What happens if you skip the permit (and you needed one)
- Stop-work orders and fines: Franklin Building Inspector can issue a citation (typically $250–$500 per day of non-compliance) and halt work until a permit is obtained and a re-inspection fee ($150–$250) is paid.
- Insurance denial: Most homeowners' policies void coverage for unpermitted roof work; a claim for wind or hail damage post-replacement can be denied outright, costing $15,000–$50,000 in repairs.
- Resale disclosure: Wisconsin Residential Real Estate Condition Report (NMAR) requires disclosure of unpermitted work; buyers can renegotiate $5,000–$15,000 off the sale price or demand permitted re-work before closing.
- Lender/refinance blocking: Mortgage companies and home-equity lenders will not refinance or close on a property with unpermitted roof work; discovery during appraisal or title search can kill a transaction.
Franklin, Wisconsin roof-replacement permits — the key details
Franklin adopted the 2015 Wisconsin Building Code, which incorporates the 2015 International Building Code and International Residential Code. For roof replacement, the governing section is IRC R905 (roof-covering requirements) and IRC R907 (reroofing). The critical rule for Franklin's climate: IRC R907.2(8) mandates ice-and-water shield (membrane underlayment) on all pitched roofs sloped 4:12 or steeper, extended at least 24 inches from the eave edge (the eave line where the roof meets the fascia), measured horizontally along the roof surface. This is not optional in Climate Zone 6A, which Franklin is. Why? Roof-ice dams form when heat loss from the living space melts snow on the roof, water runs down and freezes at the unheated overhang, and backed-up water seeps into the ceiling and walls. The ice-and-water shield acts as a secondary barrier to prevent that infiltration. Your permit application will require you to specify the underlayment type (e.g., 'self-adhering polymer-modified bituminous sheet, minimum 30 mils') and the extent ('24 inches from all eaves, plus 12 inches up the center line of all valleys'). If your plan doesn't specify this, the permit will be rejected or issued conditional on plan amendment. During framing inspection (after deck nailing, before new shingles), the inspector will verify that the underlayment has been installed per plan and that it extends the required distance. If it's short, you'll be ordered to stop and add it.
The three-layer rule is Franklin's second-most-common permit trigger. IRC R907.4 states: 'Roof assemblies shall have no more than two layers of roof covering. Where the existing roof covering is to be removed, a third layer shall be permitted.' In plain language: if your roof right now has three layers of shingles, you cannot overlay a fourth. You must tear off all three and install new shingles on bare deck. The City of Franklin's permit application includes a checkbox: 'Number of existing shingle layers: 1 / 2 / 3+'. If you check '2', you can propose an overlay; if you check '3+', you must propose a tear-off. If you check '2' but the inspector's field inspection (which happens early, before you start stripping) reveals a hidden third layer, work stops, you must obtain a plan amendment, tear off all layers, and pay a re-inspection fee ($150–$200). This happens 2–3 times per year in Franklin because homeowners don't know how many layers are up there (the previous owner may have overlaid over an overlay). You can avoid this by hiring a roofer to do a small sample tear in your attic-accessible corner, count the layers, and document it on your permit application. Many Franklin contractors bundle a $50–$100 'layer count' into their bid for this reason.
Material changes (shingles to metal, shingles to tile, etc.) are always permitted work, and Franklin requires a structural-adequacy review if you are switching to a heavier material. Asphalt shingles weigh about 2–3 pounds per square foot; clay tile weighs 12–15 pounds per square foot; metal is 1–2 pounds. If you're going to tile, you'll need a structural engineer's letter confirming that the roof framing (rafters, collar ties, ceiling joists) can support the additional load. This adds $300–$800 to your timeline (1–2 weeks for the engineer). Franklin's permit application will ask 'Is this a material change?' and if you check 'Yes', the plan-review comment will likely include a request for structural verification. Keep in mind that metal roofs may also trigger a lightning-protection assessment if your home is in a high-strike zone; Franklin does not mandate this, but your insurance company might. The good news: shingles-to-metal on a residential home typically gets an expedited (over-the-counter) permit review, often approved the same day, because the load is lighter and no structural concern exists.
