Alfa Construction Inc.

Bellingham requires a building permit for roof replacement, filed with the town Building Department, and Massachusetts code requires an ice-and-water shield membrane at the eaves and in valleys to guard against ice dams. Most asphalt jobs are a full tear-off to the deck so the contractor can inspect and replace any rotted sheathing before re-roofing. Permits are usually reviewed within a few business days, and reputable roofers pull the permit and schedule the framing and final inspections as part of the project. Subdivision homes with simple rooflines typically move through quickly.

Roofing costs in Bellingham sit a bit below the eastern-Massachusetts average given its south-central location. A full asphalt-shingle tear-off and replacement generally runs $8,000–$24,000 depending on size, pitch, and layers removed; a flat or low-slope EPDM rubber roof on a porch or addition runs about $7,000–$17,000. Standing-seam metal runs roughly $20,000–$44,000. Slate or specialty roofs cost more. Larger newer colonials with multiple gables land toward the higher end of the asphalt range, while simpler post-war ranches and capes fall lower.

Massachusetts requires a written contract and a Home Improvement Contractor registration for most residential roofing work; ask for the registration number and check it before paying a deposit.

More on permits, costs, rebates and common questions, plus every other roofing contractor serving the town, on the Roofing in Bellingham page.