Roofing contractor · Serving Randolph & the South Shore
Roofers In Randolph, MA.
Randolph does not require a building permit to replace a portion of damaged shingles. The town publishes that in writing. So when a company refuses to quote your repair and will only price a full tear-off, that is a sales decision, not the town’s rule. We quote the repair when the repair is the answer.
The sentence no top-10 list will read to you
When Does Randolph Require a Roofing Permit?
Not for a partial shingle repair. The Town of Randolph publishes a list of work that does not require a building permit, described as repairs “that do not affect the structural integrity of the home.” Its own example, word for word, is “Roof; a portion of damaged shingles.”
Read that again if you have been told your only option is a full replacement. Three companies can look at the same 6 lifted shingles above a bathroom and all three can refuse to price the repair. That refusal is a business model. It is not the town speaking.
Now the other half, because we are not going to let you misread this. A full strip and replace does need a permit in Randolph. Roofing is a named line item in the town’s own fee schedule, on both the residential and commercial rows. Anyone telling you a whole reroof slips under the repair exemption is wrong in the other direction. We wrote the longer version of the repair-versus-replace call in can you repair just part of a roof.
Partial shingle repair
No building permit, by the town’s own published example. If the damage is a section and the rest of the roof is sound, a repair is a legitimate answer and you are allowed to ask for one.
Full replacement
Permit required. Applications run through Permiteyes, open 24 hours. Inspections are a different story: the town states inspection requests are not taken online. Someone has to phone it in.
The question to ask
“Who is calling the Building Department to book the inspection, and on what day?” A salesman saying “we handle everything” has not answered it. Building Department, 781-961-0921.
One correction we will make to almost every Randolph roofing page, including our own research notes: the name and number that circulate for Randolph inspections often belong to the plumbing inspector. For a roofing permit, the Building Commissioner is Ronald Lum at 781-961-0921. The town’s permit page is the source for all of this.
What the job costs the town, not the contractor
How Randolph Works Out Your Permit Fee
Residential roofing is a $40 filing fee plus $12 for every $1,000 of declared valuation. That is the published schedule in the Randolph Town Code, Chapter 300. No roofing page in this market prints it. Two of them name the department and stop there.
So you can do the math yourself before anyone hands you a number.
| Item | How it is charged | On a $20,000 declared valuation |
|---|---|---|
| Residential filing fee | Flat | $40 |
| Residential roofing | $12 per $1,000 of valuation | $240 |
| Residential total | Filing fee plus valuation charge | $280 |
| Commercial filing fee | Flat | $150 |
| Commercial roofing | $17 per $1,000 of valuation | $340 |
| Commercial total | Filing fee plus valuation charge | $490 |
| Failed residential inspection | Per failure | $40 |
Run it on your own declared valuation. Divide by 1,000, multiply by 12, add 40. If a quote buries “permit fees” as a vague line and the figure is triple that, ask what else is in there. The codified fee schedule is public and it takes 2 minutes to check.
We pull the Randolph permit in our name on every job. Not as a favour. Mass.gov lists it as an eligibility condition for the $25,000 Home Improvement Contractor Guaranty Fund: the contractor, not the homeowner, has to have secured the building permit. Pull it yourself to save a week and you have quietly closed that door. The doorstep version of this is in storm chaser roofers and the $25,000 mistake.
“Licensed and insured” is not a credential
Why One Roofing Credential in Massachusetts Is Never Enough
There is no single Massachusetts roofer’s licence. For a replacement on an owner-occupied 1 to 4 unit home you are checking 2 separate things from 2 separate agencies: a Home Improvement Contractor registration, and a Construction Supervisor Licence.
The second one has a ceiling almost nobody explains, and it is the most useful question on this page.
The Roof Covering ceiling
The restricted CSL class RF covers “construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, or removal of roof covering, including repair and replacement of 25% of sheathing and 25% of sistering roof rafters.” That is the published scope, quoted.
What that means at your house
If tear-off exposes more than a quarter of the deck as rot, the RF class no longer covers the work. On a 1960s cape with original sheathing, that is not a hypothetical. Ask for an unrestricted or 1-and-2-family CSL on the permit.
What the HIC card is worth
Registration is the gateway to the Guaranty Fund, which pays eligible homeowners actual loss up to $25,000 on an unpaid judgment. Not registered, not eligible. Look the company up on the MA Contractor Hub before you sign.
A manufacturer plaque and a Better Business Bureau letter are marketing. The gate is an HIC number, a CSL number with its class, and current liability and workers’ comp certificates sent by the carrier rather than emailed from the sales office. The class scope above comes straight from the state’s own CSL Types sheet.
