The city's 2025 Master Plan places Clawson "between Royal Oak and Troy", and it shares a boundary with both. Roofers Royal Oak takes roofing requests from Clawson homeowners and passes each one to a roofing contractor serving ZIP 48017. Say whether you need a repair or a new roof when you ask.
Clawson covers just 2.2 square miles, by the plan's count, and the questions on a re-roof here tend to be the same few: what's on the roof now, where the old shingles go, and who pulls the permit.
Clawson homes and their roofs
The Census Bureau's 2020–2024 survey puts the median Clawson home's build year at 1958. By our arithmetic from the same survey, 2,333 of the city's 5,872 homes (39.7%) were built in the 1950s and another 1,094 (18.6%) in the 1960s, while only 239 (4.1%) date from 2000 or later. By the same arithmetic, about three in four homes are detached houses.
The Master Plan, adopted by the City Council on June 3, 2025, records the boom behind those numbers: "The City of Clawson experienced a significant population boom from 1950 to 1970. In two decades, the population increased 239 percent." It describes the downtown, at Fourteen Mile Road and Main Street, as "surrounded by neighborhoods with modest homes", and along East 14 Mile it says the "units are primarily ranches."
Little has been built since. The plan counts 29 new single-family homes permitted from 2010 through 2023 and 15 demolished, "for a net total of 14 new single-family homes." On a house this age, an estimate should say how many layers are coming off and how damaged decking will be priced.
On a one-story ranch the whole roof sits over living space, so the eaves and attic ventilation deserve a close look; the ice dam guide explains why.
Permits in Clawson
The city's Guide to Building and Permits lists roofs among the jobs that need a building permit, which it says are "required by ordinance." For a roof, the guide's submittal list asks for a building permit application and, when a contractor is doing the job, a copy of the signed contract. The guide dates from 2022 and is still linked from the city's permits page.
"A permit is good for six (6) months from issue date." An inspection within that time extends it by another six months, and "A reinstatement fee of $75 applies to expired permits." The number of inspections depends on the permit and scope of work; inspections booked by 3 p.m. go on the next business day's schedule, and the application charges $35.00 for cancelling on the day.
The fee schedule the city links online took effect on July 1, 2024, and it isn't clear how its base fee and its percentage of the construction cost combine, so call the building department to confirm the fee.
Who can pull a roofing permit in Clawson
For homes, the guide says permits can be issued to a contractor holding a state license or "to a homeowner for their primary residence." It recommends the contractor apply when a contractor does the work, and warns that if the owner applies, "the City will hold the property owner responsible for the work, regardless of who performed the work". Work on a rental property must be done by contractors holding a license.
The building permit application, revised in May 2023, includes a Homeowner Affidavit in which the owner states the work is being "installed by myself in my own home in which I am living or about to occupy". It also cites the state law that "prohibits a person from conspiring to circumvent the licensing requirements of this state". If someone else is doing your roof, let them pull the permit.
Contractors register with the Building Department by showing a current trade license, a driver's license and proof of liability insurance. You can check any roofer's state license on the State of Michigan license lookup.
Debris, dumpsters and work hours
Clawson's Construction Site Standards and Expectations, a city handout for homes and businesses, is specific about what a tear-off leaves behind: "All construction materials and debris must be contained in a dumpster, not spread out over the entire property causing a nuisance." And "All sidewalks, alleys and roads must remain free of building materials, building activity and debris at all times."
If the dumpster has to sit in the street, the handout says "All obstructions of the public right of ways and roadways will require permits from the City of Clawson Department of Public Works." The permit itself goes on display: "A copy of the building permit with the contractor's phone number must be posted in a conspicuous accessible place on the job site when construction starts." Ask where the dumpster will go and whether any DPW permit is in the estimate.
On timing, the handout says "Operation of any tools or equipment used in construction, excavation or demolition are not allowed prior to 7:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m." It doesn't name the days, so confirm any weekend start with the city.
Trees, wind and water
The Master Plan sets "Goal 6: Increase healthy tree canopy throughout the City" and treats the canopy as a stormwater tool. Water is a live issue here: the plan says "Problems with flooding during large storm events were a prominent theme", and notes that Clawson has "a combined storm and sanitary sewer system". Gutters and downspouts decide where a roof's water ends up, so ask about them with any roof estimate.
NOAA's Storm Events Database, built from National Weather Service Detroit/Pontiac reports, records high wind across the Oakland County zone on December 11, 2021, and, in preliminary 2026 data, on March 13, 2026, a storm that left "around 200,000 DTE Energy customers without power".
Roof repair and roof replacement in Clawson
- Roof replacement: tear-off to the decking, new underlayment, ice and water shield, flashing, ventilation and shingles.
- Roof repair: missing or storm-damaged shingles, flashing at chimneys and walls, and cracked pipe boots.
- Roof leak repair: tracing where the water gets in, which is rarely right above the stain.
- Garage roofs: detached garage roofs, and what a garage re-roof involves.
- Ice dams: why they form at the eaves and what fixes them for good.
What a roof costs in Clawson
Every roof is priced after a roofer has looked at it, because size, pitch, layers to remove and decking repairs make the difference. We publish sourced Royal Oak price ranges, with what makes one roof cost more than another, in the roof replacement cost guide and the roof repair cost guide. They're published guides, not quotes for a Clawson roof.
Nearby cities
Requests from Clawson ZIP code 48017 go to a licensed roofing contractor who serves the area. Nearby cities with their own pages:
Common questions
Does a new roof need a permit in Clawson?
Yes. The city's permit guide lists roofs under building permits. For a roof, Clawson asks for a building permit application and, when a contractor is doing the job, a copy of the signed contract.
Can I pull my own roofing permit in Clawson?
Only for your primary residence, with a homeowner affidavit. The city then holds you responsible for the work whoever does it, and rental property work must be done by contractors holding a license.
What time can roofing work start in Clawson?
Not before 7 a.m., and tools must stop by 9 p.m., under the city's construction site standards. Check with the city before any weekend work.
What does Clawson require for roofing debris?
Debris goes in a dumpster, not across the property. Sidewalks, alleys and roads must stay clear, and a dumpster in the public right-of-way needs a permit from the Department of Public Works.
How long does a Clawson building permit last?
Six months from the issue date. An inspection within that time extends it by six months, and an expired permit costs $75 to reinstate.
Where this information comes from
The local rules and figures on this page come from these published pages, checked on September 28, 2026.
- City of Clawson: Guide to Building and Permits · City permit guide, June 2022
- City of Clawson: Building Inspections and Permits · City permits page
- City of Clawson: Building Permit Application · City form with the Homeowner Affidavit, revised May 2023
- City of Clawson: Fees & Payment Options · City page linking the fee schedule
- City of Clawson: fee schedule 2024/2025 · City fee schedule, effective July 1, 2024
- City of Clawson: Construction Site Standards and Expectations · City handout on debris, dumpsters and work hours
- City of Clawson: 2025 Master Plan · City master plan, adopted June 3, 2025
- US Census Bureau: ACS 2020–2024, Clawson · Housing age, type and tenure
- NOAA NCEI: Storm Events Database files · NWS Detroit/Pontiac storm reports, 2021–2026 (2026 preliminary)
