Roofing in Boston, MA

A roof replacement on a Boston triple-decker, a South End bowfront or a colonial in West Roxbury has to handle snow loads, nor'easters and the freeze-thaw cycles that come off the harbor. We plan and install a roofing system for Boston houses from the first measurement to the final town inspection.

What a roof replacement on a Boston house involves

We start most Boston roof replacements with a full tear-off down to the plywood or plank sheathing. We strip the old layers to inspect the deck for rot around chimneys, skylights and eaves, where decades of ice and wind-driven rain take a toll on older three-deckers and colonials.

• We remove all existing shingles, underlayment and flashing and haul away the debris the same day.
• Our crew checks the roof deck and replaces any soft or delaminated sheathing before the new system goes on.
• We install a self-adhered ice and water barrier along the eaves, in valleys and around chimneys and skylights, as the Massachusetts building code requires.
• A synthetic underlayment covers the remaining deck, followed by step flashing at sidewalls and new metal flashing at chimneys, skylights and pipe penetrations.
• The shingles go on with the manufacturer’s nailing pattern, and we finish with a continuous ridge vent to balance intake and exhaust airflow.

Shingle systems that hold up to New England winters and coastal wind

On Boston roofs we install GAF and CertainTeed asphalt shingle systems, both rated for the wind and freeze-thaw conditions this area gets. Under the shingles, an ice and water barrier along the eaves and valleys seals around fasteners where meltwater backs up, and synthetic underlayment covers the rest of the deck as a second layer of protection.

Ventilation is the other half of controlling ice dams. A ridge vent paired with intake at the soffits keeps the roof deck close to the outside temperature, so snow melts evenly instead of refreezing at the gutter line. When we quote a roof replacement, we check that the intake and exhaust openings balance, because a vent that cannot breathe does little good.

How the Boston building permit and inspection work

We take out the building permit for your roof replacement from the City of Boston Inspectional Services Department before any materials arrive on site. The permit covers the tear-off, the underlayment and ice and water barrier, the shingle installation, and the ventilation details the code requires. A town inspector visits twice: once after we strip the old roof, to check the deck and the underlayment, and again when the job is complete, to sign off on the finished system.

We schedule the inspection and meet the inspector on site so you do not have to take time off work. After the final inspection passes, we walk the roof and the property with you, point out the new flashing and ridge venting, and make sure the gutters and the ground are clean before we leave.

Before you sign: what to check when you compare roofing quotes in Boston

Two proposals for the same house can describe very different jobs, so read the scope first. A complete quote names the tear-off, the materials, the flashing plan and who pulls the permit. Watch for these points.

• The quote states full tear-off of existing shingles, not a second layer over the old roof.
• Ice and water barrier is listed along the eaves and valleys, with synthetic underlayment over the rest of the deck.
• Flashing at chimneys, skylights and sidewalls is included as new metal, not reused.
• Ridge venting and intake ventilation are part of the plan, sized for the roof.
• Debris removal, dumpster handling and the town permit are covered by the contractor.

If a line item is missing, ask the contractor to put it in writing before you sign. We itemize every one of these points in our proposals so you can compare them line by line.