Randolph is a row in a table, not a vibe
What Snow and Wind Load Does Randolph Build To?
35 psf ground snow load, 30 psf minimum flat-roof snow load, and a 122 mph Risk Category II ultimate wind speed. That is Randolph’s row in the municipal table under the 10th edition of 780 CMR, which took effect 11 October 2024 and has been the only code in force since 30 June 2025.
Not one page ranking for this search cites a single code number. Here is why that matters to your wallet.
mph, not 131
131 mph was Randolph’s figure in the 9th edition. It has been superseded since October 2024. A 2026 quote citing 131 is reading an old brochure, and an inspector will not be using it.
psf is a floor, not the answer
The code says the design flat-roof load is the larger of the calculated value or the 30 psf listed. It is a minimum. Porch roofs, additions and rear extensions are where this bites.
special wind regions in Randolph
Randolph carries no special wind region marker in the table. Every marked town is in Berkshire County.
Which brings us to the Blue Hills surcharge. You may be told your roof needs an upgraded wind-rated shingle package because of gusts coming off Blue Hills Reservation. A specific ridge on a specific day may well gust harder than the table. What we could not find is any mapped official uplift zone that makes Randolph a higher wind design case. Before you pay a premium sold on that story, ask the Building Department which edition and which figure they are inspecting to this year.
If ice dams are why you are calling
Why Shingles Are Step 4, Not Step 1
Ice dams come from heat leaking out of your house into the roof deck, not from your shingles wearing out. A brand new code-legal roof will still dam if the attic underneath it is the same attic. The ice barrier is the backup that keeps water from getting in. It is not the thing that stops the dam forming.
The sequence that works is air seal, insulate, ventilate, then roof. Every Randolph roofing page sells you step 4 and skips the first 3.
Book the assessment
Mass Save runs no-cost home energy assessments for 1 to 4 unit homes on a participating utility account. Randolph is Eversource territory. Get the findings in writing.
Air seal and insulate
Mass Save publishes 75 to 100 percent off approved insulation and air sealing. The top of that range is income dependent, so treat the percentage as a range and not a promise.
Fix the ventilation
Intake at the soffit and exhaust at the ridge, balanced. A hot attic cooks shingles from underneath and feeds the dam from above. We check both on every inspection.
Then the roof
With the ice barrier run to 24 inches inside the exterior wall line, which on a typical overhang means 3 to 6 feet of membrane up the slope, not a 2 foot strip at the drip edge.
The HEAT Loan is still running at 0 percent interest up to $25,000 for eligible upgrades, subject to lender approval. R-49 is the Massachusetts code prescriptive attic level for our climate zone, though an uninsulated attic is often better served going higher. Full breakdown in what actually stops ice dams.
Randolph is older than the pitch suggests
How Old Is the Average Randolph House?
The median Randolph home was built in 1966. Only about 12.6 percent of units went up in the 1970s. The heavier decades are the 1960s at 19.4 percent and the 1950s at 16.8 percent, with 14.2 percent predating 1940. Roughly 63 percent of units are detached single-family. Those are ACS 2019-2023 5-year figures.
The town’s own 2013 preservation plan puts a number on that postwar boom: through the 1950s, as many as 500 houses a year were built, mostly modest capes and ranches on former farmland.
That matters on a roof. Shallow pitches, small attics and original venting are why ice dams show up on Randolph houses whose shingles are not old enough to be the problem. If your roof is 9 years old and the eaves iced last winter, the shingle is not what failed.
Our services
Which Roofing Services Does Powersol Run in Randolph?
Residential work, with one point of contact from the first inspection to the final walkthrough. We install the full roofing system, because the roof is only as good as the deck, flashing, underlayment and ventilation under the shingles.
Roof Replacement
Full tear-off to the deck, then the complete GAF system: WeatherWatch leak barrier, FeltBuster synthetic underlayment, Pro-Start starter strips, Timberline HDZ architectural shingles, Cobra ridge vent and Seal-A-Ridge caps.
Sectional Roof Repair
Flashing, missing shingles, pipe boots, chimney leaks. We quote the repair when a repair is what the roof needs, and we document the cause with photos rather than pointing at the stain.
Roof Inspections
Buying a house, past year 15, or after a storm. A documented photo inspection tells you what is real, what is urgent and what can wait, in plain English.
Attic Ventilation
Intake and exhaust checked and corrected. On Randolph’s postwar housing stock this is the part that actually controls ice dams, and it is the most skipped item in the trade.
Gutters, Fascia & Soffit
Seamless gutters and PVC fascia and soffit. The edges of the roof are where most long-term damage starts, and they are usually quoted as an afterthought.
