Paterson, NJ
NJ Roofing · Roof Replacement & Repair
Paterson is the densest roofing market we work — 160,000 residents across 8 square miles, with a housing stock split between 1880s-1900s mill-worker rowhouses around the Great Falls, 1920s wood-frame three-deckers in the 4th and 5th wards, and 1960s-1980s apartment buildings along Route 20. Each housing class needs a different roofing approach.
We do a lot of insurance work in Paterson — wind storms regularly take ridge caps off the three-deckers, and the 1980s apartment complexes are hitting their first EPDM-to-TPO replacement cycle. Storm tarps go up in Paterson 5-10 times a year between nor'easters and summer microbursts.
What We Work On in Paterson
1880s-1900s brick rowhouses with slate roofs (many still original) near Great Falls Historic District. 1920s three-deckers with steep architectural-shingle roofs in 4th/5th wards. 1960s-1980s apartment complexes with EPDM or modified-bitumen flat roofs on Eastside. Active commercial along Main, Market, and Madison with mixed flat-roof systems.
Common Paterson Jobs
- Rowhouse architectural-shingle replacement
- Apartment-building EPDM-to-TPO conversion (multifamily)
- Historic-district slate restoration in Great Falls area
- Storm-tarp emergency response after wind events
- Commercial flat-roof replacement on Main St retail
- Insurance-claim documentation for wind/hail damage
Paterson's Historic Preservation Commission reviews exterior changes in the Great Falls Historic District. We've worked with the HPC on replacement-in-kind slate projects there. Permits typically take 7-14 days.
Paterson sits in the Passaic River wind funnel — nor'easters and summer microbursts that hit the city travel up the Passaic corridor and accelerate past the Great Falls cliff, hitting Eastside three-deckers especially hard. We tarp 5–10 roofs a year just from named wind events in Paterson, and our 4th and 5th ward calls almost always involve ridge-cap blow-off on the steep three-decker pitches. Ring-shank nails and 6-nail pattern are non-negotiable here.
- Address
- Paterson Department of Community Development, 125 Ellison Street
- Phone
- (973) 321-1335
- Typical roof-permit turnaround
- 7–14 business days; 14–28 days for Great Falls HPC review
We pull the permit directly under NJHIC #13VH13970900 — homeowner does not file or pay the township separately.
Neighborhoods we serve in Paterson
ZIP codes: 07501, 07502, 07503, 07504, 07505, 07512, 07513, 07514, 07522, 07524
Services
Paterson Roofing FAQ
I have a three-decker in the 4th Ward that lost shingles in a storm — what now?
Step 1: emergency tarp the same day (we'll have a crew out in 60–90 minutes during business hours, 2–4 hours overnight). Step 2: document damage with drone + handheld photos before any cleanup — this is what your insurance adjuster needs. Step 3: file the claim with your carrier and let us meet the adjuster on-site (free, no obligation, no public-adjuster fees). Most three-decker wind-damage claims approve for full ridge-line re-shingling, sometimes full-slope or full-roof depending on extent.
Does the Great Falls Historic District restrict roof material?
Yes — visible exterior changes in the Great Falls National Historical Park district require Paterson HPC review. For slate roofs, in-kind replacement (slate-to-slate) doesn't require new approval; material change (slate-to-asphalt) does and is rarely granted. We've worked with the HPC on several Spruce Street and Mill Street restorations.
How do you handle insurance claims for a rental property?
Same as owner-occupied — we work directly with your adjuster, document with Xactimate-compatible scope, and don't take AOB (assignment of benefits) paperwork. The check comes to you (or your insurance-restoration mortgage account if the lender requires it), and you pay us on completion. We don't take a percentage of the claim or front-load fees.
Can you replace just the EPDM membrane on my Eastside apartment building without disrupting tenants?
Yes — EPDM-to-TPO conversion on a 1980s 6–12-unit apartment runs 3–5 days for a typical 4,000–8,000 sq ft roof. We tear off one section at a time, dry the building in nightly with peel-and-stick or temporary membrane, and never leave tenant units exposed to weather. Notification letters go to every unit 48 hours before start.