Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Mentor, OH?

Roofing questions: Mentor, OH

When does a roof repair need a permit in Mentor, OH?

NOT PUBLISHED FOR ROOFING, and worth one call before bidding rather than an assumption in either direction. What the City does say, on its Permits page, is broad: "A Building Permit Application is required for all construction including decks, pools, siding, sheds, porches, enclosures, etc." Roofing is not among the examples listed, and neither the Permits page nor the City of Mentor Building Permit Application itself names roofing or reroofing as a work type; the only occurrence of the word on the application is a request for "Building Height (from finished grade to roof line)." That silence is not the same as an exemption, and it is not the same as a requirement either. It matters because Ohio municipalities split both ways on this exact question, and a nearby example shows how far: Cleveland Heights requires a permit for siding without qualification while carving roofing out unless structural work is involved. So an enumeration that names siding and omits roofing cannot safely be read as covering it. Contact the Engineering and Building Department before starting. Two things the City does publish that apply once a permit is in play: plan review "takes 7-10 working days on average," and a permit fee is charged "along with a refundable construction deposit, which can be returned if the structure passes all inspections." Permits can be applied and paid for online through the Mentor Gateway.

Is ice & water shield required in Mentor, OH?

Yes. Required, and required across the whole state rather than in a mapped zone, which matters on a Lake Erie snowbelt site. Residential Code of Ohio section 905.1.2 conditions the ice barrier on a local history of ice damming "as designated in Table 301.2(1)", and Ohio's own Table 301.2(1) makes that designation statewide: the ICE BARRIER UNDERLAYMENT REQUIRED column reads "Yes", and note h to the table states that "all jurisdictions in Ohio have a history of local damage from the effects of ice damming." There is therefore no per-city determination to look up. The barrier "shall consist of not fewer than two layers of underlayment cemented together, or a self-adhering polymer-modified bitumen sheet shall be used in place of normal underlayment and extend from the lowest edges of all roof surfaces to a point not less than 24 inches (610 mm) inside the exterior wall line of the building," measured along the slope from where the projected outside face of the wall meets the deck. On roofs of 8:12 or steeper it "shall also be applied not less than 36 inches (914 mm) measured along the roof slope from the eave edge." One exception travels with it: "Detached accessory structures and roof assemblies terminating at a vertical wall over unconditioned floor areas."

Is drip edge required in Mentor, OH?

No. Ohio does not prescribe a drip edge, which is a real departure from the model code the rest of the state code follows. The International Residential Code sets a drip edge requirement at R905.2.8.5 with dimensions, an overlap and a fastening schedule. Ohio replaced that text entirely, and the whole of Residential Code of Ohio section 905.2.8.5 now reads: "Drip edge. Refer to Sections 903.1 and 905.1." Neither of those sections carries drip edge language of its own; what they do is make the manufacturer's instructions binding. Section 903.1 requires roof assemblies to "be designed and installed in accordance with this code and the approved manufacturer's instructions," and section 905.1 that "Roof coverings shall be applied in accordance with the applicable provisions of this section and the manufacturer's installation instructions." So the state code imposes no drip edge of its own, while the shingle manufacturer's published installation instructions do carry code force, and most asphalt shingle instructions require one. Omitting a drip edge against those instructions remains a violation in Ohio, by way of 903.1 and 905.1 rather than by way of a drip edge section.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Mentor, OH?

Two total layers. The default is a full tear off and a recover over one existing layer is the exception; a recover over two or more layers is not allowed. Residential Code of Ohio section 908.3, Roof replacement: "Roof replacement shall include the removal of existing layers of roof coverings down to the roof deck," with an exception permitting an existing ice barrier membrane adhered to the deck to stay and be covered with an additional layer of ice barrier membrane. Section 908.3.1.1, Roof recover not allowed, sets the bar: "A roof recover shall not be permitted where any of the following conditions occur: 1. 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. 2. Where the existing roof covering is slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile. 3. Where the existing roof has two or more applications of any type of roof covering." Ohio's rule has three conditions and none is a hail exposure condition, so unlike the older model code editions still in force in some states there is no case here in which a single existing layer must come off on hail grounds alone. Under section 908.5 aggregate surfacing "shall not be reinstalled."

Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in Mentor, OH?

Yes. CITY registration, required of every contractor who deals with the public, and it is bonded rather than merely insured. Ohio does not license roofers at state level: Ohio Revised Code section 4740.01(A) defines the licences the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board issues as those for "a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning contractor, refrigeration contractor, electrical contractor, plumbing contractor, or hydronics contractor," and roofing is not among the licensed trades. So Mentor's registration is the whole of the requirement for a roofer, and the City states it broadly: "All contractors within the City of Mentor, who contract with the general public, are required to register with the City prior to performing any work (per Mentor Code of Ordinances 925, 1307 and 1309)." Note "prior to performing any work" — registration comes before the job, not with the permit. Three requirements travel with it, and the City lists them: the contractor must "have the ability to interpret construction plans and specifications, show proof of liability insurance, and submit a registration bond on Mentor's Surety Bond Form to assure that they will comply with Mentor's codes and ordinances." The bond has to be on the City's own form. Mentor separately requires the specialty trades (plumbing, electrical, HVAC and fire protection) to show a State of Ohio licence under section 1309; roofing is not one of those, so a roofer needs the City registration and the bond but no state licence. The City makes a point a homeowner should hear: "Many contractor advertisements state that they are 'bonded and insured,' but a bond is written for a specific purpose and their bond may not protect you as the owner."

What building code does Mentor, OH use?

Residential Code of Ohio, Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 4101:8, effective July 1, 2019. Ohio adopts its residential code as a statewide administrative rule rather than leaving the edition to each municipality: the Ohio Board of Building Standards promulgates it under Ohio Revised Code section 3781.10 and it governs one, two and three family dwellings throughout the state, Mentor included. Roof assemblies are Chapter 4101:8-9-01, and its section numbers carry no "R" prefix, so the reroofing rule is section 908. Ohio law does permit a city to add to the state code where the addition does not conflict: Ohio Revised Code section 3781.01(B) provides that the state residential building code "does not prevent a local governing authority from adopting additional regulations governing residential structures that do not conflict with the state residential building code," subject to a Board of Building Standards conflict review. No Mentor amendment touching roofing was found among the City's published permit materials, and none is asserted either way here.