Underlayment and fastening specifications are the third-most-common rejection reason in Franklin. The permit must specify not just the type of underlayment (ice-and-water shield, synthetic, tar paper), but also the fastening pattern for the new shingles. IRC R905.2 requires asphalt shingles to be fastened with a minimum 4 fasteners per shingle (6 for high-wind zones; Franklin is not in a high-wind hurricane zone, so 4 is standard). Your permit plan should state: 'New architectural asphalt shingles, ASTM D3462, installed with 1-1/4-inch galvanized roofing nails, 4 fasteners per shingle, per IRC R905.2.' If you don't specify, the permit gets a conditional-approval letter asking you to clarify before work starts. Many homeowners and roofers skip this detail thinking it's obvious; it's not—the city wants it on paper so that the inspector has a written standard to verify against. Bring the architectural shingle data sheet to your final inspection; the inspector will spot-check fastener count and spacing.
Wisconsin's frost-depth requirement (48 inches in Franklin) does not directly affect roof replacement, but it DOES affect any structural repairs discovered during the tear-off. If the inspector finds rot in a rafter tail (common in high-humidity attics with ice-dam damage), you may need to sister-rafter or replace the member. Any structural repair that changes the roof slope, adds ventilation, or touches the rim-joist flashing will require a plan amendment. Get 2–3 quotes from your roofer's structural-repair allowance ('if we find rot in up to 2 rafter bays, we'll repair it for $X; anything beyond that is change-order'). Budget $2,000–$5,000 for contingency if your roof is over 20 years old and you're in a freeze-thaw climate.
Three Franklin roof replacement scenarios
Ice dams, frost cycles, and why Franklin's 24-inch ice-and-water shield rule exists
Franklin's winters are brutal: average low in January is 18°F, and the city gets 45–50 inches of annual snowfall. Roof-ice dams form when warm attic air (leaking from living space, inadequate ventilation, or no ventilation) melts the bottom layer of snow on the roof. That water trickles down the roof surface and refreezes at the eave overhang, which is unheated and colder. The ice builds up, creating a dam that traps melt-water behind it. That water backs up under the shingles (which lap downslope and are designed to shed, not to block upslope flow) and seeps into the attic and ceiling cavity. In a single winter, ice-dam water damage can cost $5,000–$50,000 in drywall, insulation, framing repair, mold remediation, and contents damage. IRC R907.2(8) requires ice-and-water shield (a self-adhering polymer-modified bituminous membrane, typically 30–40 mils thick) to be installed along the eave as a secondary barrier. The shield adheres directly to the roof deck and resists water infiltration even if water backs up under the shingles. Franklin's 24-inch minimum extent (measured horizontally from the eave edge up the roof slope) covers the zone where dams typically form: the first 2–4 feet of roof above the fascia. The city also requires 12 inches up the centerline of all valleys (the low-lying seams between roof slopes), because valleys channel water and are another ice-dam hotspot. If your plan shows only 12 inches at eaves or no valley coverage, the permit will be rejected as non-compliant with R907.2(8). At deck-nailing inspection, the inspector or roofer will measure from the eave: if the shield is short, you'll be ordered to stop and add it before shingles go down. This is not a gray area—the city enforces it because they see ice-dam damage every winter. When you pull your permit, verify that your roofer understands this requirement; many out-of-state or younger roofers have not worked in Zone 6A and may not default to ice-and-water shield without being told. Ask: 'Ice-and-water shield spec: 24 inches from eaves, 12 inches up valleys, per IRC R907.2(8)—correct?' If they push back or say 'we'll use tar paper instead to save cost,' find a different roofer or budget the shield upgrade yourself.
