Roofing in Cheshire, CT

We work on homes all over town, from the streets around Bartlem Park on South Main Street to the neighborhoods along the Farmington Canal trail. Most of the roofs we see here sit on detached single-family houses. That means we are usually working with you directly, not through an association or a property manager.

For roof repair, we fix leaks, replace missing or damaged shingles, reseat nail pops, and rebuild failed flashing at chimneys, skylights, and pipe boots. We match the new shingles and flashing to what is already on the roof as closely as we can.

For roof replacement, we tear off the old roofing down to the deck, replace rotted or soft decking, and install new underlayment, ice and water shield, drip edge, and asphalt or architectural shingles. We also install metal roofing and standing seam metal where the house and budget fit it.

We do roof inspections before a sale, with photos of what we find. We handle roof maintenance like debris removal, moss and algae treatment, and sealant reapplication. We also hang new seamless gutters and downspouts and fix gutters that sag or pull away from the fascia.

Cheshire gets real winters, and ice dams form along the eaves. Warm air from the attic melts snow on the upper roof. That water runs down to the colder overhang and freezes at the eave. The ice builds a ridge, and the next round of meltwater backs up under the shingles and into the house. Homeowners usually see it as a stain on the ceiling near an outside wall, or water dripping inside a window frame in February.

That changes how we build the eaves. We run ice and water shield up from the drip edge, past the warm wall line, and into the valleys. We check the attic for blocked soffit vents and a short ridge vent, because a roof that holds heat will keep making ice no matter how good the shingles are. We also check the gutters. A gutter packed with leaves holds water at the eave and gives the ice a head start, so we clean or reset the pitch so it drains to the downspouts.

A lot of Cheshire houses were built in the 1980s. Many of those roofs are on their second covering, and some have two layers of shingles on the deck. When we tear off a roof that age, we expect to find original flashing that was bent over and reused, and plywood that has taken on water around chimneys and along the eaves. We walk the deck after tear-off and replace the soft sheets before any underlayment goes down.

The permit and inspection also shape the calendar. Cheshire requires a permit for roofing work, and the town inspection can take 10 to 14 business days to schedule in the busy season. We apply for the permit as soon as you sign, and we plan the start date around the inspection window so your roof is not left waiting on a final sign-off.

Cheshire is the Bedding Plant Capital of Connecticut, and plenty of homes here have planted beds right up against the foundation. We lay protective tarps over the beds and shrubs before tear-off, and we run a magnet over the yard and driveway when we clean up.

You call or request an estimate, and we come out to look at the roof. We look at the shingles for curling, cracking, and granule loss. We check the flashing, press on the deck for soft spots, and inspect the attic for daylight, wet sheathing, mold, and blocked vents. Where a leak is hard to trace, we use a moisture scanner to find wet areas under the shingles. Then we write down the repair or replacement the roof needs, line by line.

For a repair, we inspect the shingles and flashing around the damage and identify what failed. At a chimney, we cut out the old flashing, install new step flashing up the sides, and set counter flashing into the mortar joints. We seal it so water runs over the joint, not into it. A tube of roofing cement over a failed flashing is not a repair, and we do not leave it that way.

For a replacement, we recommend a full tear-off to the deck and a haul-away of the debris. We walk you through our findings on the decking, flashing, and attic ventilation. Then we compare shingle options with you and recommend the one that fits the house.

When we finish, we walk the roof again and photograph the work. We clean the gutters of shingle grit and nails. Our project process guide lays out each step from the first visit to the final inspection.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Cheshire?

Yes. Cheshire requires a permit for roofing work. We apply for it, post it at the house, and schedule the town inspection. You do not have to handle the paperwork.

How long will my roof replacement take?

The bigger factor is the calendar around it. In the busy season, town inspections can take 10 to 14 business days to schedule, so we file the permit early and plan around that window.

Can you fix my ice dam leak without replacing the roof?

Often, yes. We can open the eave, install ice and water shield along the bottom courses, and reset the shingles. We also fix the attic ventilation and the gutters that are feeding the problem. If the decking at the eave has rotted, we replace that section before closing it up.

Can you put new shingles over my old ones?

We can overlay a single layer of shingles when the deck is sound and the roof is flat and dry. If the roof already has two layers, or the deck is soft, we tear off. An overlay hides the deck, and we will not cover rotted wood.

What affects the price of a new roof?

Roof size, pitch, the number of layers we tear off, decking repairs, chimneys and skylights, and the shingle you choose all change the price. We measure the roof and inspect it before we write an estimate. Our roofing cost guide explains each part.

Call (475) 381-2544 or request an estimate for roofing in Cheshire. Tell us where you see the leak, the missing shingles, or the ice at the eaves. We will inspect the roof and attic, photograph what we find, and put the recommended work in writing. We also work in nearby Hamden, Wallingford, and North Haven.