Roofing in Great Falls, Paterson

Most roof repairs are estimated at $300 to $3,000, and a New Jersey storm-repair guide puts small repairs at $300 to $1,000 and moderate ones at $1,000 to $5,000. A pipe boot or a few shingles sits low; a chimney reflashed into brick, or a flat-to-pitched joint rebuilt, sits higher.

Leaks in more than one place at once; shingles curling, cupping or bare of granules across whole slopes; a sag you can see; daylight through the boards in the attic; and a new repair needed every season. Asphalt shingles are generally rated at 15 to 30 years, so age is a reason to look, not a verdict. One sign alone is usually a repair.

A New Jersey homeowner reported $9,000 for a nine-square roof as the lowest of eight bids, and published national figures run from about $5,800 to over $47,000. For most pitched roofs in Paterson that makes an estimated $9,000 to $30,000, before a flat rear section is added as its own line. Roof area, layers, decking and material decide where yours lands.

It depends on the building. The state code treats re-covering a detached one- or two-family dwelling as ordinary maintenance. A three- or four-family, an attached or semi-detached house, or any job that replaces rotted decking is permitted work, which in Paterson is a lot of buildings. The city's construction office is at 111 Broadway, and a historic district adds a review before the permit issues.