The three-layer rule and why Franklin's inspector will ask you to count them
Asphalt shingles are typically installed over a thin layer of underlayment (tar paper or synthetic). Each layer of shingles is about 0.25 inches thick; three layers are 0.75 inches thick. When shingles are installed, fasteners (nails) penetrate through the shingles and into the deck (wood or OSB). Each new layer of fasteners can create small holes in the layer below. On a three-layer roof, you have three sets of nail holes in the same deck zone, and fastener density becomes chaotic. Worse, the lower layers may be decomposing (tar paper dries out, synthetic layers may separate), and the shingles themselves may be curling or lifting. The risk: water infiltration, uneven fastening (new nails may miss the deck or bend on hidden old nails), and roof failure. IRC R907.4 says: no more than two layers without a tear-off. This rule has been in place for decades. Franklin enforces it by asking on the permit form: 'Number of existing shingle layers: 1 / 2 / 3+?' If you check 3+, you must propose a tear-off. If you check 2, you can propose an overlay. But here's the catch: homeowners often don't know how many layers are up there. The previous owner may have overlaid over an overlay in the 1980s, and nobody documented it. You can't tell from the ground. The only way to know for sure is to go into your attic, find a spot near the eave where the roof deck is accessible, and do a small tear (or have a roofer do it) to count the layers. This costs $50–$150 (labor) and takes 30 minutes. Smart roofers do this before quoting and before the permit is filed. If you don't, and the inspector's walk-up finds a third layer, you're in trouble: the permit is issued for an overlay, you start work, then you have to stop, tear off everything, amend the permit, and restart. This adds 1–2 weeks and $3,000–$5,000 in tear-off costs. It's worth the pre-inspection. If you're buying a home and the roof replacement is part of your closing checklist, insist on a roofer layer-count as part of your roofing inspection. Document it on your purchase agreement: 'Roof is confirmed to have two layers; if three are found during replacement, seller will fund tear-off cost overrun up to $X.'
9200 West Loomis Road, Franklin, WI 53132 (Franklin City Hall)
Phone: (414) 425-7500 (main line; ask for Building Permits or Building Inspector) | https://www.franklinwisconsin.com/government/building-permits (verify current portal URL with city)
Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM (Central Time); closed major holidays
Common questions
What does 'over 25% of the roof' mean? How do I know if my repair is 25% or less?
Roof area is measured in 'squares' (100 sq ft per square). Your total roof area is the sum of all sloped surfaces. If your roof is 2,000 sq ft, that's 20 squares. 25% of 20 is 5 squares (500 sq ft). If your repair covers 5 or fewer squares and does not involve a tear-off (just patches or shingle replacement), you're under the exempt threshold. If it's a tear-off of any size, it's permit-required. Measure your repair zone on a roof plan or ask your roofer to calculate it; if you're unsure, call the Building Department and they'll help. Better yet, pull the permit—the fee is only $100–$200, and you avoid the risk of being wrong.
Can I do the tear-off myself and hire a licensed roofer just for the new shingles?
Yes. Wisconsin allows owner-builders for owner-occupied single-family homes, including roof work. You can pull the permit as the owner and do the tear-off and decking repairs yourself, then hire a roofer for underlayment and shingles. However, you are responsible for all inspections. The deck-nailing inspection must pass before the roofer starts; if the inspector finds issues (bad decking, nails popped, loose framing), you must fix them. Most homeowners do not have the skills to properly inspect deck condition or repair rafters, so this is risky. A better approach: hire the roofer as a labor contractor (not a general contractor—they're your employee), pay them hourly, and you pull the permit and schedule inspections. Verify with the Building Department that this complies with Wisconsin's owner-builder rules; requirements vary by city.
If I find rafter rot or decking damage during tear-off, do I need to stop and get a structural engineer?
Not necessarily. Minor rot (less than 10% of a rafter bay, confined to the outer 2 inches of wood) can be repaired with sister-rafters or wood patching per standard carpentry practice. Your roofer can often handle this and will include a cost allowance. If rot is extensive (more than 10% of framing, spans multiple bays, or affects load-bearing members), the inspector or your roofer will recommend a structural engineer's assessment. You'll need a letter from the engineer confirming repair adequacy. This adds $400–$600 and 1 week but is required by code for major structural work. Get an allowance from your roofer in the estimate: 'Included: minor rot repair (sister-rafter, patching) up to 10 sq ft; over that, structural engineer cost at actual.' This protects you from surprise $2,000 engineer bills if the damage is worse than expected.
Do I need a permit for just re-flashing around a chimney or skylight?
No. Flashing-only work (re-flashing without disturbing the shingles or decking) is exempt from permitting in Franklin. If you're replacing a flashing boot around a skylight or a lead-flashing apron around a chimney without touching the surrounding shingles, you don't need a permit. However, if your flashing replacement requires removing shingles to install the new flashing, or if you're doing a partial tear-off that includes the flashing, that's permit-required (tear-off). Ask your roofer: 'Is this work going to disturb existing shingles?' If yes, pull a permit.
