Low-slope and flat roofs
Townhouse additions, condo-building roofs and porch tops are common here. Start at our flat roof page for membranes, seams and drains.
Roofing Company in Reston, VA
Reston has no town hall, so a roof job here runs through two separate offices: Fairfax County for permits and Reston Association for the covenants. Only about one home in five is a detached house, and nearly half sit in buildings of five or more units, so condo boards, townhouse rows and low-slope roofs shape most jobs.
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Who reviews a Reston roof when the town has no building office?
Reston is a census-designated place inside Fairfax County, not an incorporated town. Building permits come from Fairfax County Land Development Services. Reston Association is a private covenant and amenity association, so it reviews exterior changes under the Reston Deed but does not issue permits.
A permit question goes to the county. A color or material question goes to the association, the condo board or the Town Center body.
What we do here
Which King's Roofing service fits a Reston townhouse, condo or house?
Pitched-roof repair
Lifted shingles and flashing leaks on houses and townhouse rows. See roof repair.
Replacement
A full tear-off needs a material choice that your covenant body may ask about first. See roof replacement and the materials guide.
Fairfax County permits
What does Land Development Services say about Reston roof permits?
Phone numbers below come from the offices' own pages. Confirm the details for your address with the office before work is scheduled.
The county's "Does My Project Require a Permit?" page lists replacement of roof shingles and replacement of less than 256 square feet (9 boards) of roof plywood among work that does not need a permit. It adds an exception: plywood that must be fire rated, such as on townhomes. The same page lists roof repairs and chimney repairs under miscellaneous work that does need one.
The permit library names "Re-Roof/Re-Line" and "Roof Repair" as residential miscellaneous permit types, and it does not say which re-roof scopes are exempt. So treat the two pages together: a shingle-for-shingle swap sits on the no-permit list, while decking above the threshold, townhouse fire-rated decking, chimney work and a change of roof system are the cases to raise with the county.
| What you plan | Who to ask | Contact on the office's page |
|---|---|---|
| Roof repair, chimney work, deck replacement, change of roof system | Fairfax County Land Development Services | 703-222-0801 (TTY 711) |
| Shingle choice or color on a home under the Reston Deed | Reston Association Covenants staff and Design Review Board | 703-435-6530 |
| Exterior change inside the Reston Town Center district | Reston Town Center Association Design Review Board | 703.435.6600, drb@restontc.org |
| Roof work at Lake Anne Village Center | Fairfax County heritage resources contact | 703-324-1380 |
| Condo or cluster roof | Your own board or management company | Ask for the roofing rule in writing |
One more county detail matters for larger buildings. The county's asbestos form says the building code requires an inspection for asbestos-containing materials before renovation of buildings built before 1985, and that this does not apply to single-family dwellings or to housing with four or fewer units. A condo building of five or more units with a 1970s roof is the case to ask Land Development Services about.
Design review
What does the Reston Association roofing checklist ask a homeowner for?
The association's Design Review Board application has a section just for roofing. Expect to hand over a color photo showing the manufacturer, style and material, the type of material (for example 3-tab, architectural, wood, simulated shakes, metal, tile), any change to gutters, downspouts or gutter guards, and photos of each side of the house.
The application packet also requires acknowledgement from neighboring property owners, by signature or with proof of mailing.
The association's FAQ says most exterior alterations, large or small, need review by the board or by Covenants staff. It says decisions from a meeting are usually released within about three days for staff-level consultations and one week for panel or full-board reviews, and that approved work must start within six months and be substantially complete within eighteen months.
The question to ask first: whether a same-color replacement of the same shingle needs an application at all. Nothing we read answers that either way, so call Covenants staff at 703-435-6530 before you assume yes or no. For a plain-language walk-through, read our guide to Roofing Company Reston VA: HOA Guide.
Other review bodies
Do Reston Town Center and Lake Anne answer to different boards?
Yes. The Reston Town Center Association's Design Review Board says new construction and all exterior modifications on any commercial or residential property inside the district, including lighting, signage, facades, trim, doors and windows, need its approval before the project starts and before any required county approval. Its board meets virtually on the second Tuesday of each month, and applications are due at least one week before. The page does not name roofs in that list, so ask the board whether a roof job counts.
Lake Anne Village Center is Reston's Fairfax County historic overlay district. The county page says the center opened in 1965 and was designated for its place in the 1960s new-town movement and its architecture. If your building is in the center, call the county's heritage resources contact before choosing a roof color or material.
Low-slope roofs
EPDM roofing in Reston
EPDM is a black synthetic rubber sheet laid over a low-slope roof, with seams that are taped or glued. On a Reston townhouse it usually shows up on a rear addition, a bump-out or a porch top, and on condo buildings it covers larger flat sections behind a parapet.
