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

Roofing questions: Strongsville, OH

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

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Strongsville, OH. NO THRESHOLD. A roof needs a permit in Strongsville outright, with no dollar figure or square footage to cross first, and the City names it in its own Frequently Asked Questions: "Many construction projects require a permit, including additions, decks, fences, sheds, roof, windows-doors, pools, electrical work, plumbing, HVAC, garages and signs." The City adds the sensible caveat that "If you are unsure whether your project requires a permit, please contact the Building Department before beginning work." Sequence matters here more than in most jurisdictions, because registration gates the permit rather than running alongside it: "Contractors performing work in Strongsville must register with the city before permits can be issued." So an unregistered roofer cannot obtain the permit at all, and the registration paperwork below is the first thing to start, not the last. Applications go through the City's IWorq portal, available 24/7, or in person on weekdays between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm. Inspections are scheduled by telephone on 440-580-3105 between 8 am and 5 pm and need at least 24 hours' notice; the City states plainly that scheduling "does not guarantee a 24 hour response" and that requests must not be left on the Building Department voicemail.

Is ice & water shield required in Strongsville, OH?

Yes. Required, and required across the whole state rather than in a mapped zone. 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." It applies to asphalt shingles, metal roof shingles, mineral surfaced roll roofing, slate and slate-type shingles, wood shingles and wood shakes.

Is drip edge required in Strongsville, 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 Strongsville, 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 then permits a recover in four listed situations, the first being where the new covering is installed in accordance with the roof covering manufacturer's approved instructions. 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," and existing flashings, edgings, outlets and vents "shall be replaced where rusted, damaged or deteriorated."

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

Yes. CITY registration under the GENERAL TRADES category, bonded, and it gates the permit. 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. Strongsville's own packet confirms where roofing sits by exclusion: "A General Trades Contractor registration does not cover Electrical, Fire Alarm / Fire Suppression, HVAC or Plumbing." So a roofer registers as a General Trades contractor, and the City is explicit that this comes first: "Contractors performing work in Strongsville must register with the city before permits can be issued." Four things are required together, under Codified Ordinances Chapter 1422. A BOND, and the packet states the figure: "Every applicant for registration shall furnish and file with the Building Department a bond in the penal sum of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00)." The insurance company must place its seal on the City's own bond form, the form must not be faxed or duplicated, and no continuation certificates are accepted. A CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE with "limits of no less than Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) per occurrence, One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) aggregate" — and note the unusual instruction that follows, because it is the opposite of what most cities ask: "We are to be listed as the Certificate Holder not Additional Insured." A completed Regional Income Tax Agency form. And a FEE of "$100.00 for each type of registration that you are applying for," by check or money order payable to the City. The registration runs "for one year from the date the bond is issued," so the renewal date tracks the bond rather than the calendar year. Submit to the Building Department at 16099 Foltz Parkway. One consumer-facing detail worth knowing: City inspectors carry an official City of Strongsville photo ID card, and the City asks that anyone without one be reported to 440-580-3105 or to the police non-emergency line.

What building code does Strongsville, 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, Strongsville included. Roof assemblies are Chapter 4101:8-9-01, and its section numbers carry no "R" prefix, so the reroofing rule is section 908 and the asphalt shingle rules are section 905. 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. Strongsville maintains its own Ordinances and Codes page and its contractor registration rests on Chapter 1422 of the Codified Ordinances, but no local roofing amendment was found among its published building materials, so the state rules below are what governs a reroof here.