Roofing Guides for Philadelphia Homeowners
Short, practical guides to the questions we hear most on Philadelphia roofs, written so you can make a decision before anyone climbs a ladder.
Written for Philadelphia Roofs
Roofing decisions here have a local shape. More than half the homes in the city are attached rowhouses with flat roofs, a large share were built before 1940, and the city has its own rules on permits and tear-offs. General roofing advice written for a suburban ranch house often misses all of that.
These guides are edited by Fern Goddard, our Roofing Guides Editor, from the questions that come in on the phone and on roofs across the city. Each one ends with the service page that covers the work, if you need it done.
All Roofing Guides
What a Roof Replacement Costs in Philadelphia
Published price ranges for flat and shingle roofs, and what moves a quote.
Read the guideFlat Roof Leaking? What to Do in the First Hour
The first hour of a rowhome roof leak, and what not to do on the roof.
Read the guideTPO, EPDM or Modified Bitumen for a Rowhome Roof?
How the three flat roof membranes compare on a Philadelphia rowhome.
Read the guideRepair or Replace Your Roof?
The questions that decide between another repair and a new roof.
Read the guidePhiladelphia Roof Permits, Explained for Homeowners
The EZ re-roofing permit, what it excludes, and historic properties.
Read the guideIce Dams on Philadelphia Roofs: Causes and Fixes
Why ice builds at the eaves, safe removal, and the attic fix.
Read the guideRoof Certification When Selling a Philadelphia Home
What the letter says, when lenders want it, and how to plan for it.
Read the guideAfter a Storm: Your Roof and Your Insurance Claim
Checking the roof, documenting damage, and who does what on a claim.
Read the guideHow the Green Roof Tax Credit Works in Philadelphia
Half the cost back for businesses, and what the roof has to be first.
Read the guideWhy Porch Roofs Leak on Philadelphia Rowhomes
Where porch roofs leak, and why the ceiling shows it first.
Read the guideFinding a Leak Between Two Rowhomes
Whose side is it coming from? How shared roof leaks are traced.
Read the guideRoofing Permits Outside Philadelphia
Why permit rules change at every township line, and what to ask.
Read the guideHow to Use These Guides
Start with the guide closest to your situation. If water is coming in now, skip reading and call; the leak guide is for the minutes after you have caught the drip. If you are planning ahead, the cost, repair-or-replace and membrane guides work best read together.
Every price in these guides is a published Philadelphia market range with a named source behind it, used for planning. None of them is our price. A written estimate for your roof is the only number that counts.
Costs and decisions
What roofs cost here, whether yours needs repair or replacement, and which flat roof membrane suits a rowhome.
- What a Roof Replacement Costs in Philadelphia
- Repair or Replace Your Roof?
- TPO, EPDM or Modified Bitumen for a Rowhome Roof?
Leaks, storms and winter
What to do when water comes in, how to document storm damage for an insurance claim, and why ice builds at the eaves.
- Flat Roof Leaking? What to Do in the First Hour
- After a Storm: Your Roof and Your Insurance Claim
- Ice Dams on Philadelphia Roofs: Causes and Fixes
Permits and paperwork
The city's re-roofing permit and historic rules, and the certification letter buyers and lenders ask for at a sale.
Questions About Our Guides
They are edited by Fern Goddard, our Roofing Guides Editor, from the questions our customers ask most.
No. They are published Philadelphia market ranges for planning. Your price comes from a written estimate.
No. A guide helps you ask the right questions; an inspection answers them for your roof.
Yes, as new questions come up often enough to deserve a full answer.
Have a Question the Guides Do Not Answer?
Call and ask. If it comes up often, it may become the next guide.