Roofing in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania

Required

The 2021 International Residential Code, as adopted by the State in the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (UCC). 34 Pa. Code 403.21(a)(7) adopts "The 'International Residential Code of 2021,' except that:" followed by the State's list of exclusions and modifications, effective January 1, 2026 (55 Pa.B. 7701). None of the State's changes touches Chapter 9, Roof Assemblies, or Section R803, Roof Sheathing, so those apply as the International Code Council publishes them. Work on existing buildings is also pointed to the State's existing-building code: "The repair, alteration, change of occupancy, addition and relocation of existing buildings must comply with Chapter 34 of the 'International Building Code of 2021' or with the 'International Existing Building Code of 2021'" (34 Pa. Code 403.21(f)). The UCC is the minimum everywhere in the state: "no municipality may propose or enact any ordinance which is less than the minimum requirement of the Uniform Construction Code" (Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999, section 503(b)). The Act also lists work it "shall not apply to", including "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress" or to "Repairs to residential buildings," in each case "except as might be required by ordinances" kept in force under section 303(b)(1) or adopted under section 503 (Act 45 section 104(b)(5) and (6); 34 Pa. Code 403.1(b)(8) and (9)). The Act defines a repair as "The reconstruction or renewal of any part of an existing building for the purpose of its maintenance." So whether the code's roofing rules reach a given house reroof depends on the municipality's own ordinances. Everything above is Pennsylvania state law, the same in every municipality. Locally, Bridgeville Borough in Allegheny County administers the Uniform Construction Code under Chapter 5, Part 4 of its Code (Ordinance 902, June 14, 2004), which says the Borough "hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act" and adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" as the municipal building code. The Borough's Building and Zoning page names Building Inspection Underwriters as the Borough's third-party inspection firm for building permits and says the application "is available at the Borough Office," 425 Bower Hill Road. Chapter 5, Part 2 names the 1993 BOCA National Building Code, while Part 4 incorporates the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time"; the Borough's pages name no residential code edition; the 1993 code's text was not read for this record, and this record does not decide which edition the Borough applies.

Bridgeville Borough's page says "you do not need a building permit to replace roof shingles," and the inspection firm's guide posted on the Borough's site exempts only "Replacement of up to 25% of roof." The Borough's two published statements differ. Its Building and Zoning page lists "Alterations/Repairs" among work for which "Building Permits are required," and under "When is a building permit not required?" says "Also you do not need a building permit to replace roof shingles. These are just some examples to give you a general guideline. You can contact our office if you have any questions." The inspection firm's step-by-step permitting guide, posted on the Borough's Permits and Applications page as "Important Note About Submitting Building Permit Applications," says "A permit is not required for the following items as long as the work does not violate a law or ordinance" and lists "Replacement of up to 25% of roof," and it adds "Please contact your local Building Department for help in determining if a permit is required before undertaking any home improvement projects." A full reroof replaces more than 25% of a roof; this record does not decide which statement answers for it. Chapter 5, Part 2 still adopts the "Boca National Building Code, 12th Edition, 1993" (Ordinance 837 of 1996) for "the design, construction, alteration, enlargement, repair, demolition, removal, maintenance and use of all buildings and structures," and Part 4 keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 that equal or exceed the code; this record has not read that model code's text. Neither part names roof work, and a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing" found no permit provision naming roof work. The Borough's Fee Resolution (Supp 27, November 2025) prices residential "Alterations and repairs" at "1.25% of construction cost" and has no roofing line. Under state law, Act 45 section 104(b)(5) and (6) list "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress" and "Repairs to residential buildings" among work the Act does not apply to, "except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503," and 34 Pa. Code 403.62(c) says "A permit is not required for the exceptions listed in § 403.1(b) (relating to scope) and the following, if the work does not violate a law or ordinance." The Borough Office is at 412-221-6012. Read for this record: Chapter 5 of the Borough Code, Parts 2 (BOCA Building Code) and 4 (Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code), in full; Chapter 4, Buildings; every page of a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; the Borough's Fee Resolution in full; the Borough's Building and Zoning and Permits and Applications pages; and the inspection firm's permitting guide posted there.