What if the inspector finds a problem during the deck-nailing inspection and halts the job?
The inspector will issue a conditional approval or stop-work order describing the issue (e.g., 'decking is delaminating in three bays,' 'rafter tails show active rot,' 'ice-and-water shield is only 12 inches at eaves, needs to be 24 inches'). You or your roofer must fix the issue and call the Building Department to reschedule. Once fixed, the inspector will do a re-inspection (usually same day or next business day). If you ignore the stop-work order and continue work, the city can issue a citation ($250–$500) and force removal of non-compliant work (tearing out new shingles at your expense). This is rare but happens if a homeowner or contractor is belligerent. Always cooperate with the inspector; most issues are fixable and fast once you know what's wrong.
Does a metal roof installation require a different type of permit than asphalt shingles?
No, it's the same permit category ('roof replacement' or 're-roofing'), but metal roofs are flagged as a 'material change,' which may trigger a longer plan-review window (3–5 days instead of 1–2). The inspector will want to verify the underlayment, fastener pattern (metal roofing uses different fasteners and spacing than shingles), and flashing detail (metal roofs have different ridge and gable terminations). Get a detailed metal-roofing plan from your contractor that specifies: underlayment type, fastener type and spacing, panel overlap, ridge cap, gable flashing, and warranty terms. Bring the manufacturer's installation guide to the final inspection; the inspector may spot-check fastener count and spacing. Metal roofs are otherwise straightforward; they are lighter than shingles and do not require structural upgrades in most cases.
What is the fastest way to get a roof permit approved in Franklin?
Submit a complete, detailed plan (like-for-like asphalt-shingle replacement, no structural repairs, ice-and-water shield and underlayment specs clearly listed). File online via the city's permit portal if available; if not, submit in person at City Hall (9200 W. Loomis Rd.) with two copies of the plan. Over-the-counter permits (no engineering or structural review needed) are typically approved same-day or within 1–2 business days. The slowest path: material change (shingles to tile or vice versa) + structural concerns = 1–2 weeks of review. To speed things up, have your roofer prepare the plan, confirm layer count and deck condition beforehand, and include all code-required specs in the application. Avoid conditional approvals by being thorough upfront.
Does Franklin require a roofer to be licensed?
Wisconsin does not require roofers to be licensed at the state level. However, Franklin may require proof of insurance and a municipal contractor license or business license. Check with the Building Department when you submit your permit application; they'll tell you what documentation the roofer must provide. Most reputable roofers carry general liability and workers' compensation insurance anyway. Ask your roofer for a copy of their insurance certificate and add the City of Franklin as an additional insured; this protects you if someone is injured on your property during the roofing work. A licensed contractor (general contractor, electrician, plumber) can pull a permit for roofing work as a subcontractor, or an owner-builder can pull it themselves.
How long does the whole roof-replacement project take from permit to completion?
Typical timeline: permit application to approval (1–2 days, over-the-counter), contractor schedules deck-nailing inspection (2–3 days), roof work (tear-off, decking repair, underlayment, shingles installation) is 3–7 days depending on weather and roof size, final inspection (1 day), and Certificate of Occupancy or Completion (1 day). Total: 2–3 weeks from permit approval to finished roof, assuming no major damage discoveries or permit delays. Bad weather (rain, high wind) can add 1–2 weeks. If structural repairs are needed, add 1–2 weeks for engineering and remediation. Budget 3–4 weeks end-to-end for a straightforward residential re-roof in Franklin. Schedule work in late spring or early fall to avoid winter delays.
Can my homeowners' insurance company deny a claim if I didn't pull a permit?
Yes, absolutely. Most homeowners' insurance policies require that major work (roof replacement, structural repair) be permitted and inspected per local code. If you file a claim for hail or wind damage and the insurer discovers that the roof replacement that led to the damage was not permitted, they can deny the claim or cancel your policy. Similarly, if you attempt to claim damage from ice-dam water intrusion and the insurer learns that your roof was not up to code (ice-and-water shield not extended far enough, per-permit-required work not done), they can cite non-compliance and deny coverage. Always pull the permit. The $100–$200 permit fee is cheap insurance against a $15,000–$50,000 claim denial.