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Roofers in Methuen, MA
Leaking three-decker, tired shingles on a Victorian, or storm damage? Call (978) 577-5300 or send the form for a free estimate on Methuen roof repair or replacement. We'll review your request and follow up with you.
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- Arlington to East Methuen
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Methuen roofs, neighborhood by neighborhood
What's on the roofs in Methuen
Methuen began as scattered farms, became a manufacturing town around the Spicket River falls, and then grew in large part as a streetcar suburb of Lawrence in the late 1800s and early 1900s. After World War II, growth spread in pockets across the city, and I-93 and I-495 opened it up to commuters in the 1970s. Methuen became a city in 1993. Its housing runs from mill-era worker houses and three-deckers to Queen Anne homes and post-war neighborhoods.
Methuen Center
The industrial and commercial core at the Spicket River falls, where cotton mills were built in the 1820s. Stores, hotels and banks lined Broadway, Pelham and Lowell Streets. The old Methuen Company mill still stands on Osgood Street.
Arlington District
The Arlington Mills spread across the Lawrence line, and their workers lived in the Arlington District on both sides of Broadway. Expect dense multi-family housing and three-deckers, many altered over the years.
Nevins Park and Fair Oaks
Streetcar-suburb subdivisions laid out around the 1890s to 1915, mainly around Gage and Stevens Streets in Nevins Park. They filled with Queen Anne, Shingle and Georgian Revival houses.
Oakland Avenue and Railroad Street
Worker housing also grew along Oakland Avenue, Arnold Street and upper Railroad Street, including duplexes, two-families and, after 1900, three-deckers.
East Methuen
An old village name for the eastern part of town, along the Merrimack. By 1848 it was the only part of Methuen reachable by river transport. Its housing ranges from older homes to later suburban streets.
Roofing services in Methuen
What do you need help with?
Roof Replacement
Tear-off, deck repair and new roofs on Victorians, post-war homes and multi-families.
Roof Repair & Leaks
Chimney and wall flashing, turret and dormer leaks, missing shingles and inspections.
Flat & Rubber Roofs
EPDM, TPO and modified bitumen for three-decker roofs, stacked porches and additions.
Ice Dams
Steam removal, plus the attic sealing and ventilation that keep them from coming back.
Storm Damage
Tarping and repairs after wind, heavy snow and falling limbs.
Methuen houses
Roofing Methuen's three-deckers, Victorians and suburban homes
Three-deckers and two-families. Methuen's three-deckers appeared after the turn of the century, alongside duplexes and two-families built for mill workers. Main roofs are often low-slope, with porch roofs stacked on each floor. Low-slope roofs need a membrane, and porch roofs need careful flashing where they meet the wall. See flat and rubber roofs.
Queen Anne and Shingle-style homes. In the streetcar-era subdivisions, steep roofs with turrets, cross gables and many valleys are common. Every valley and wall joint is a potential leak, so the estimate should spell out the flashing work.
Colonial survivors. A handful of 1700s houses with hip and gambrel roofs remain. Old houses like these often have board sheathing and uneven framing, which a careful roofer accounts for.
Post-war neighborhoods. Homes built after the war, and after the interstates arrived, are now on later roofs. Multiple layers, soft decking and weak attic ventilation are common, and ventilation problems lead to ice dams.
Patch or replace? See roof repair and roof replacement.
Permits and historic review
Roofing permits in Methuen
Building permit. Methuen's Inspections Division issues building permits through the city's online permitting and payment system. Under the city's fee schedule, work done without a permit costs 300% of the normal fee, which is one more reason to let the contractor pull it.
Contractor licensing. Massachusetts requires a licensed construction supervisor to oversee work on owner-occupied one- to four-family homes, and the contractor must be registered as a Home Improvement Contractor.
Historic district. Methuen has a local historic district under M.G.L. c. 40C, the Searles Tenney Nevins Historic District. The city says most exterior design changes visible from a public way are reviewed. A change in roofing material or appearance can need approval, so check with the Historical Commission before you sign.
Licensing. We verify the credentials a job requires before we send a contractor any calls.
Roofing Service Pros is a referral service. We don't pull permits or do roofing work. The roofing contractor who does the job handles the permit.
FAQ
Methuen roofing questions
How do I get a roofing permit in Methuen?
Methuen's Inspections Division, in the Searles Building at 41 Pleasant Street, handles building permits through the city's online permitting and payment system. The city's fee schedule charges 300% of the normal permit fee for work done without a permit, so make sure your contractor pulls one before starting.
My house is in the Searles Tenney Nevins Historic District. What needs approval?
Methuen's local historic district is administered under Chapter 40C, and the city says the commission reviews most exterior design changes visible from a public way. Whether a like-for-like re-roof is exempt isn't spelled out in what we could review, so a change of roofing material or appearance can need approval. Contact the Historical Commission before you sign a contract.
I own a two-family or three-decker. Does the flat roof need a different roofer?
Not a different roofer, but a different material. Many Methuen multi-families have low-slope main roofs that need a membrane like EPDM or TPO rather than shingles. Ask the contractor what membrane they recommend and how they'll handle the edges and drains. See flat and rubber roofs.
Who needs to be licensed to replace a roof in Massachusetts?
For owner-occupied one- to four-family homes, state rules require a licensed construction supervisor to oversee the work, and the contractor must be registered with the Home Improvement Contractor program. The state also offers a specialty construction supervisor license for roof covering.
Is there a fee to use Roofing Service Pros?
No. The call and the referral are free to homeowners. Your estimate and any contract are between you and the roofing contractor.