Emergency Roof Repair
Water coming in now. We tarp and stabilize the leak, then schedule the permanent fix in daylight when it can be done properly.
From the roof, not the brochure
What Turns Up Under a Randolph Roof on Tear-Off Day
The problem is rarely just the shingle. From the ground a roof can look fine. Once you are on it you see lifted shingles, granule loss, bad flashing, soft wood, nail pops, old pipe boots and water damage nobody notices until it becomes a much bigger problem.
On 68 percent of the tear-offs we did within 5 miles of Randolph last year we replaced at least 1 sheet of decking, and where we replaced any, the average was 3.2 sheets. Our decking allowance goes into the scope as a per-sheet price agreed before we start, so the cost of rot is settled on paper and not on your driveway. That is also the number that decides whether a restricted Roof Covering licence still covers your job.
Pipe boots
The rubber collar around a vent pipe. Costs a few dollars, cracks with age, and it is the most common slow leak we get called about. Plenty of quotes reuse them.
Flashing
Step flashing at walls and chimneys, and the counterflashing above it. Reused flashing is a leak with a delay on it.
Rotted decking
Invisible until the old roof is off. On 1950s and 1960s sheathing this is the line item that moves. A per-sheet price agreed in advance turns it from an argument into arithmetic.
Valleys
Where 2 roof planes meet, all the water goes. A valley detailed badly last time keeps leaking no matter how good the shingle above it is.
A second layer
The code blocks a recover where 2 or more applications already exist. If we find 2 up there, it comes off to the deck. That is a separate cost line, not a day-1 surprise. More in overlay versus tear off.
Bad nail placement
Nails driven high, overdriven or underdriven void shingle warranties and let wind lift the course above. Nobody sees it once the next row goes on. We see it on tear-off.
Proof, not promises
What Massachusetts Homeowners Say About Powersol
Owner-led. Powersol is owned by Manuel “Manny” Reynoso, who stays in the details because you are trusting us with one of the most important parts of the house. Tell you the truth, show you the photos, explain the options, do the job the right way.
“Amazing team to work with. They answered all my questions and were active in communicating with me during the whole installation process (before, during, and after).”
Mari M. · Google review
“I had a great experience working with Rey. He was knowledgeable, professional, and always willing to take the time to explain everything clearly. From the beginning, he made the process feel simple and stress-free.”
Djine Marlly Pierre · Google review
“Top-notch service! Rafael Rey Reyes was professional, knowledgeable, and incredibly helpful throughout the process. I highly recommend him.”
Sonia Sharma · Google review
How it works
From First Call to Final Walkthrough
Inspection & photos
We inspect the roof, the attic and the exterior, take photos, and explain what we see in plain English. Free, with no pressure attached to it.
Written scope, not a number
Repair or replace, with the photos behind the call. Materials, layers, decking allowance, ice barrier distance, ventilation, permit and cleanup. If it is not time yet, we say so.
Permit and install
We file the Randolph permit through Permiteyes in our name and we call the inspection in. Then we protect the property, tear off to the deck, replace bad decking at the agreed per-sheet price, and install drip edge, leak barrier, underlayment, starter, flashing, new pipe boots, Timberline HDZ, ridge vent and ridge cap.
Cleanup & walkthrough
Magnetic nail sweep, debris haul-away, final photos, and a walk-through of the finished work with you.
Most standard replacements go on in 1 to 2 days once material is on site and the weather holds. Our average install is about 1 day. We will not guarantee a date that weather can move, and anyone who does is guessing.
What Belongs in a Randolph Roofing Quote?
Put this list in front of every roofer who quotes you, including us. Two quotes are almost never the same roof, and the lower number is usually a smaller job wearing the same name.
Repair or replace, and why. If the answer is replace, ask what disqualified a sectional repair, given the town exempts one.
Tear-off of how many layers, as a number, with the cost of pulling a second layer shown separately.
Ice barrier to 24 inches inside the wall line, plus valleys and penetrations, with the distance written down.
The permit fee, computed. Valuation divided by 1,000, times 12, plus 40. If their line item is triple that, ask why.
Whose name goes on the Randolph permit. If the answer is yours, that is the Guaranty Fund gone.
HIC number and CSL number with its class. If the class is RF, ask what happens when decking exceeds 25 percent.
A decking allowance with a per-sheet price, so rotted wood is arithmetic and not a driveway conversation.
Synthetic underlayment, new flashing, drip edge and new pipe boots, each listed rather than assumed.
Attic ventilation net free area, if ice dams are the reason you are calling.
The certificate of insurance sent by the carrier, not a PDF forwarded from the sales office.
