Hiring a roofing company in Newark: the job, start to finish

Roofer Newark is an independent referral service, not a roofing company. The site’s operator receives each call and form request and passes it to an independent local roofer who can contact you about the job. Any quote, and any work, comes from that roofer.

The kinds of roofs a Newark job involves

A roofing company working in this city sees a wide mix. Attached brick rowhouses and walk-ups with flat or low-slope roofs behind a parapet. Two-family homes and detached houses with pitched roofs of asphalt shingle, and some older houses with slate. Larger apartment buildings, which in the East Ward and the Ironbound make up much of the housing, with big flat roofs, hatches and equipment.

Each calls for different materials and skills. A company that mostly re-shingles detached houses is not necessarily the one for a torch-applied modified bitumen roof on a four-story walk-up, and slate needs its own know-how. When you first talk to a roofer, say plainly what kind of building it is and what the roof is covered with, and ask whether that is work they do often.

Stage one: the first call

The first call is short. The roofer wants to know where the building is, what kind of building it is, what you are seeing, and how to reach the roof. Have these ready:

• Your street or ZIP code, and the ward or neighborhood if you know it
• Rowhouse, two-family, detached house or apartment building
• Flat or pitched roof, and what it is covered with if you know
• Where the water shows up or what damage you can see, and since when
• Whether there is a roof hatch, attic access or a safe place for a ladder
• Photos taken from the ground, a window or inside

Stage two: the inspection

On the first visit, the roofer looks at the roof and the rooms under it. Expect them to check the covering itself, every joint and penetration (chimney, vents, skylights, hatches), the flashing at walls and parapets, the drains, scuppers and gutters, and any soft spots that suggest wet deck below. On a pitched roof they may look at the attic. Ask for photos of what they found, especially on a roof you cannot get onto yourself.

Stage three: the written scope and contract

After the inspection comes the proposal. On any job of $500 or more, New Jersey’s rule is a written contract that lists the contractor’s legal name, business address and registration number, when the work starts and finishes, what the work is, and the total price. The description is the part to read closely. A clear one covers:

Item	What to look for
What comes off	A patch, the top layer, or everything down to the deck
What goes on	The covering by name: modified bitumen, EPDM, TPO, shingles, slate, a coating
Flashing	Whether chimney, wall, parapet and vent flashing is new or reused
Drainage	Whether drains, scuppers, gutters and leaders are cleaned, repaired or replaced
Deck repairs	How rotten or soft deck found during tear-off is handled and priced
Protection and cleanup	How the house, yard, sidewalk and neighbors’ roofs are protected, and who removes debris
Exclusions	Anything the roofer is not doing, such as interior plaster or painting

Before signing, check the contractor’s registration with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs and ask for a copy of the commercial general liability insurance policy. After signing, you may cancel for any reason before midnight of the third business day after you receive your copy. The full checklist is on the roofing contractors in Newark, NJ page.

Stage four: the permit question

Some jobs need no permit at all. New Jersey’s code lists repairing or replacing the existing roof covering on a detached one- or two-family house as ordinary maintenance, along with work on gutters and leaders. For an attached rowhouse, a multi-family building, or anything structural, ask the City of Newark’s construction office whether a permit is needed before work starts, and agree in the contract who applies for it. In a historic district, such as James Street Commons, ask the city before changing roofing material or visible details. The Newark roofing permit guide has more.

Stage five: tear-off or overlay

On a replacement, the big decision is whether the old covering comes off. A tear-off strips the roof to the deck, which lets the roofer see and repair rotten boards before the new covering goes on. An overlay puts new material over the old where that is allowed and the old roof is dry and sound. Ask the roofer which they propose, why, and what they will do if they find wet insulation or soft deck partway through.

On a flat roof, the work often goes in sections, with each section closed up before the crew stops for the day. On a pitched roof, shingles come off, underlayment and flashing go on, and new shingles follow. Ask how the roof will be kept watertight if rain arrives mid-job.

Stage six: protecting the house and the neighbors

Roofing is messy. On an attached Newark block, the mess can land on a neighbor’s roof, a shared yard or the sidewalk. A careful company plans for it:

• Tarps over shrubs, yards and anything that cannot be moved
• A dumpster or a chute for debris, placed where the street and the neighbors allow
• Care at the joint with the neighbor’s roof, so new work ties into theirs without damaging it
• Magnet sweeps for nails on the ground at the end of each day
• A word with the neighbors before work starts, so nobody is surprised

Stage seven: the final walk

When the roofer says the job is done, walk it with them, or look at their photos if you cannot get up. Check that the work matches the written description, that flashing has been done where it was promised, that drains and gutters are clear, and that the debris is gone. Ask for any paperwork for the materials used and keep it with the contract. Then make the final payment agreed in the contract, not before.

Before the crew arrives

• Agree the start date and what happens if rain delays it
• Ask where the dumpster or chute will go and whether the street or a neighbor needs to know
• Clear the driveway, yard and any space under the roof edge
• Take pictures, mirrors and fragile items off top-floor walls and shelves
• Arrange access to the roof hatch or attic, and keep pets and children clear of the work area
• Have the contract, the registration lookup and the insurance policy copy in one folder

When the job starts with a storm

If a storm caused the damage, the order changes a little. Keep off the roof while it is wet or icy. Photograph the damage inside and out before anything is cleaned up, so you have a record for your insurer. Whether the policy pays, and how much, is the insurer’s decision; a roofing company cannot promise you a claim outcome. Ask the roofer for a written description of what they found, which you can share with the insurer.

Company or contractor: is there a difference?

In everyday use, people say roofing company, roofing contractor and roofer for the same thing: a business that does roof work. What matters in New Jersey is not the word but the rules: the business must be registered with the Division of Consumer Affairs, give you a written contract for a job of $500 or more, and give you a copy of its liability insurance policy. For specific jobs, see roof repair in Newark, flat roof repair and roof replacement.

Questions people ask