City of Muskego, Wisconsin - Building Inspection

City of Muskego, Wisconsin

city

W182 S8200 Racine Avenue, Muskego, WI 53150

Required

Required

Permits are taken out at Building Inspection, W182 S8200 Racine Avenue. Inspection scheduling and permit or code questions go to (262) 679-4037, or the inspectors' cell on (262) 490-8270; general department questions go to (262) 679-4145. Inspectors hold office hours Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m., and inspections run Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call for an inspection at least 24 hours ahead. A reroof is filed on the general Residential Building Permit application by ticking Re-Roofing; the form asks for the contractor's licence number and qualifier number with their expiry dates, the retail value of the project and a description of work, and it carries both the cautionary statement to owners that Wis. Stat. 101.65(1r) requires and a lead-safe renovation warning for buildings built before 1978. Ordinance section 164-7A requires a weather-resistant permit card, signed by the Building Inspector, to be posted at the job site in clear view during construction. Section 164-7B(1) voids a permit on an existing building unless operations begin within four months, or if work stops for more than 60 working days, and requires all work to be completed within 18 months; a lapsed permit is reissued at 50 percent of the original fee and then expires six months later. Permits are non-transferable under section 164-7D, so if a homeowner changes roofers mid-job the new contractor must pull a new permit and the City inspects to establish where the job stood at the switch. Section 164-11B puts the access burden on the permit holder: ladders, scaffolds and other equipment needed to reach the area being inspected are the owner's or contractor's to provide, which on a roof is worth pricing in. Each required inspection carries one free reinspection. Note also that the City will not issue further permits to an applicant with outstanding orders, notices, unpaid fees or forfeitures under section 164-6H, and that a property on a private sewage system may need a Preliminary Site Evaluation through Waukesha County before a permit issues.

STATE CODE, ADOPTED BY THE CITY INSIDE ITS OWN BUILDING CODE. One- and two-family dwellings in Muskego are built to the Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code, chs. SPS 320 to 325 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code. That code is Wisconsin's own text rather than an adoption of the International Residential Code, which is why its roofing rules read differently from the IRC and why no IRC edition year applies to a house here. The local instrument is the Muskego Municipal Building Code, Chapter 164 Article I of the City Code. Section 164-3B adopts the dwelling code: "The Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code, Chs. SPS 320 through 325, Wis. Adm. Code, inclusive, and all amendments thereto and the Wisconsin Uniform Building Code are hereby made a part of this code by reference and shall apply to all one- and two-family dwellings and alterations and additions thereto." The adoption floats rather than freezing an edition, since it takes "all amendments thereto." Definitions run on the state text as well: section 164-4A applies the definitions in Wis. Admin. Code SPS 320.07 and extends them to non-dwelling structures in the City. Commercial work runs on a different code set - section 164-3A adopts chs. SPS 361 to 366, the Wisconsin Commercial Building Code - and that track is not the subject of the residential fields recorded here. Chapter 164 Article I was read in full, all twenty-three sections, and it adds no roof-assembly requirement of its own; what it does add is local detail on garages, decks, accessory buildings, foundation repairs and permit procedure. The article was adopted 4-20-2006 by Ordinance No. 1222 and its adoption section was last amended 2-4-2010 by Ordinance No. 1312; the codification includes legislation through March 10, 2026.

Not required — No drip edge is required by code on a Muskego roof, at either level of government. The statewide Wisconsin uniform dwelling code, unlike the International Residential Code, carries no drip edge requirement: SPS 321.28, "Weather protection for roofs," was read in full - general drainage and fasteners, underlayment for shingles, asphalt shingles, ice dam protection, other roof coverings, reroofing, and every flashing paragraph - and no provision requires a drip edge at an eave or a rake. The only drip edge language anywhere in the Wisconsin dwelling chapter is a masonry chimney cap rule, which is not a roof edge requirement. On the City side, Chapter 164 Article I of the Municipal Code was read in full and the words drip edge do not appear in it, and neither does any other roof-edge or roof-flashing requirement. Practical point for a bid: drip edge may still be required as a matter of the shingle manufacturer installation instructions, which SPS 321.28(3)(a) makes binding for asphalt shingles, so read the wrapper before leaving it off. About drip edge

