Racine County · Town of Norway
Roofing, siding and painting around Wind Lake
Wind Lake is not a village. It is a Census-designated community inside the Town of Norway, which issues building permits, with zoning handled by Racine County. Its houses range widely in age: nearly one in five predates 1940.
- Population, Wind Lake CDP (2020 Census)
- 5,355
- Population, Town of Norway (2020 Census)
- 7,916
- Median year built, Wind Lake
- 1982 (ACS 2020–2024, ±5 yrs)
- Wind Lake homes built before 1940
- 17.8%
- Drive from Muskego
- 5.3 mi south, about 10 min
- Re-roof permit
- Required per Town of Norway fee schedule (2019)
Old houses and new ones on a 919-acre lake
Wind Lake the lake covers 919 acres and reaches 47 ft at its deepest, per the Wisconsin DNR. Wind Lake the community is a Census Designated Place of 5,355 people in the Town of Norway. The Census Bureau's 2020–2024 estimates put its median build year at 1982, with 47.1% of homes built before 1980 and 17.8% before 1940, a high share of prewar houses for a place whose typical home is from the 1980s. 75.4% are owner-occupied.
That spread means there is no typical Wind Lake job. A house from the 1980s or later falls under the state dwelling code, which dates from June 1, 1980. A house from before 1940 is not, and it has had more than eighty years of paint and roofing; anything built before 1978 brings Wisconsin's lead-safe rules into painting, siding and window work.
Lakefront houses add exposure. Walls and roof slopes facing open water take more wind, sun and wind-driven rain than the street side, and paint, caulk and shingle edges fail there first. The shaded, damp sides of the same house are where mildew and rot start.
What homeowners in Wind Lake most often need
Roof edges that face the water
The Town of Norway requires a building permit for a roof. On a lake-exposed house, roofing details matter most at the edges: drip edge, starter strips and fastening along the rakes. For shingles installed at or below 40°F, Owens Corning's cold-weather bulletin requires hand-sealing every shingle along the roof perimeter, because the factory sealant may not bond until warmer weather.
RoofingSiding that sheds wind-driven rain
Siding is on the same Town permit line as roofing. On a lake house, siding is only the first layer of defense; the water-resistive barrier and the flashing behind it do the real work. Vinyl moves with temperature, so it must hang loose, with 3/8 in. clearance at trim when installed below 40°F, per the Vinyl Siding Institute.
SidingPainting around dew and weather
On the older houses, exterior painting means real prep: scraping, wood repair and priming, with lead-safe containment before 1978. Exterior paints rated to 35°F still require the surface to be 5°F above the dew point, with conditions held for 48 hours, according to their manufacturers, so shoulder-season work near the lake depends on the forecast.
Exterior PaintingWindows in older lake houses
The Town's posted rules don't address window replacement, so call before ordering. For the 47.1% of homes built before 1980, check the build year: any window replacement on a pre-1978 house is lead-safe work, whatever the permit answer.
Windows & DoorsPermits come from the Town of Norway
Because Wind Lake is unincorporated, building permits come from the Town of Norway. The Town's permit fee schedule, headed for both the Town of Norway and the Town of Dover and dated 2019, says you "must apply for a Building Permit" and lists "ROOF or SIDING $70.00 plus $2.00 Technology Fee." Confirm the current fee with the Town, since the posted sheet is several years old.
Applications are made in person, by drop box or by email; there is no online portal. The Town's posted rules don't address window replacement or remodeling, so ask the inspector about those. Zoning is administered by Racine County, not the Town.
Use the right website: townofnorway.org is no longer the Town's site, and the official address is townofnorwaywi.gov. For how Norway's rules compare with Muskego's just across the county line, see the permit guide.
Town of Norway Inspections & Permits (opens in a new tab)
Sources
- 1.Town of Norway, Inspections & Permits (opens in a new tab)
- 2.Wisconsin DNR, Wind Lake (opens in a new tab)
- 3.U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 (opens in a new tab)
- 4.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year, B25035 (opens in a new tab)
- 5.OSRM route from Muskego City Hall (approximate) (opens in a new tab)
Just south of Muskego
Wind Lake sits about 5.3 miles south of Muskego City Hall by road, across the line into Racine County. The Town of Norway around it had 7,916 residents in 2020.
Questions from Wind Lake
Is Wind Lake a village?
No. Wind Lake is an unincorporated Census Designated Place in the Town of Norway. The Town issues building permits and Racine County handles zoning.
Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Wind Lake?
Yes. The Town of Norway's fee schedule requires a building permit for roof or siding work, listed at $70.00 plus a $2.00 technology fee on the 2019 sheet. Confirm the current fee with the Town.
How close is Wind Lake to C&L?
About 5.3 miles by road, roughly 10 minutes south of C&L's base in Muskego. Estimates are free.
My house is right on the lake. What fails first?
Usually the side facing the water: paint and caulk on the lake-facing walls, and shingle edges along exposed rakes. A good estimate looks at those walls and slopes separately from the street side.
Free estimates · Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–6 p.m. · Sat 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
A free estimate in Wind Lake.
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.