Roofing in Centreville, VA: Townhouse Rows, Cul-de-Sac Houses and Who Signs Off
Centreville is a place of rows and cul-de-sacs, mostly built in the 1980s and 1990s, in unincorporated Fairfax County. Reston Roof replaces and repairs roofs here, repairs chimney leaks, tarps damaged roofs and covers flat sections. This page lays out what we have confirmed about roofing in Centreville and what we still ask you to check.
A townhouse market with a house market next to it
Census estimates for the Centreville place (2020 to 2024) count about 25,400 homes. Of those, 47.6 percent are attached townhouses, 31.4 percent are detached houses and 19 percent sit in buildings of five or more units. The median home was built in 1991, and 68.9 percent date from 1980 through 1999. Only 11 percent are older than 1980.
The census place is not the same as the three Centreville ZIP codes, 20120, 20121 and 20122. Roof age and material vary even within one street. A roof from 1985 may well have been replaced once already, so the roof itself is what tells you.
Who has to say yes
| Who | What we could confirm |
|---|---|
| Fairfax County Land Development Services | Building official for Centreville. Its guidance lists shingle replacement as not needing a building permit and lists roof repairs, chimney repairs and solar panels as permit work. Fire-rated townhouse decking can also trigger one. |
| Your association | Many Centreville communities, including Virginia Run and Newgate, have associations. Check your own covenants before choosing a material or color. |
| County Architectural Review Board | Only inside the Centreville Historic Overlay District. It reviews exterior alterations; ask the county what its guidelines say about roofs. |
| Reston Roof | We confirm your scope with the county, ask about your association, and photograph the finished work so you have a record. |
Permit answers depend on scope. See our Fairfax County roofing permits guide and the note on HOA roof rules for the questions to ask first.
Shared rooflines: what changes on a townhouse
A townhouse roof is often shared in part. The ridge, the wall flashing between units and sometimes the gutters tie your roof to the neighbors'. Before we plan work we ask three questions. Does the association want the whole row done at once? Is the plywood below fire rated, which is the case the county flags? And where will the dumpster and ladders go in a tight lot?
Newgate, described by listing sites as a mix of townhouses, single-family and back-to-back homes, is a good example of a place where those questions come up. We have no roofing data on it beyond that, so we ask each owner and each board.
Old Centreville is a different story
Historic Centreville traces back to the late eighteenth century, with a village laid out along Braddock's Road. The overlay district that covers it was created in 1986 and was expanded in 2007 to nearly 85 acres, according to a news article. That is a small old-town district, not a neighborhood, so the larger subdivisions are unlikely to sit inside it.
Mount Gilead Road and the Mount Gilead House, built about 1785, belong to that history. If you live close by, the county parcel lookup comes before any quote.
Two typical Centreville roofs, described
A 1980s interior townhouse off Compton Road, shingles curling. The roof is about 900 square feet and shared with neighbors on both sides. We would measure what needs replacing, ask the county about the fire-rated decking question, and ask the association whether the row is being done at once. The owner sees a plan that treats the party wall flashing separately, and a closing set of photos.
A 1990s detached house near Route 28 with a chimney leak. Staining shows on the ceiling beside the fireplace. We would trace the water, rebuild the chimney flashing, replace nearby shingles that have lifted, and leave the rest alone if it is sound. The county lists chimney repairs as permit work, so we confirm that before starting. The owner sees photos of the source and a written scope.
Flat Sections, Condo Roofs and Metal in Centreville
Most Centreville roofs are pitched. These four pages cover the exceptions and the upgrades, and say when each one is the wrong choice.
Getting to the job
Route 29, once called Lee Highway, is the main street through Centreville, and Route 28 meets Interstate 66 nearby, so those are the roads we plan around for deliveries. Stone Road and Braddock Road run through the older parts of town, and Stringfellow Road links toward Chantilly. Bull Run Regional Park, Centreville Regional Library on St. Germain Drive and Sully Woodlands are landmarks, not roof addresses, so jobs are planned from your street address. In townhouse rows we plan ladder and dumpster positions with the neighbors in mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Centreville town hall where I file for a roof permit?
No. Centreville is a census designated place in unincorporated western Fairfax County, so there is no town government and no town permit step. Fairfax County Land Development Services is the building official, and its permit guidance applies. Whether your particular job needs a permit depends on the scope, so we confirm it with the county before we start, and we also ask whether your association has to approve the work.
What does the county say about replacing shingles on a Centreville townhouse?
County guidance lists replacement of roof shingles as work that does not need a building permit, but it lists roof repairs and chimney repairs as permit work. It also says replacing under 256 square feet of roof plywood needs no permit unless the decking must be fire rated, as on townhomes. None of that is a blanket rule, so confirm your exact scope with Land Development Services before work starts.
Where do I look up my roof rules if I live in Virginia Run or Sully Station?
Start with your own community documents and the association's architectural committee. Virginia Run and Sully Station are Centreville communities. Ask whether the same material and color needs approval, whether a change does, and whether a whole building or row has to be done together. Keep the written answer so the plan follows it.
Is my house inside the Centreville Historic Overlay District?
Probably not, but the parcel decides. The district is a small old-town area off Route 29 and Braddock Road, about 85 acres after a 2007 expansion according to a news article, so the large newer subdivisions are unlikely to sit inside it. If your address is inside, the county Architectural Review Board handles exterior alterations, and its roofing guidance should be checked first.
Which electric company do I call if a limb brings down a wire onto my Centreville roof?
It depends on your address. Dominion Energy serves most of Fairfax County, but the county lists parts of Centreville and Clifton as served by Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative, or NOVEC. Check your bill for the name. Stay off the roof and away from the wire, photograph the damage from the ground, then call us. We can tarp the opening and document damage with photos for your claim.
Around Centreville
Chantilly to the north is also unincorporated Fairfax County and uses the same permit office. Fairfax Station and the City of Fairfax are close by, though the City handles its own permits. Oakton and Vienna sit farther east. Clifton is a Town on Clifton Road southeast of Centreville, and its own rules were not researched here. See all service areas.