Permit
Expect a building permit
SBC-2’s permit-exempt list (R105.2) has no roofing line. A reroof in Charlestown goes through the building official.
Source: RI SBC-2, One and Two Family Dwellings (510-RICR-00-00-2)
Roof Replacement in Charlestown, RI
Half of the 5,458 homes in Charlestown were built before 1980. 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 Charlestown
Layers
Two layers means a tear-off
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 50% of Charlestown’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 in Charlestown, as in every Rhode Island town
There is no local exception: the state table says “yes.” That is a self-adhering membrane, or two cemented layers of underlayment, from the eave to at least 24 inches inside the wall line (IRC R905.1.2).
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. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in Rhode Island.
Homes and roofs in Charlestown
Owners live in 3,214 of Charlestown’s occupied homes, or 92%. By year built, 13% before 1940, 28% before 1960, 50% before 1980; 18% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 87% detached houses, 8% buildings of two to four units.
33% of the homes in Charlestown are seasonal or occasional-use homes (ACS 2020–2024). If yours is one of them and you live elsewhere, the call still has to come from you as the owner.
Of the 8 Washington County municipalities on this site, Charlestown has the 6th largest share of homes built before 1980: 50%, against a county range of 30% to 59%.
ZIP codes: 02813
Charlestown and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlestown | 1980 | 50% | 92% | 1% | 6 |
| Westerly | 1973 | 59% | 75% | 3% | 4 |
| South Kingstown | 1978 | 54% | 75% | 3% | 7 |
| Hopkinton | 1977 | 55% | 80% | 2% | 6 |
| Richmond | 1985 | 41% | 97% | 4% | 5 |
| Narragansett | 1975 | 59% | 72% | 3% | 4 |
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 Charlestown
Within 10 miles of Charlestown, hail of an inch or more was reported on 6 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 1.5 in on August 15, 2024. The most recent was August 26, 2024.
Federal major-disaster declarations for storms in Washington County since 2006: 8, most recently DR-4766, Severe Storms and Flooding, declared March 2024. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Charlestown, 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; 87% 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; 13% 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 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 Charlestown 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 Charlestown
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Charlestown?
Expect a building permit. SBC-2’s permit-exempt list (R105.2) has no roofing line. A reroof in Charlestown goes through the building official.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Charlestown?
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 50% of Charlestown’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
How old are the houses in Charlestown?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Charlestown was built in 1980, 50% of homes were built before 1980, 92% are owner-occupied.
Does Charlestown get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 6 days within 10 miles of Charlestown 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 Charlestown?
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 Charlestown and check it on the board’s search.
What they will ask on the phone
- The street address in Charlestown, or at least the ZIP code
- One story or two (or more), detached or attached
- What is on the roof now (asphalt shingles, metal, slate, tile, or a flat membrane) and roughly how old it is
- 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 Charlestown
- That the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.