Required — STATE-SET AND SLOPE-CONDITIONED - read the trigger carefully, because it is narrower than the International Residential Code rule used in most other states. Wis. Admin. Code SPS 321.28(4)(a) requires that "Shingled or shake roofs that extend over a heated area of a dwelling or attached garage and that have a slope of 4:12 or less shall be provided with ice dam protection in the form of sheet metal or a product labeled as meeting the requirements of ASTM D 1970." SPS 321.28(4)(b) sets the extent: the protection "shall extend at least 30 inches up the roof slope from the roof edge and at least 12 inches up the roof slope beyond the inner face of the exterior wall." The trigger is the roof slope, not the climate zone, so a steeper roof is not covered by the requirement at all - although the shingle manufacturer instructions may still call for it, and SPS 321.28(3)(a) makes those instructions binding for asphalt shingles. Muskego adds nothing to this: Chapter 164 Article I of the Municipal Code was read in full and contains no ice barrier or ice dam provision. The Wisconsin uniform dwelling code sets these roofing rules statewide, but does not reach every house. It does not apply to a one- or two-family dwelling whose construction began before June 1, 1980, or to additions or alterations to one, unless the municipality has adopted chs. SPS 320 to 325 for that purpose - ask the building inspector before assuming it governs an older home. The code also states that it does not apply to repairs or maintenance, and it defines a repair to include replacing existing equipment with the equivalent, while a separate section regulates reroofing by name. Wisconsin has not resolved which of those two provisions governs a like-for-like tear-off, so confirm with the authority issuing the permit. Muskego has closed the older-house branch of that scope question, and it did it in an unusual way that a roofer should see in the City's own words rather than in a summary. Municipal Code section 164-3B provides that "The Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code, Chs. SPS 320 through 325, Wis. Adm. Code, inclusive, and all amendments thereto and the Wisconsin Uniform Building Code are hereby made a part of this code by reference and shall apply to all one- and two-family dwellings and alterations and additions thereto," with no cut-off by the age of the house, and then adds: "For purposes of this code, the Wisconsin Uniform Building Code shall apply to alterations and additions to all one- and two-family dwellings constructed prior to the effective date of the Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code." Both sentences are reproduced here as enacted, and which body of rules the second one points to on a particular older house is a question for the Building Inspector, not for this record. Section 164-3C(3)(d) then answers the roofing side of it by name: "Roof coverings. Whenever more than 25% of the roof covering of a building is replaced in any twelve-month period, all roof covering shall be in conformity with applicable sections of this code." So on any reroof past a quarter of the roof, the City's code is engaged whatever the age of the house. About ice & water barrier

Not required — NO MID-ROOF STAGE EXISTS IN WISCONSIN LAW, AND MUSKEGO ADDS NONE - BUT DO NOT SHINGLE OVER DECK OR FRAMING WORK BEFORE IT IS SEEN. The code that governs a Muskego house sets out its own list of inspection types, and the list is closed. The Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code, which the City adopts by reference in Municipal Code section 164-3B for all one- and two-family dwellings and alterations and additions to them, provides at SPS 320.10(3) that "The inspections described in pars. (b) to (i) shall be performed to determine if the work complies with this code", and those eight are erosion control, foundation excavation, foundation reinforcement, foundation, rough, insulation, final, and the installation of a manufactured or modular home. The rough inspection is itself a closed set - the basement floor area, general construction including framing, rough electrical, rough plumbing, and rough heating, ventilating and air conditioning - to be performed "after the rough work is constructed but before it is concealed". No roof-deck, dry-in, tear-off, in-progress or mid-roof inspection type appears anywhere in that chapter. Muskego adds no stage of its own. Chapter 164 Article I of the Municipal Code was read in full, all twenty-three sections, and its inspections section names no stage at all: section 164-11A provides only that "Following the issuance of any permit under this code, specific inspections are required. A list of required inspections for particular projects can be obtained from the Building Inspection Division upon request", and adds that the Building Inspector may "with or without notice or invitation, from time to time and at any time, inspect the work that is the subject of the permit". The City says where that list lands: its own inspection guidance states that the specific inspections required for a project will be listed on the back of the permit card handed over when the permit is paid for and collected. So read the back of the card rather than assuming the job is a single final visit. What replaces a scheduled mid-roof stop here is a duty not to bury the work, and on a reroof that takes up decking it is the provision to price in. Section 164-11B provides that where "a required inspection cannot be made because work to be inspected has been covered or concealed, the property owner, permit holder or authorized agent shall uncover the work, as directed by the Building Inspector, and no approval of covered or concealed work shall be given until the required inspection can be made". Section 164-11H allows a penalty fee for allowing work to be covered before inspection. The same section puts access on the permit holder - all ladders, scaffolds and other equipment needed to reach the area being inspected - and allows one free reinspection for each required inspection. Call for inspections at least 24 hours ahead on (262) 679-4037.

