Permit
Expect a building permit
SBC-2’s permit-exempt list (R105.2) has no roofing line. A reroof in Burrillville goes through the building official.
Source: RI SBC-2, One and Two Family Dwellings (510-RICR-00-00-2)
Roof Replacement in Burrillville, RI
Half of the 6,344 homes in Burrillville were built before 1970. What the code requires when that roof is replaced, and who signs off, is below.
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 Burrillville
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). With 65% of Burrillville’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
Source: RI SBC-2, One and Two Family Dwellings (510-RICR-00-00-2); IRC 2021, Chapter 9 (Pennsylvania edition, UpCodes)
Ice barrier
Required statewide
The state’s climate table marks the ice barrier “yes” statewide. It runs from the eave to 24 inches inside the exterior wall, more on steep roofs (IRC R905.1.2); check that the quote lists it.
Source: RI SBC-2, One and Two Family Dwellings (510-RICR-00-00-2); IRC 2021, Chapter 9 (Pennsylvania edition, UpCodes)
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. The state’s code edition and the rest of its rules: roof replacement in Rhode Island.
Homes and roofs in Burrillville
Of 6,058 occupied homes in Burrillville, 4,941 (82%) are owner-occupied. By year built, 27% before 1940, 41% before 1960, 65% before 1980; 14% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 72% detached houses, 9% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 10% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 16 Providence County municipalities on this site, Burrillville has the 9th largest share of homes built before 1980: 65%, against a county range of 56% to 84%.
ZIP codes: 02826 · 02830 · 02839 · 02858 · 02859
Burrillville and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burrillville | 1970 | 65% | 82% | 9% | 3 |
| Glocester | 1975 | 59% | 91% | 1% | 8 |
| North Smithfield | 1972 | 58% | 78% | 6% | 5 |
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 Burrillville
Within 10 miles of Burrillville, hail of an inch or more was reported on 3 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 1.75 in on July 18, 2012.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 8 days).
Federal major-disaster declarations for storms in Providence County since 2006: 8, most recently DR-4766, Severe Storms and Flooding, declared March 2024. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Burrillville, 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; 72% 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 | Roofs that will carry solar later | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (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 | Porches, additions, low-slope rears | Where the roof meets a wall or parapet |
Checking a contractor in Rhode Island
Rhode Island contractors register with the Contractors’ Registration and Licensing Board (R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 5-65); there is no separate residential roofing license. Ask for the number of anyone pricing a roof in Burrillville and check it on the board’s search.
The price side is in what a new roof costs in Rhode Island; the paperwork side in checking a roofing contractor.
Questions about a new roof in Burrillville
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Burrillville?
Expect a building permit. SBC-2’s permit-exempt list (R105.2) has no roofing line. A reroof in Burrillville goes through the building official.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Burrillville?
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). With 65% of Burrillville’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
How old are the houses in Burrillville?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Burrillville was built in 1970, 65% of homes were built before 1980, 82% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Burrillville?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 3 days within 10 miles of Burrillville 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 Burrillville?
Rhode Island contractors register with the Contractors’ Registration and Licensing Board (R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 5-65); there is no separate residential roofing license. Ask for the number of anyone pricing a roof in Burrillville and check it on the board’s search.
What they will ask on the phone
- Where the house is: the Burrillville address or ZIP
- How many stories the house has, and whether it is detached or attached
- The roof you have today, shingle, metal, slate, tile or flat, and its rough age
- 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 Burrillville
- That the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.