Roofing in Falls Church, VA: one name, two permit offices
Falls Church is an independent city of about two square miles, and many addresses that say Falls Church are not in it. Which office reviews your roof depends on the parcel, so we start there. This page explains the split, the buildings we meet on each side, and the work Reston Roof does.
Where is the parcel, and who answers for it
| Where the property is | Who handles building permits |
|---|---|
| Inside the City of Falls Church | City Department of Code Administration, City Hall, 300 Park Avenue, 703-248-5080. Fairfax County has no role. |
| Seven Corners, Bailey's Crossroads, Idylwood, West Falls Church, Lake Barcroft, Pimmit Hills or the Merrifield area | Fairfax County Land Development Services, 703-222-0801. These are unincorporated county places with Falls Church mailing addresses. |
The City's Address Finder gives a rule of thumb: most addresses numbered 1400 and over are outside the City, and so are likely addresses on Leesburg Pike, Arlington Boulevard and Lee Highway. The primary City ZIP is 22046, while 22041 and 22043 and most of 22042 and 22044 are county ground. Neither Metro station with the name is inside the City: East Falls Church is in Arlington County and West Falls Church is in Fairfax County. We check the parcel before we quote.
What the two offices say about roofs
City: its permit pages say that in a single-family dwelling you can replace the roof without a permit, as long as rafters or a major portion of the decking are not being replaced, and that anything involving framing needs a permit. The pages do not define a major portion, and they do not mention roof repairs, chimney repairs, townhouses or condominiums.
County: Land Development Services lists replacing roof shingles as work without a building permit, and lists roof repairs, chimney repairs and solar panels as permit work. Replacing less than 256 square feet (9 boards) of roof plywood needs none unless the decking must be fire-rated, as on townhomes.
So we confirm your exact scope with the right office before we start. Our Fairfax County permits guide covers the county half.
Two housing markets under one name
Inside the City, Census estimates for 2020 to 2024 count about 6,585 housing units. Detached houses are 36.5 percent and attached townhouses 9.7 percent, while 37.8 percent are in buildings of 50 or more units. The median year built is 1971, and 48.9 percent date from before 1970. Whittier Park is primarily townhomes, Cherry Hill Townhomes were built in 1978 and 1979, Winter Hill dates from 1949 with condominiums and 55+ apartments, and Greenway Downs and Virginia Forest hold single-family houses from 1941 on.
In the county areas, West Falls Church, Lake Barcroft and Pimmit Hills are the house-heavy ones, with 60 to 74 percent detached and median build years of 1961 to 1965. Seven Corners, Bailey's Crossroads and Merrifield are mostly apartments and condominiums. Roof materials and ages vary by street, so each roof is looked at on its own.
History, design review and associations
The City's historic district is a zoning overlay of the entire City, which surprises people. The Historic Architectural Review Board reviews applications to demolish or move protected structures, and for alterations of historic structures it makes recommendations only. Historic structures are houses built as residences in 1910 or earlier, plus any structure the ordinance expressly protects. Cherry Hill Farmhouse on Park Avenue, from 1845, and The Falls Church on East Fairfax Street, from 1769, are on the National Register, which does not regulate private owners.
If your community has an association, get its approval before work. Lake Barcroft has a community association, so ask it whether it reviews roofs.
Storms, trees and power lines
The mayor wrote in March 2025 that the City's tree canopy is 48 percent. Wind finds trees first, and the reports are mostly about outages. After the June 2012 derecho the local newspaper described thousands without power and more than 100 traffic lights out. On June 12, 2026 thunderstorm warnings cited gusts up to 70 miles per hour, with Falls Church in the path. In the overnight storm of September 3 to 4, 2026 a tree blocked Annandale Road at Graham Road in West Falls Church. Dominion Energy handles the lines.
What we do here, and the pages that go deeper
- Roof replacement and repair on houses and townhouses.
- Chimney leak repair, since a chimney leak can turn out to be a flashing problem.
- Emergency repair and tarping after storms, with photos of the damage for your claim.
- Small repairs, and roofs on gazebos and other small structures.
- Membrane roofing on low-slope sections and condominium roofs, and metal roofing on houses.
- TPO roofing in Falls Church: flat roofs on townhouses, condominiums and additions.
- EPDM roofing in Falls Church: rubber for small porch and garage roofs.
- PVC roofing in Falls Church: roofs under exhaust or crowded with pipes.
- Metal roofing in Falls Church: panels for mid-century houses.
Our leak repair guide and chimney flashing article are good starting points. Neighbors we also serve include McLean, Annandale, Vienna and Arlington.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my Falls Church address is inside the City?
Not every Falls Church mailing address is in the City. The City's Address Finder says most addresses numbered 1400 and over are outside it, and that addresses on Leesburg Pike, Route 7, Arlington Boulevard, Route 50, Lee Highway or Route 29 are likely outside too. The primary City ZIP code is 22046. Call Code Administration at 703-248-5080 with the street address, or use the Address Finder.
When does a Falls Church re-roof stop being permit-free?
Inside the City, the City says a single-family owner may replace a roof without a permit if rafters or a major portion of the decking are not being replaced, and framing needs a permit. In the county areas, shingle replacement needs no building permit but roof repairs and chimney repairs do. Which rule applies depends on your address and your exact scope, so we confirm both with the right office before we start.
Does the historic overlay mean a review board must approve my new roof?
The overlay covers the entire City, but for alterations of historic structures the Historic Architectural Review Board makes recommendations only. Its required review is for demolishing or moving protected structures. Historic structures are houses built as residences in 1910 or earlier, plus any structure the ordinance expressly protects. Whether state code lets the City require a roof permit under the overlay is not clear, so ask Code Administration.
What do you do when a storm damages a roof near Falls Church?
We inspect the damage and, where needed, tarp the roof so rain stays out while the permanent repair is planned. We document the damage with photos for your claim, then put the permanent fix in writing, including which office needs to hear about it. Stay clear of downed lines, and call Dominion Energy about wires before anyone goes near a fallen tree.
Do you roof condominiums and townhouses, or only houses?
We work on houses and townhouses, and on low-slope sections, condominium roofs and some small commercial roofs using membrane systems. The material pages for TPO, EPDM, PVC and metal explain which suits which roof. Condominium work needs the owner or association to sign off, and roofs outside our scope are flagged early.
Call about a Falls Church roof
Give us the street address and what the roof is doing, and we will start with which side of the City line it falls on. Phone (571) 453-6515.
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