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Roofers in Reading, MA
Older Reading home with a worn-out roof, or a leak at the chimney? Call (978) 577-5300 or send the form for a free estimate on Reading roof repair or replacement. We'll review your request and help you with the next step.
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Roofing services in Reading
Need roofing work in Reading?
Whether you've found a leak, noticed worn or missing shingles, or think it's time for a new roof, start with the service that matches your situation.
Roof Replacement
Tear-off, deck repair, ice and water barrier and a new roof, done to code.
Roof Repair & Leaks
Flashing, vent boots, missing shingles and leak tracing, plus inspections.
Flat & Rubber Roofs
EPDM, TPO and modified bitumen on low-slope roofs, porches and additions.
Ice Dams
Safe removal, plus the insulation and ventilation fixes that stop them.
Storm Damage
Tarping and repairs after wind, falling limbs, hail and heavy snow.
Reading roofs, neighborhood by neighborhood
What's on the roofs in Reading
Reading grew up as a railroad suburb after the Boston and Maine arrived in 1844, and it shows. The town's housing plan says more than half of its homes were built before 1960, and a third before 1940. About 85% are owner-occupied, and most are single-family houses. Reading is bounded by I-95 (Route 128) on the south and southeast and I-93 on the west, with a commuter rail station at the downtown Depot. Today about 25,500 people live here.
Reading Center and the Depot
The Common is a National Register district. Around the railroad depot, a few triple-deckers went up around 1895, unusual for Reading.
Summer Street and Scotland Hill
A well-to-do suburban neighborhood that kept its status into the early 1900s. Part of the Summer Avenue area is in the town's local historic district.
Prospect Street Hill
The core of an affluent neighborhood along Summer and Woburn Streets, with elaborate revival-style houses on Prospect Street.
Lowell Street
More elaborate revival-style homes line Lowell Street, with Second Empire, Queen Anne, Shingle Style and Colonial Revival houses to the west of the center.
Salem and John Streets
A 19th-century workers' district, home to a Victorian octagon house.
Reading houses
Roofing Reading's Victorians, colonials and post-war homes
Victorian and Shingle Style houses. Second Empire, Queen Anne and Shingle Style homes bring mansards, towers and many valleys. Each is a potential leak point, so the estimate should spell out flashing and valley work, not just squares.
Colonial Revival homes. Colonial Revival houses, common in Reading's early-1900s neighborhoods west of the center, often have dormers and gambrel or gable roofs. Dormer walls and chimney flashing are the usual leak points.
Post-war houses. Homes built from the 1940s on are now on their second or third roof. Check for two layers, soft decking and weak attic ventilation, which leads to ice dams.
Wind-rated shingles. Reading's Building Division asks for shingles rated to withstand winds of 110 mph or more, so confirm the product meets it.
Repair or replace? See roof repair and roof replacement.
Permits and historic review
Roofing permits in Reading
Building permit. Reading's Building Division lists roofing among the renovation work it permits, asks for the number of squares, and requires shingles rated for 110 mph winds or more. Contractors submit a signed contract, CSL, HIC registration and a workers' comp certificate. The permit must be issued and posted before work starts, or the fee is doubled.
Homeowner permits. Owners can file exemption forms, but then they're responsible for the project and must attend inspections.
Historic district. Reading's local historic district covers 92 properties in the Summer Avenue and West Street areas. Roof color and in-kind repairs are exempt, but the guidelines ask that replacement roofing match the old, so talk to the Historic District Commission before changing materials. Separately, a demolition delay of up to six months applies to buildings on the town's list of historic structures.
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
Reading roofing questions
What does Reading require for a roofing permit?
Reading's Building Division lists roofing among the renovation work it permits, asks for the number of squares, and says shingles must be rated for winds of 110 mph or more. Contractors provide a signed contract, CSL, HIC registration and a workers' comp certificate. The permit has to be issued and posted at the property before work starts, or the fee doubles.
My house is in Reading's historic district. Do I need approval for a new roof?
It depends. The local historic district covers 92 properties in the Summer Avenue and West Street areas. The bylaw reviews the kind and texture of exterior materials, while roof color and in-kind repairs are exempt, and buildings under 70 years old are largely exempt. The Commission's guidelines ask that replacement roofing match the old in composition, color, size, shape and texture. Check with the Historic District Commission before you sign.
Can I pull the permit as a homeowner?
Yes. Reading has homeowner exemption forms for CSL, HIC and workers' comp, but the owner then takes responsibility for the project and must attend inspections. The town also notes that homeowners who hire an unregistered contractor lose access to the state Guaranty Fund.
My house is more than 100 years old. What should the roofer check?
A third of Reading's housing predates 1940. Older houses often have board decking instead of plywood, large chimneys and multiple roof planes. Have the roofer price decking repairs per board and replace all flashing.
Do homeowners pay anything to Roofing Service Pros?
No. The call and the referral are free. Your estimate and contract are between you and the roofing contractor.
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