordinance, not the state. The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). Whether Radnor wants a permit is in its own ordinance; ask the township code office before the old roof comes off.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Radnor?
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). 77% of Radnor’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
How old are the houses in Radnor?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Radnor was built in 1962, 77% of homes were built before 1980, 66% are owner-occupied.
Does Radnor get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 17 days within 10 miles of Radnor 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 Radnor?
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 Radnor and look it up.
What they will ask on the phone
Your address or ZIP code in Radnor
The number of stories, and whether the house stands alone
What covers the roof now and about when it went on
The number of layers, if anyone has counted
Your timing for a complete replacement
Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Radnor