A TPO question in McLean is almost always a question about a larger building, not a house. The Census cannot see roofs, but it can say when McLean's biggest residential buildings were built and who lives in them. Below: that count, then the three questions that decide whether a membrane is the right conversation.
The count
Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020 to 2024), McLean place, table B25127: occupied homes in buildings of 50 or more units, by year the building was built and by tenure.
| Building built | Owner-occupied | Renter-occupied | Together |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 to 1979 | 200 | 342 | 542 |
| 2000 to 2019 | 113 | 366 | 479 |
| 1980 to 1999 | 75 | 162 | 237 |
| Before 1960 | 0 | 52 | 52 |
| 2020 or later | 19 | 3 | 22 |
| All years | 407 | 925 | 1,332 |
Margins of error are wide: the 1960 to 1979 renter figure is 342 give or take 127. Read the order, not the exact digits. The hub page shows the larger count of 1,489 homes in these buildings; this table counts only occupied ones, which is why it is smaller.
What the count suggests
Our reading: about 41 percent of these homes sit in buildings from 1960 to 1979 and about 36 percent in buildings from 2000 to 2019. A building year is not a roof year. A 1970s tower may have been re-roofed since, and a 2005 building may still carry its first covering.
925 of the 1,332 occupied homes (about 69 percent) are rented, so for most of these buildings the buyer of a roof is an owner entity or a manager. The 407 owner-occupied homes point to condominium associations, whose boards decide, not one unit owner.
The Census records homes, never roof shape or material. Nothing here says how many of these buildings are flat. That is the first thing to find out, and it is why the flow below starts with the roof itself.
Three questions
Outcomes say what may be discussed, not what to buy.
Question 2 paraphrases Virginia's existing-building text, which bars a recover where the roof is water soaked, inadequate as a base, or already has two or more applications. Question 3 follows the single-ply trade association's advice to make core cuts before re-covering over existing insulation. Neither is a McLean rule. They apply wherever the building stands.
The paper
The state's list of ordinary repairs that need no permit lets an unlimited amount of roof covering be replaced in Group R-3, R-4 or R-5 buildings, in areas below a stated wind speed, and only 100 square feet or less in all groups. Which group a given McLean building falls in is for the building official and is on the building's record. We do not classify buildings here, so ask Land Development Services at 703-222-0801 before assuming a house rule covers a larger building. The county's permit desk and its commercial list are covered on the McLean page.
One more handle that works on paper rather than from the ground: the 2021 International Building Code lists a separate standard for each single-ply family, and TPO's is ASTM D6878. Colour does not identify a membrane, since the single-ply trade association says sheets come in black, white and many other colours. Ask for the product data sheet and read the standard printed on it.
Before the call
Membrane background: TPO roofing in Northern Virginia and flat roof.
Questions
The Census counts homes by building size and age, not roof shape, so any figure here would be a guess.
No. The Census year is when the building was built. A roof is replaced on its own schedule, so find out what is on top and when it was last done.
Usually the owner or its manager, since about 69 percent of occupied homes in 50-plus-unit buildings are rented. In a condominium the association's board decides.
Sometimes. Virginia's existing-building text bars a recover over a water-soaked roof or one with two or more earlier applications. Core cuts show what is underneath.
Not automatically. The unlimited clause names Groups R-3, R-4 and R-5. Ask the county which group the building is in.
Not by colour. Ask for the data sheet. The International Building Code lists TPO under ASTM D6878, a separate standard from EPDM and PVC.
Nearby pages: EPDM roofs in McLean and metal roofs in McLean, both on the county's historic guides, plus TPO roofs in Falls Church, PVC roofs in Tysons and TPO roofs in Arlington.
Checked October 14, 2026: Census Reporter, McLean, tables B25127 and B25032; 13VAC5-63-80; 13VAC5-63-433.3; SPRI FAQ; county when a permit is required.
Talk through the next step
Give us the address, the year the building went up if you know it, and who owns the roof. A short phone call sorts out whether a membrane is even the question.
9220 Topaz St, Fairfax, VA 22031
Mon to Fri 7 AM to 8:30 PM, Sat 7 AM to 8 PM, closed Sunday