Here is something most homeowners find out the hard way.

Chimney flashing is one of the most common sources of a roof leak. Water gets in where the roof plane meets the masonry — through failed step flashing, through a deteriorated mortar joint in the chimney itself, through a counter-flashing that has pulled away from the brick.

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Fixing that properly crosses two trades. The flashing is roofing work. The mortar joint, the crown and the brickwork are masonry. And most contractors only do one of them.

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So the roofer subcontracts the masonry, or tells you to call a mason. The mason will not work on the roof deck. Two companies, two schedules, two invoices — and when the leak comes back after the next storm, each one tells you it is the other one's work.

We do both. Roofing, chimney repair, repointing, flashing, rebuilds and crowns are all our own crews. When we trace a leak to a chimney, we fix the whole path in one visit — flashing and masonry — and one company is accountable for whether it stays dry.

It also means we find these problems in the first place. A roofer who does not do masonry has no particular reason to look closely at your chimney crown. We do, because we can fix it.

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If your leak is anywhere near a chimney, this is the difference between a repair that holds and a repair that comes back. Read more about our chimney repair and flashing work.
 

What Moves the Price

We will not pretend a roof has a sticker price. But you deserve to know what the number is made of before you invite anyone into your house.

• Size and pitch. A steep roof needs staging and takes longer. Square footage matters less than most people expect; pitch matters more.

• Tear-off layers. One layer off is straightforward. Two layers is more labour and more disposal.

• Material grade. Architectural shingles cost more than three-tab and last considerably longer. Metal, slate and cedar are a different conversation again.

• Deck condition. You do not know what is under the shingles until they come off. We price replacement decking by the sheet and show you the rot before we replace it.

• Access. Where the truck and the dumpster can sit, and how far material has to travel to get onto the roof.

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Our Process, Start to Finish

No surprises. Here is exactly how a roof job runs with us.

1. Free inspection. We come out, get on the roof, look in the attic, and photograph what we find. Usually under an hour. You see the photos, whether or not you hire us.

2. Written estimate. A clear scope  what is being removed, what is going back on, which materials, what is excluded. One page you can actually compare against another contractor's.

3. Materials and colour. We bring samples. Colour is the fun part and it is worth taking a day over.

4. Permit. Most Bergen County municipalities require a permit for a full tear-off. We file it. You do not chase the building department.

5. Installation. Most residential roofs are one to two days. We protect the landscaping and the siding before anything comes off, and we do not leave a roof open overnight if weather is coming.

6. Cleanup and walkthrough. Magnetic sweep of the property for nails twice. Then we walk the job with you before we ask for final payment.

If the weather turns mid-job, the roof gets dried in and covered before the crew leaves. That is not an extra; it is how the job is run.

If You Have an Active Leak Right Now

Before we get there:

• Move what you can out from under the leak, and put a bucket down.

• If the ceiling is bulging with trapped water, a small hole in the low point will drain it in a controlled way. That is far less damage than the ceiling letting go on its own.

• Photograph everything. Insurers want to see the damage before anyone touches it.

• Do not go up on a wet or damaged roof. Nothing up there is worth what a fall costs.

We tarp and secure the opening first, document the damage for your insurance claim, and book the permanent repair once the weather allows. More on emergency roof leak repair.