Racine County · Village and Town
Waterford roofing, windows and remodeling on the Fox River
Waterford's housing is young for southeast Wisconsin, with a median build year of 1992 in the Village, and it sits on the Fox River and Tichigan Lake. The Village's permit list is broad, and it covers new windows.
Covers the Village of Waterford and the Town of Waterford.
- Population (2020 Census)
- Village 5,542; Town 6,514
- Median year built
- Village 1992 (±4 yrs); Town 1991 (±4 yrs); ACS 2020–2024
- Owner-occupied homes
- Village 78.4%; Town 91.0%
- Homes built before 1980
- Village 33.9%; Town 38.5%
- Drive from Muskego
- Village 11.2 mi south-southwest, about 19 min
- Re-roof permit
- Village: required per code § 98-6 B(9). Town: not verified
Mostly newer houses, with an older tenth
Half of the Village of Waterford's homes were built in 1992 or later, and half of the Town's in 1991 or later, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 estimates. That is young by the region's standards; the medians in Milwaukee and Racine are 1953. So most Waterford houses were built under Wisconsin's Uniform Dwelling Code, in force for new homes from June 1, 1980, and most jobs are the first replacement of original roofs, windows and bathrooms.
Still, 11.1% of the Village's homes and 11.5% of the Town's were built before 1940, a larger prewar share than Muskego's or Franklin's. Those houses need the older-house approach: lead-safe prep on anything built before 1978, and attention to framing, flashing and drainage that predate current practice.
The Town is 91.0% owner-occupied and contains Tichigan, a Census Designated Place of 5,277 people. The Village's Waterford Waterway Management District focuses, in the Village's words, on "the health and navigation of the Fox River and Tichigan Lake." Houses on the water share the exposures of any lake home: wind and sun on the water side, and moisture on the shaded side.
What homeowners in Waterford most often need
Windows need a Village permit
The Village's building inspector lists both "New Windows" and "Increasing window size" as permitted work, and the code covers window enlargement. That is stricter than Muskego or Hales Corners, which exempt same-size replacement. Build the permit into any window replacement in the Village; ENERGY STAR's Northern zone now calls for a U-factor of 0.22 or better.
Windows & DoorsFirst re-roofs on 1990s houses
Village code requires a permit for reroofing, and load calculations may be required before a third layer goes on. On a 1990s house, the first roof replacement is the moment to choose between an overlay and a tear-off. Tear-off lets the deck be checked and puts ice-and-water membrane at the eaves, which the dwelling code requires on roofs of 4:12 slope or less over heated space.
RoofingSiding materials and their paint deadlines
Siding replacement also needs a Village permit. If you're moving from vinyl to fiber cement or engineered wood, note the paint schedule: every Wisconsin ZIP code is James Hardie zone HZ5, and both Hardie and LP SmartSide instructions call for primed boards to be painted within 180 days, which can split one project across two seasons.
SidingBathrooms: remodel versus refinish
Waterford exempts "finishing of interior surfaces, installation of cabinetry, and repairs which are deemed minor," but remodeling an existing building needs a permit. A bathroom remodel that swaps a tub for a tiled shower is remodeling; paint and a new vanity may not be. For a 1990s bath, the real upgrades are a sheet waterproofing membrane behind tile and an exhaust fan vented outdoors.
Bathroom RemodelingVillage of Waterford permits, and the Town
Village code § 98-6 B(9) requires a permit for "Residing, reroofing, major repairs, and window enlargement," and the building inspector's page adds "New Windows" and "Increasing window size." "Existing Building Remodeling" needs a permit; exempt under § 98-6 C are "Finishing of interior surfaces, installation of cabinetry, and repairs which are deemed minor."
Inspections are handled by SAFEbuilt, and there is no online portal. Starting early is expensive: "Quadruple fees are charged when work is started without a permit." The official site is waterfordwi.gov; waterford-wi.org is not the Village's.
The Town of Waterford, which includes Tichigan, is a separate municipality. Its permit rules could not be verified for this page, so Town residents should call the Town office before roofing, siding, window or remodeling work.
Village of Waterford Building Inspector (opens in a new tab)
Sources
- 1.Village of Waterford Code § 98-6 (opens in a new tab)
- 2.Village of Waterford, Building Inspector (opens in a new tab)
- 3.Village of Waterford, Area Interests (opens in a new tab)
- 4.Town of Waterford (opens in a new tab)
- 5.U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 (opens in a new tab)
- 6.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year, B25035 (opens in a new tab)
- 7.OSRM route from Muskego City Hall (approximate) (opens in a new tab)
Tichigan Lake and the Fox River
The Wisconsin DNR lists Tichigan Lake at 279 acres with a maximum depth of 63 ft. The Village is about 11.2 miles south-southwest of Muskego by road and the Town about 12.6 miles southwest, both in Racine County.
Questions from Waterford
Do I need a permit to replace windows in Waterford?
In the Village, yes: "New Windows" and "Increasing window size" are both on the building inspector's permit list. In the Town, confirm with the Town office.
Do I need a permit to re-roof in the Village of Waterford?
Yes. Village code requires a permit for reroofing and residing, and a third layer may require load calculations. Starting without a permit brings quadruple fees.
Is Tichigan part of the Village of Waterford?
No. Tichigan is a Census Designated Place in the Town of Waterford, a separate municipality with its own rules. C&L serves both the Village and the Town.
Does painting a room in Waterford need a permit?
Not in the Village: finishing interior surfaces is exempt under § 98-6 C, as is installing cabinetry. Interior painting can be scheduled without a Village permit.
Free estimates · Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–6 p.m. · Sat 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
A free estimate in Waterford.
What needs doing, roughly how old the house is, and when you would like it done. C&L will set up a time to look at it in person.