Roof Repair in New Jersey
Roof leak repair across North Jersey. We find where water actually enters, not where the stain is.
Here's the thing about roof leaks that costs homeowners the most money: water doesn't come in where the stain is. It gets through the roof at one point, runs along the underside of the deck or down a rafter until it finds a seam, a fastener hole or a light fixture, and comes through there. That can be several feet from where it entered, sometimes on the other side of the room. Which is why a roof gets "repaired" three times and keeps leaking. Each time, somebody sealed the ceiling side of the problem instead of finding the roof side. We start in the attic when we can, then go up on the roof. Call (862) 374-7900 and we'll trace it properly.
What We Repair Most
Flashing
Around 80% of the leaks we’re called out to are flashing, not shingles. Step flashing where a roof plane meets a wall, a dormer cheek or a second story wall should be woven in course by course. When it’s been caulked instead, it fails within a few years, and it always fails again. We also rebuild chimney counterflashing, valley metal, and sidewall and headwall flashing on additions and porch roofs.
Pipe Boots and Vent Collars
The rubber collar around a plumbing vent dries out, cracks and lets water straight down the pipe into the ceiling below. It’s a cheap part, it’s a short job, and it’s one of the most common leaks in New Jersey. If your leak is directly under a bathroom, look here first.
Shingle Damage
Missing, lifted or cracked shingles after wind. Nail pops, where a nail backs out and lifts the shingle above it. Isolated impact damage from a tree limb.
Low Slope and Porch Roofs
Front porch roofs, garage roofs and rear additions across North Jersey are usually too shallow for shingles, and if they were shingled anyway they will leak no matter how carefully it was done. Those surfaces need a membrane. See flat and low slope roofing.
Skylights
Old skylights leak at the flashing, not the glass. Recaulking one buys a season. Reflashing or replacing it solves it. See skylights.
Ice Dam Damage
Water backing up under shingles at the eaves during a January thaw. The repair fixes the roof. The actual fix is usually attic ventilation and insulation, and we’ll tell you that rather than selling you the same repair next winter.
How We Find the Leak
1. We ask when it leaks. Only in wind driven rain points somewhere different than every time it rains, which points somewhere different than only during a thaw. That one answer narrows it enormously.
2. We look in the attic, if it’s accessible. Water tracking on rafters and staining on the underside of the deck shows the entry point far better than the ceiling does.
3. We get on the roof and inspect the suspect area and everything above it, because water only runs downhill, so the entry point is always uphill of the evidence.
4. We photograph it and show you.
5. We tell you honestly whether it’s worth repairing. Sometimes the answer is that the roof has two years left and the repair is money into a dead asset. We’d rather say that than take the small job.
Repair or Replace?
An honest read on this saves you the most money of anything on this page.
When a repair is the right call
The roof is under about fifteen years old, the failure is localized to one area, the shingles still have granules and flexibility, the deck is solid underfoot, and there’s one identifiable cause.
When a replacement is the right call
The roof is at or past its expected life, there’s widespread granule loss or curling across several slopes, there are soft spots in the deck, you’ve already had multiple repairs, or there are two layers already up there.
We’ll show you photographs and let you make the call. If it’s a replacement, see roof replacement.
Emergency and Active Leaks
If water is coming into your house right now, say so when you call. We prioritize active leaks and can usually get a tarp on quickly. Tarp first, diagnose after. Trying to find the exact cause while your ceiling is filling is the wrong order.
Meanwhile: move what you can out of the way, put a bucket down, and if the ceiling is bulging with trapped water, a small hole at the lowest point will drain it in a controlled way instead of the ceiling coming down. If the leak is anywhere near a light fixture or an electrical box, cut the power to that circuit.
Storm damage often involves an insurance claim. See storm damage roof repair for how we document it.
Where We Work
We repair roofs across North Jersey, including Newark, Paterson, Clifton, East Orange, Bloomfield, Montclair, Belleville and Passaic. See all areas we serve.
Get a Free Roof Inspection
Call or text (862) 374-7900 or email Primebuildconstruction9@gmail.com. If water is coming in now, tell us on the call and we’ll prioritize it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my roof keep leaking after it's been repaired?
Almost always because the water enters somewhere other than where it appears inside. If someone repaired the roof directly above the ceiling stain, there’s a good chance they repaired the wrong spot. The entry point is always uphill of the evidence, sometimes by a considerable distance.
Do you charge for the inspection?
No. We come out, inspect, photograph, and give you a written price at no cost.
How much does a roof repair cost?
It depends entirely on what’s wrong and how accessible it is. A cracked pipe boot is a short job with a cheap part. Rebuilding chimney counterflashing on a steep third story roof is a different proposition. We won’t guess over the phone. We’ll look and tell you.
Can you repair my roof in winter?
Most repairs, yes. Some materials don’t seal properly below certain temperatures, and shingles get brittle in hard cold, so a few jobs are better done in a warmer stretch. If it’s leaking now we’ll stabilize it now and do the permanent repair when conditions allow, and we’ll tell you which of the two we’re doing.
My ceiling is stained but I don't see water anymore. Do I still need it looked at?
Yes. A dry stain means water got in and stopped, not that the path closed. It’ll come back with the next matching weather condition, and in the meantime the deck and insulation above the stain may be holding moisture.
Is my leak covered by insurance?
Sudden damage from a storm usually is. Gradual failure from age and wear usually isn’t. It comes down to cause, which is exactly what photographic documentation establishes. That’s why we document before we repair.
How long does a repair take?
Most are a few hours. Larger flashing rebuilds, extensive valley work, or repairs needing deck replacement can run a full day or more.
Do you warranty repairs?
Yes, on our workmanship. We’ll also be straight with you when a repair is a stopgap on a roof near the end of its life rather than a lasting fix. You should know which one you’re buying.