Residential Roofs

Notice- Building Permits for Roofing

The Town of Horseheads requires a building permit for installing roof coverings including re-roofing in residential and commercial buildings.

Contractors must submit:

  • Construction costs
  • General Liability insurance
  • Proof of workers' compensation insurance and disability:

Self-employed with no workers, helpers, or subcontractors- workers compensation form CE-200. See the link on the Town of Horseheads website. Or Contractors with employees must submit workers' Compensation form C105.2 or New York State Insurance Fund form U26.3. Accord forms will not be accepted as proof of coverage.

Homeowners performing all the work must submit:

  • Construction costs
  • Workers' compensation form BP-1 (available at code office) if the homeowner is the contractor to prove that they are exempt from the law by:
    • The homeowner is performing all of the work
    • Is not hiring, paying, or compensating in any way individuals that are performing the work
    • Has homeowner's insurance policy that is currently in effect and covers the property for which the building permit is issued AND is not paying any individuals a total of fewer than 40 hours per week. This is the total aggregate hours of all paid individuals on site.

Code Compliance Regulations

RAJ502.4.3 Recovering versus replacement. New roof coverings shall not be installed without first removing existing roof coverings where any of the following conditions occur:

  • Where the existing roof or roof covering is water-soaked or has deteriorated to the point that the existing roof or roof covering is not adequate as a base for additional roofing.
  • Where the existing roof covering is a wood shake or shingle, slate, clay, cement, or asbestos-cement tile.
  • Where the existing roof has two or more applications of any type of roof covering.

Effective January 1, 2015, New State regulations require a notice to be filled out by the applicant stating if the residential property has truss type, pre-engineered and/or timber construction, and location. The form is available on the form page under "Notice of truss construction". A sign will be required to be affixed next to the meter box outside of the home warning firefighters of the location of the wood products. Signs will be available for purchase at the code office.