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 township code office in Upper Frankford is the one to ask before work starts.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Upper Frankford, PA
Half of the 836 homes in Upper Frankford were built before 1987. 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 Upper Frankford
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). 40% of Upper Frankford’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
Ice barrier
Upper Frankford’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. Upper Frankford’s answer is with the township code office.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Upper Frankford
Owners live in 713 of Upper Frankford’s occupied homes, or 91%. By year built, 13% before 1940, 20% before 1960, 40% before 1980; 28% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 69% detached houses, 27% manufactured homes.
27% of homes in Upper Frankford are manufactured homes (226). A roof on a manufactured home is its own kind of job; tell the person on the line that it is one.
Of the 31 Cumberland County municipalities on this site, Upper Frankford has the 24th largest share of homes built before 1980: 40%, against a county range of 24% to 93%.
Upper Frankford and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Frankford | 1987 | 40% | 91% | 2% | 7 |
| Lower Mifflin | 1984 | 42% | 88% | 0% | 6 |
| Tyrone Township, Perry County | 1972 | 65% | 77% | 1% | 8 |
| Lower Frankford | 1981 | 48% | 84% | 0% | 7 |
| West Pennsboro | 1976 | 55% | 76% | 7% | 7 |
| Newville | 1938 | 91% | 44% | 30% | 6 |
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 Upper Frankford
Within 10 miles of Upper Frankford, hail of an inch or more was reported on 7 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 2 in on May 14, 2010. The most recent was August 4, 2023.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 12 days).
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 Upper Frankford, 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; 69% 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 | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 13% 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 Upper Frankford 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 Upper Frankford
Does a roof replacement in Upper Frankford need a 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 township code office in Upper Frankford is the one to ask before work starts.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Upper Frankford?
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). 40% of Upper Frankford’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
How old are the houses in Upper Frankford?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Upper Frankford was built in 1987, 40% of homes were built before 1980, 91% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has Upper Frankford had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 7 days within 10 miles of Upper Frankford 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 Upper Frankford?
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 Upper Frankford and look it up.
What they will ask on the phone
- Your address or ZIP code in Upper Frankford
- How many stories the house has, and whether it is detached or attached
- Whether it is a manufactured home
- The roof you have today, shingle, metal, slate, tile or flat, and its rough age
- The number of layers, if anyone has counted
- Your timing for a complete replacement
- Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Upper Frankford
- That you own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.