Not required — No impact-resistance or hail-rating mandate applies in Muskego. The statewide Wisconsin uniform dwelling code contains no UL 2218 requirement, no Class 4 or Class IV impact rating and no FM 4473 reference anywhere in the chapters that govern one- and two-family dwellings, including the roof coverings section; its catch-all for coverings not otherwise addressed sends the installer to the manufacturer instructions or a national standard recognised by the department, which sets no impact class. Impact-resistant shingles are an insurer-driven upgrade in this market, not a code obligation. One caution for reading paperwork on a Wisconsin job: a Class A, B or C designation, or a reference to ASTM E108 or UL 790, is a FIRE rating and says nothing about hail, and ASTM D3161 or D7158 is a WIND rating. Only UL 2218 or FM 4473 answers impact. On the City side, Chapter 164 Article I of the Municipal Code was read in full and contains no UL 2218, Class 4, Class IV or FM 4473 requirement, and the City published permit guidance and fee schedule set no shingle rating. What the City does require is that the work follow the product listing: the building permit application has the applicant agree to comply "with all the conditions of this permit, as well as any and all manufacturers' specifications as they pertain to installation requirements and U.L. Listings." That makes the shingle wrapper binding in Muskego; it does not set an impact class.

ROOFING IS NAMED IN THE ORDINANCE, ON THE PERMIT PAGE, ON THE FEE SCHEDULE AND ON THE APPLICATION FORM - THIS IS NOT AN INFERENCE. Municipal Code section 164-6A provides that "No building or structure, or any part thereof, shall hereafter be built, enlarged, altered or demolished within the municipality or moved into, within or out of the municipality except as hereinafter provided, unless a permit therefor shall first be obtained by the owner or his agent from the Building Inspector," and its list of permits required includes, as item (6), "Re-roofing and re-siding." The City permit page carries the same item on its list of work for which "Building Permits are required," in these words: "Re-Roofing and Re-Siding - Minor repairs may not require permits, contact inspector to discuss your specific project." The building permit application prints Re-Roofing as one of the tick-boxes for type of project. So the threshold question in Muskego is not whether a reroof needs a permit but where a small repair stops being one, and the City answers that with a phone call rather than a number: there is no square-footage or dollar threshold published, and the instruction is to contact the inspector on (262) 679-4037. READ THE ORDINANCE'S MINOR-REPAIR CLAUSE CAREFULLY, BECAUSE IT IS NOT A PERMIT EXEMPTION. Section 164-3C(4)(b) defines repairs that do not involve structural portions or affect room arrangement, light and ventilation, exits, fire protection, heating or air conditioning, insulation or energy efficiency, plumbing, electrical, or exterior aesthetic appearance, and which do not increase occupancy and use, as "minor repairs, exempt from plan submittal requirements" - an exemption from submitting plans, not from the permit. Two further local rules bear on a reroof. Section 164-3C(3)(b)[1] provides that the code applies to "An existing structure that is repaired, when the cost of such repairs during the life of the structure exceeds 50% of the equalized value of the structure," and notes that repair work below that threshold "shall be required to comply with the code that was in effect when the component or work was originally constructed." Section 164-3C(3)(b)[2] then says what counts toward that cost: "only structural work which extends the life of the structure shall be included, such as rafters, decking, headers, foundations, studs, etc.," while doors, windows, plumbing, electrical, carpet, paint and trim do not. Roof decking is on the counting side of that line. The fee is value-based: "Re-Roofing, Re-Siding, Foundation Repair, Projects Where a Square Footage Cannot be Determined - Building Permit fee - $10 per $1,000 of value (minimum of $125)," on top of a minimum base fee of $70, under the fee updates the Common Council approved on January 14, 2025 and made effective April 18, 2025. And the penalty for skipping it is steeper than most: the City states that "Triple permit fees will be assessed if work is started without a valid permit."

