Dearborn particulars
Dearborn's Home Rehabilitation Program offers income-qualified owner-occupants a zero-interest deferred mortgage of up to 20 years, and the city lists "Roof replacement, aluminum/vinyl siding, gutters & downspouts" among eligible repairs. Applicants must have owned and lived in a one-family Dearborn home for at least one year. Whether you qualify, and what the program covers on your roof, is for the city to say. For permits, the city says building and trade permits are applied for online through BS&A, with a Homeowner Affidavit for construction permits, but its pages do not name re-roofing.
The office is at the Dearborn Administrative Center, 16901 Michigan Ave, reachable on 311 or 313-943-2150; the phone number is the city's general line. Our permit guide walks through how to ask. In Dearborn, 84.0 percent of the housing predates 1980 and the median home value is $205,900. Wayne County's snow load is 20 psf. Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported 4 times and wind of 50 knots or more 29 times in Jul 2024 to Jun 2026, and reports naming Dearborn add up to 1 hail and 1 wind, a minimum. Next door are Melvindale and Allen Park.
Roof replacement in Dearborn: what to know
The city offers a zero-interest deferred mortgage of up to 20 years, and applicants must have owned and occupied a one-family Dearborn home for at least one year. The program's repair list names roof replacement, siding, gutters and downspouts. Eligibility and coverage are the city's to decide, so ask before you sign any contract.
A replacement here follows the state rule: layers come off to the deck and an ice barrier runs at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line from the eaves, per the 2015 text and no Michigan amendment found. Wayne County's ground snow load is 20 psf. A median home value of $205,900 sits beside a housing stock that is 84.0 percent pre-1980.
Permits for roof replacement in Dearborn
Roofing is not on the state's exemption list, enforcement is local, and cities answer differently.
Many cities run their own building department, so start by asking the City of Dearborn building department who issues roofing permits.
When a replacement cannot wait for the calendar
- The old covering is off and the deck is open to rain or snow with no cover on it. Ask the company in writing what it will do tonight.
- Water is entering the house during the job.
- An aging roof with no leaks: compare written estimates and read your policy first.
What to gather before you ask for estimates
Try this first: call 313-943-2150 and ask whether the Home Rehabilitation Program accepts applications now, before you collect estimates.
- Find your declarations page and note whether roof losses settle at actual cash value or replacement cost, and whether you have ordinance and law coverage.
- Get written estimates, as DIFS advises, and ask each company what it will do about tear-off to the deck, the ice barrier, underlayment, flashing and the permit.
- Check each license number on LARA before you sign.
What roof replacement costs
The estimate below is the Michigan-wide one, adjusted for Michigan wages and not for Dearborn in particular. The same table is on the roof replacement page. How we estimate costs. Prices as of Oct 19, 2026.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $6,225 to $15,400 per roof, tear-off included | Built from two national published ranges, adjusted by the Michigan roofer median wage ratio (1.07) plus a typical permit fee ($100). No Michigan roofing company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count. |
| Estimated range per square, not a quote | $275 to $740 per square (100 square feet), installed | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Michigan roofer median wage ratio (1.07). No Michigan roofing company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count. |
| Roofer wage, Michigan median | $28.62 an hour | 25th to 75th percentile $23.02 to $37.56. What Michigan roofers are paid (BLS May 2025, read through O*NET OnLine), not what a company charges you. Medium confidence. |
| Roofer helper wage, Michigan median | $20.07 an hour | 25th to 75th percentile $18.50 to $23.86. A wage, not a price. Medium confidence. |
| Residential re-roofing permit, Grand Rapids | $66 | FY2027 fee schedule. |
| Roof or re-roof permit, Sterling Heights | $78, plus $56 application | Building permit application, 2026-27. |
| Roof permit, East Lansing | $60 application, plus $140 residential | Unclear whether the $140 includes the $60. |
| Re-roofing permit, Kalamazoo | $52 | 2026 fee schedule; other fees may add to it. |
| Roofing permit, Midland | Valuation is squares times $300; table starts at $78 for the first $1,000 | Whether the roofing fee uses this table is our inference. |
How we estimate costs: the Estimated range row is a model, not a quote. It takes two published national ranges for this job (cost guides from third-party sites that we have not verified and do not cite) and multiplies them by Michigan's roofer median wage ratio to the US (1.07, BLS May 2025 data read through O*NET OnLine) and adds a typical permit fee ($100). The wage and permit rows in the table are what roofing workers are paid and what a city's own schedule charges, and neither is a price. We have not collected quotes, and we found no Michigan roofing company that publishes a price we could count. Full method.
Questions about roof replacement
How many layers of shingles can a Michigan roof have?
Under the 2015 code, a re-cover is barred where the existing roof already has two or more applications of roof covering, so a second layer in total is the limit. A replacement includes tear-off to the deck. Re-cover is also barred over a water-soaked or deteriorated roof.
Does Michigan require an ice barrier on a new roof?
Michigan's table says yes, along the eaves: from the lowest edge to at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line. Slopes of 8:12 or steeper also need at least 36 inches along the slope. We rate the distances medium confidence.
Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Michigan?
It depends on your city: Grand Rapids and Sterling Heights require one, and Portage requires none for shingles only. Ask the building department before you sign.