Slate
Slate roofs, repaired by hand
Slate is the roof that outlasts its house, if someone keeps up the nails and the copper.
On an older roof, the slate is usually sound and the fasteners or flashings are what fail. We replace a broken tile by hand, slide in a new one and fasten it so it holds, and form the copper to fit. A whole roof is the last answer, not the first.
Broken and slipped tiles replaced by hand
Copper valleys, hoods and chimney flashings
Slate matched by color and size from your own roof
Before you decide
What a slate roof needs to be kept
A look every year
Slipped and cracked tiles show up from the ground in good light, and on the roof in the photo report.
Sound copper
Valleys and flashings fail before the slate does. They are formed and replaced separately.
Framing that can carry it
Slate is heavy. Older framing gets a look from us, and a written note if it needs more.
A match, not a guess
Color and size are matched against a tile from your roof, not a catalog name.
Questions about slate
How long does slate last?
Commonly 60 to 150 years, depending on the stone. The nails and flashings usually give out first.
Can you match old slate?
Often, from salvage or from stock that matches the color and size of a tile from your roof. We say when a match is not possible.
Can my house carry a slate roof?
Slate is heavy. We look at the framing from the attic before we quote, and write it down if it needs more support.
Do I need the historic commission?
Exterior work on many older Cape May houses is reviewed by the city's Historic Preservation Commission. Check with the city first.
Ask about a slate repair
Photos by text are enough to start. We come and look before we price it.