STATE-SET, AND EXPRESSED AS A PRESSURE RATHER THAN A DESIGN WIND SPEED IN MILES PER HOUR. Wis. Admin. Code SPS 321.02(1)(c) provides that dwellings "shall be designed and constructed to withstand either a horizontal and uplift pressure of 20 pounds per square foot acting over the surface area or the wind loads determined in accordance with ASCE 7-05, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures," with a published note that ASCE 7-05 allows for substantial reduction from 20 psf as applied to the surface area. Snow is the one input that varies geographically: SPS 321.02(1)(b)2. provides that roofs "shall be designed and constructed to support the minimum snow loads listed on the zone map," a statewide zone map, so a local ground snow figure is read off that map rather than stated as a single statewide number. IMPORTANT for anyone used to International Residential Code jurisdictions: because Wisconsin works in pounds per square foot and a zone map, there is no ultimate design wind speed in miles per hour here, and the 20 pounds per square foot figure must not be converted into one. Muskego sets no figure of its own and says so: Municipal Code section 164-14 provides that "Wind load, snow load, live load, dead load, soil bearing classifications, slopes, clearances and any other applicable load and/or design requirements shall be as required by the Uniform Dwelling Code, Chs. SPS 320 to 325, Wis. Adm. Code, and the Commercial Building Code, Chs. SPS 361 to 366, Wis. Adm. Code." Chapter 164 Article I was read in full and prints no wind speed for a dwelling anywhere.

STATE-SET. Muskego writes no reroofing layer rule of its own - Chapter 164 Article I of the Municipal Code, all twenty-three sections, was read in full and contains no layer limit, no recover rule and no shingle provision - so the statewide rule governs unmodified. The statewide Wisconsin uniform dwelling code bars installing a new roof covering over the existing covering in three situations: where the existing roof or covering is water-soaked or has deteriorated so that it is inadequate as a base for additional roofing; where the existing roof is wood shake, slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile; or where the existing roof already has two or more applications of any type of permanent roof covering. So at most two total layers, and fewer than that where the deck is wet or deteriorated or the existing roof is one of the listed materials. A complete tear-off to the deck is not restricted by that rule at any layer count. There is no local route past two layers here of the kind some other Wisconsin municipalities publish on calculations submitted to the inspector, so a roof already carrying two applications is a tear-off in Muskego. The Wisconsin uniform dwelling code sets these roofing rules statewide, but does not reach every house. It does not apply to a one- or two-family dwelling whose construction began before June 1, 1980, or to additions or alterations to one, unless the municipality has adopted chs. SPS 320 to 325 for that purpose - ask the building inspector before assuming it governs an older home. The code also states that it does not apply to repairs or maintenance, and it defines a repair to include replacing existing equipment with the equivalent, while a separate section regulates reroofing by name. Wisconsin has not resolved which of those two provisions governs a like-for-like tear-off, so confirm with the authority issuing the permit. Muskego has closed the older-house branch of that scope question, and it did it in an unusual way that a roofer should see in the City's own words rather than in a summary. Municipal Code section 164-3B provides that "The Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code, Chs. SPS 320 through 325, Wis. Adm. Code, inclusive, and all amendments thereto and the Wisconsin Uniform Building Code are hereby made a part of this code by reference and shall apply to all one- and two-family dwellings and alterations and additions thereto," with no cut-off by the age of the house, and then adds: "For purposes of this code, the Wisconsin Uniform Building Code shall apply to alterations and additions to all one- and two-family dwellings constructed prior to the effective date of the Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code." Both sentences are reproduced here as enacted, and which body of rules the second one points to on a particular older house is a question for the Building Inspector, not for this record. Section 164-3C(3)(d) then answers the roofing side of it by name: "Roof coverings. Whenever more than 25% of the roof covering of a building is replaced in any twelve-month period, all roof covering shall be in conformity with applicable sections of this code." So on any reroof past a quarter of the roof, the City's code is engaged whatever the age of the house.