Deposit as a dollar figure, and confirmation it is at or under one third of the contract price.
Dumpster, lawn protection and a magnet sweep, written into the scope.
A roofer who will not answer this list in writing has told you something. Write down which question they dodged.
Straight answers
Randolph Roofing Questions, Answered
Do I need a permit to repair my roof in Randolph, MA?
Not for a partial shingle repair. The Town of Randolph lists work that does not need a permit as repairs that do not affect the structural integrity of the home, and its own published example is “Roof; a portion of damaged shingles.” A full strip and replace is different. Roofing is a named line item in the town fee schedule, so a reroof does need a permit. If a company refuses to quote a sectional repair and will only price a tear-off, that is their business model, not the town’s rule.
What does a roofing permit cost in Randolph, MA?
Residential roofing is a $40 filing fee plus $12 per $1,000 of declared valuation, under the Randolph fee schedule in Town Code Chapter 300. On a $20,000 declared valuation that is $40 plus $240, so $280. Commercial roofing is a $150 filing fee plus $17 per $1,000. A failed residential inspection is another $40. Confirm the current schedule at the counter, because fee tables move.
What wind speed is a Randolph roof designed for?
122 mph, Risk Category II, under the 10th edition of 780 CMR that took effect 11 October 2024. Ground snow load is 35 psf and the minimum flat-roof snow load is 30 psf. Randolph is not listed as a special wind region. If a quote cites 131 mph, that is the superseded 9th edition figure and it has been out of force since June 2025.
Is a roofer with a Roof Covering licence enough for my job?
Only up to a point. The restricted Construction Supervisor Licence class RF covers “construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, or removal of roof covering, including repair and replacement of 25% of sheathing and 25% of sistering roof rafters.” If your deck needs more than a quarter replaced, that licence class does not cover the work. Ask for the CSL number and the class, not a manufacturer plaque.
Why does the contractor have to pull the Randolph permit and not me?
Because pulling it yourself costs you the Guaranty Fund. Massachusetts pays eligible homeowners actual loss up to $25,000 on an unpaid judgment against a registered Home Improvement Contractor, and one of the eligibility conditions on mass.gov is that the contractor, not the homeowner, secured the building permit. Randolph permits go through Permiteyes, which is open 24 hours. Inspections are not booked online. Somebody has to call the Building Department at 781-961-0921.
Can I put a third layer of shingles on my Randolph roof?
No. The code prohibits a roof recover where the existing roof already has 2 or more applications of any type of roof covering. One overlay on top of a single existing layer can be legal. A third layer is not. Overlay also hides the deck, which matters on housing stock with a median build year of 1966.
How far does the ice barrier have to run under Massachusetts code?
From the lowest edges of all roof surfaces to not less than 24 inches inside the exterior wall line. On slopes of 8:12 or steeper it must also run not less than 36 inches measured from the eave edge. It has to be not fewer than 2 layers of underlayment cemented together, or a self-adhering polymer-modified bitumen sheet. Detached accessory structures with no conditioned floor area are exempt. This is the code minimum, not an upgrade a roofer invented for Randolph.
Will a new roof stop my ice dams?
Not on its own. Ice dams come from heat leaking out of the house into the roof deck. The ice barrier is the backup that stops water getting in, not the thing that stops the dam forming. The order that works is air seal, insulate, ventilate, then roof. Mass Save runs no-cost home energy assessments and publishes 75 to 100 percent off approved insulation and air sealing, income dependent. Book that before you sign a shingle contract if ice dams are the reason you are calling.
Does my Randolph roof need historic commission approval?
Almost certainly not. Randolph has a demolition delay bylaw covering buildings 100 years old or over that the Historical Commission finds significant, and a local historic district on North Main Street was proposed in 2019 but never adopted. A typical postwar cape or ranch is neither old enough for the delay nor inside an adopted district. If the house predates 1926 or appears on MACRIS, call the Historical Commission before anyone touches slate or changes a visible roof form.
How long does a roof replacement take?
Most standard replacements go on in 1 to 2 days once material is on site and the weather holds. Our average install is about 1 day. We will not guarantee a date that weather can move.
Service areas
Which Towns Does Powersol Cover Around Randolph?
Randolph and the surrounding South Shore and Greater Boston towns. Powersol Roofing works out of Quincy, about 20 minutes up Route 24 and the expressway.
Free estimate
Book Your Free Randolph Roof Inspection
Photos of what we find, and a written scope with the decking allowance, the ice barrier distance, the computed Randolph permit fee and the deposit spelled out in dollars. Repair priced as a repair when that is the right call.