Permit
Local ordinance, not the state
Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8), alterations to a house that make no structural change are outside the state code. The township code office can say what West Hempfield requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in West Hempfield, PA
Half of the 6,801 homes in West Hempfield were built before 1985. 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 West Hempfield
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). 36% of West Hempfield’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
Ice barrier
West Hempfield’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. West Hempfield’s answer is with the township code office.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in West Hempfield
Owners live in 5,729 of West Hempfield’s occupied homes, or 86%. By year built, 9% before 1940, 17% before 1960, 36% before 1980; 14% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 73% detached houses, 13% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 5% manufactured homes.
Of the 59 Lancaster County municipalities on this site, West Hempfield has the 51st largest share of homes built before 1980: 36%, against a county range of 27% to 87%.
ZIP codes: 17512 · 17538 · 17554
West Hempfield and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Hempfield | 1985 | 36% | 86% | 13% | 22 |
| Columbia | 1938 | 85% | 53% | 31% | 17 |
| Mountville | 1982 | 44% | 77% | 39% | 22 |
| Wrightsville | 1944 | 86% | 68% | 23% | 19 |
| Mount Joy Borough | 1974 | 57% | 63% | 21% | 17 |
| Marietta | 1938 | 82% | 62% | 36% | 17 |
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 West Hempfield
NOAA’s storm reports show 22 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around West Hempfield, topping out at 1.75 in on May 14, 2010. The most recent was June 28, 2025.
That is more hail days than 96% of the places in the state on this site.
Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (DR-4267, March 2016) is the latest of 3 federal storm declarations covering Lancaster County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near West Hempfield, 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; 73% 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; 9% here predate 1940 | Never a base for a new layer (R908.3.1.1); heavy |
| 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 West Hempfield 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 West Hempfield
Does a roof replacement in West Hempfield need a permit?
Local ordinance, not the state. Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8), alterations to a house that make no structural change are outside the state code. The township code office can say what West Hempfield requires.
Can a new roof go over the old one in West Hempfield?
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). 36% of West Hempfield’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
How old are the houses in West Hempfield?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in West Hempfield was built in 1985, 36% of homes were built before 1980, 86% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has West Hempfield had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 22 days within 10 miles of West Hempfield 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 West Hempfield?
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 West Hempfield and look it up.
What they will ask on the phone
- Where the house is: the West Hempfield address or ZIP
- The number of stories, and whether the house stands alone
- What covers the roof now and about when it went on
- 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 West Hempfield
- That you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.