01Do I have to replace my slate roof, or can it be repaired?+
Almost always it can be repaired or restored. Slate fails piece by piece and at the flashings; the field is usually sound. A roof is only at the end of its life when the slate itself is soft, flaking or shedding layers across most of the roof. Our inspection says which, with photos.
02How long do slate and tile roofs last?+
Natural slate 75 to 150 years depending on the quarry, clay tile 50 to 100, concrete tile 40 to 60, composite slate about 50 with a warranty. The underlayment and the metal last less, which is why restorations exist.
03What is the difference between slate and tile?+
Slate is quarried stone, split into thin pieces; tile is kiln-fired clay or cast concrete in flat, S or barrel profiles. Slate is lighter per piece but thinner and more brittle; tile comes in more colours and shapes. Both are heavy, both last for generations, both are only as good as the metal and underlayment beneath them.
04Can my house carry a slate or tile roof?+
If it already has one, yes. If it has an asphalt roof today, we check the rafters and the deck first; many older houses were framed for slate and lost it in a 1970s reroof. Where the structure cannot carry stone, composite slate gives the same look at a quarter of the weight.
05Can you match my existing slate?+
Yes. We identify the slate by colour, size, thickness and weathering, source it from the matching quarry or from salvage, and photograph the match for your approval, or for the historical board's, before we order.
06Why do you refuse to use roof cement on slate?+
Because it is not a repair. Tar traps water behind the slate, stains the stone, and has to be chipped off, breaking slates, when the real repair is finally done. Hooks and copper flashing fix the problem for decades.
07Do you work on churches and landmark buildings?+
Yes. Churches, schools and historic district buildings are a large share of our slate work. We handle the historic-review paperwork, phase the job around services and classes, use scaffolding on steep slopes and document every stage.
08Can slate or tile be walked on?+
Not by other trades. Most of the broken slates we replace were stepped on by a chimney sweep, a painter or a satellite installer. Tell anyone going on the roof to call us first; we will walk it properly or set roof ladders for them.
09Where do you work?+
Homes across Northern and Central New Jersey, including Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Passaic, Morris, Union, Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterdon and Sussex counties. Churches, institutions and commercial buildings across the whole of New Jersey, and larger projects in Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