STATE-SET. Wis. Admin. Code SPS 321.27(9) sets the deck standard for one- and two-family dwellings in three parts. For structural sheathing, "The allowable loads and spans for structural sheathing shall be in accordance with the grade stamp on the panel." For roof boards, where the rafter spacing is 24 inches on center or less, "roof boards may be used that have a minimum thickness of 5/8-inch for solid sheathing and 3/4-inch for spaced sheathing," and where the rafter spacing is greater than 24 inches on center, "roof boards shall be tongue and groove, at least 1.5 inches thick." For roof planks, they "shall be tongue and groove or splined and at least 2 inches, nominal, in thickness," shall "terminate over beams unless the joints are end matched," and shall be "laid so that no continuous line of joints will occur except at points of support." Wisconsin expresses this as a panel grade-stamp and board-thickness rule keyed to rafter spacing rather than the International Residential Code formulation used in IRC states, so do not carry an IRC sheathing specification onto a Wisconsin job. Muskego adds nothing of its own for a house roof: Chapter 164 Article I was read in full and contains no roof sheathing, decking or roof-nailing provision for a dwelling. Two local points are worth knowing when a tear-off exposes bad deck. Section 164-3C(3)(b)[2] counts "decking" and "rafters" as structural work that goes toward the fifty-percent-of-equalized-value threshold at which the current code applies to a repair, while non-structural items do not. And section 164-11B provides that where work to be inspected has already been covered or concealed, the owner or contractor must uncover it as directed, and no approval of covered work will be given until it can be inspected - so do not sheet over replaced deck before the inspector has seen it.

5.0% on materials, and that is the number most often got wrong here. Wisconsin's state sales and use tax is 5%, and WAUKESHA COUNTY LEVIES NO COUNTY SALES TAX - its row in the Department of Revenue rate chart, county code 67, carries a state rate of 5% and an empty county-tax cell. So a Muskego job is 5.0%, not the 5.5% that applies in most of the state, and a bid built off a neighbouring county's rate is half a point high. Muskego lies wholly within Waukesha County. The Department of Revenue sales tax rate chart, Guidance Document Number 100047 dated January 16, 2026, is the authority for those components. No municipal sales tax applies: the city of Milwaukee is the only municipality in Wisconsin that imposes one, and no premier resort area tax applies - the Department of Revenue list of the ten municipalities that impose it does not include Muskego. How the tax falls on a roofing job matters more than the rate. Wisconsin treats a roof as real property - the Department of Revenue contractor guidance answers it by name, listing roofs as real property for residential installation, residential repair, commercial installation and commercial repair alike - so the roofing contractor is the consumer of what it installs. The contractor pays sales or use tax when buying shingles, underlayment and other materials, and "is not permitted to collect sales tax from its customers on its sales price from sales of real property construction activities," meaning neither labour nor materials are taxed on the reroofing contract. The exception runs the other way: selling lumber, roofing materials or other tangible personal property WITHOUT installation is a retail sale and is taxable. So the rate is a cost input on the material purchase rather than a line on the homeowner invoice.