EPDM repairs depend on seam condition and the flashings around vents and walls, so the first call is about where water shows inside and how old the sheet is.
TPO roofing in Reston
TPO is a smooth thermoplastic sheet, usually white or light gray, whose seams are heat-welded. In Reston it fits the larger roofs of attached housing, where a reflective surface and welded seams suit a building with rooftop vents and equipment.
Before choosing between TPO and EPDM, ask for the written scope to name the membrane, how seams are joined, how drains and wall flashing are treated, and what happens if the insulation underneath is wet. Our flat roof page compares both side by side with PVC and modified bitumen, and the materials guide covers pitched-roof options.
Housing
How much of Reston is detached houses, townhouses and condo buildings?
Census Bureau figures, ACS 2024 5-year estimate for the Reston place, 30,485 homes.
20.2 percent detached
6,171 single-family houses. Pitched shingle, shake or metal roofs, and the association's design review.
29.8 percent attached
9,091 townhouses and similar. Shared walls, fire-rated decking questions and cluster standards.
46.9 percent in 5+ unit buildings
14,286 homes, including 6,859 in buildings of 50 or more units. Roofs here are decided by boards and managers.
The median Reston home was built in 1984, and 10.8 percent of homes date from before 1970. The Census counts homes, not roofs, so these figures do not tell you any roof's shape or age.
Weather and trees
What has weather done to roofs around Reston Parkway and Wiehle Avenue?
On April 19, 2019, the National Weather Service confirmed an EF0 tornado with peak winds of 70 mph that ran about four miles through Reston, from near Fox Mill Road and Pinecrest Road to Center Harbor Road and Wiehle Avenue. RestonNow's report says a tree went through the upper floor of a townhouse on Quietree Drive and that fencing and roof shingles were damaged near Town Harbor Drive. No injuries were reported.
Trees are part of the picture. Reston Association says it maintains over 1,300 acres of open space, including 800 acres of woodlands, so many roofs sit near mature trees.
Process
What happens between your first call and a Reston crew date?
Name your building
Detached house, townhouse, condo building or Town Center property decides which offices apply.
Phone call
A free 15-minute call about the roof, its age and where water shows.
Roof visit
Someone looks at the surface, flashings and drains.
Written scope
Materials, exclusions and what the county or your board needs to see.
Review, then work
Applications and permits are confirmed before a crew date is set.
Reviews
Where can you read the Google reviews?
5.0 on Google from 60 reviews.
FAQ
Questions about roofing under Reston's covenants
Does Reston Association issue roofing permits?
No. Reston Association is a covenant and amenity association. Building permits come from Fairfax County Land Development Services, while the association reviews exterior changes under the Reston Deed.
Is a same-color shingle replacement exempt from Design Review Board review?
We do not assume either answer. The association's application has a roofing section, so roofing is a recognized review category. Ask Covenants staff at 703-435-6530 whether your exact replacement needs an application.
Why does the Reston Association application ask for photos of every side of the house?
Its roofing checklist asks for a color photo showing manufacturer, style and material, plus photos of each elevation, so the board can compare the proposal to the house as it stands.
Does Fairfax County treat a townhouse roof differently?
On one point, yes. The county's exemption for replacing less than 256 square feet of roof plywood excludes plywood that must be fire rated, such as on townhomes, so ask Land Development Services about decking.
Do Reston Town Center properties follow Reston Association rules?
They follow their own Town Center Association Design Review Board, which meets monthly on the second Tuesday. Contact it at drb@restontc.org or 703.435.6600 and ask whether a roof counts as an exterior modification.
Is every Reston roof a low-slope roof?
No. Only 20.2 percent of homes are detached and 29.8 percent are attached, and the census says nothing about roof shape. Low-slope roofs are common on additions, porch tops and larger buildings, so identify yours first.
Who decides a condo roof color in a building with 50 or more units?
Usually the condo board or its management company, sometimes alongside the association. Ask for the roofing rule in writing before comparing scopes.
Is Lake Anne Village Center in a historic district?
Yes, it is Fairfax County's Lake Anne Village Center Historic Overlay District. It covers the village center only. Call the county's heritage resources contact at 703-324-1380 before choosing roof materials there.
Nearby
Which nearby places do we also cover?
Reston borders Herndon, and we also work in Oakton, Great Falls, Chantilly and Sterling. See every place on the service areas page or read about King's Roofing.
Official pages used, checked 2026-10-08: Fairfax County, Does My Project Require a Permit, Fairfax County residential miscellaneous permits, Lake Anne historic overlay district, Reston Town Center Design Review Board, Reston Association Design Review Board.
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