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)). So the borough code office in Stewartstown is the one to ask before work starts.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Stewartstown, PA
Stewartstown has 776 homes, and half of them were standing by 1990. Below: what the code asks of a replacement here, the permit, and the town’s own records.
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 Stewartstown
Layers
No third layer
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). 40% of Stewartstown’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
Ice barrier
Set by the local climate table
IRC R905.1.2 calls for an ice barrier where Table R301.2 says so; in Pennsylvania the municipality completes that table. Stewartstown’s answer is with the borough code office.
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. The state’s code edition and the rest of its rules: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Stewartstown
65% of the occupied homes in Stewartstown are lived in by their owners: 502 households, the people this line is for. Counting by decade, 27% before 1940, 34% before 1960, 40% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 32% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 54% detached houses, 21% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 6% buildings of two to four units.
32% of homes here were built in 2000 or later. HUD’s useful-life table gives an asphalt-shingle roof 20 years, so roofs on houses from the early 2000s are reaching that age.
Of the 57 York County municipalities on this site, Stewartstown has the 42nd largest share of homes built before 1980: 40%, against a county range of 25% to 98%.
Stewartstown and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stewartstown | 1990 | 40% | 65% | 21% | 12 |
| Hopewell Township, York County | 1991 | 31% | 94% | 6% | 14 |
| East Hopewell | 1986 | 37% | 94% | 1% | 13 |
| Shrewsbury Borough | 1986 | 38% | 80% | 8% | 14 |
| North Hopewell | 1984 | 43% | 90% | 2% | 12 |
| New Freedom | 1989 | 25% | 91% | 10% | 12 |
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 Stewartstown
NOAA’s storm reports show 12 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Stewartstown, topping out at 2 in on August 2, 2008. The most recent was April 15, 2024.
At the county level, Stewartstown shares York County’s record of 3 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
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; 54% 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 | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 27% here predate 1940 | Can’t be roofed over; check the framing for the weight |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Low-slope roofs and rear sections (21% of homes here are attached) | Where the roof meets a wall or parapet |
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 Stewartstown and look it up.
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 Stewartstown
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Stewartstown?
Local ordinance, not the state. 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 Stewartstown is the one to ask before work starts.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Stewartstown?
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). 40% of Stewartstown’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
When were most homes in Stewartstown built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Stewartstown was built in 1990, 40% of homes were built before 1980, 65% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Stewartstown?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 12 days within 10 miles of Stewartstown 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 Stewartstown have?
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 Stewartstown and look it up.
What they will ask on the phone
- The street address in Stewartstown, 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.