We trace the leak from the attic side first, then put every part of the job on a written, line-by-line scope.
Clifton Elite Roofing has spent more than 20 years repairing, inspecting and replacing roofs in Clifton, NJ, from leak calls on prewar two-family houses to full tear-offs, slate repair, flat roofs and gutter installation. We are a roofing contractor that starts with the question of whether your roof can be fixed, and only moves to replacement when the answer is honestly no.
Every leak call begins in the attic as well as on the shingles, because water rarely shows up on a ceiling directly below the spot where it gets in. When a roof does need replacing, the estimate breaks tear-off, decking, underlayment, flashing and ventilation into separate lines, so you can hold it next to any other bid and compare the parts that actually differ.
Our work covers shingle, slate, metal and low-slope roofs on houses, two-families and small commercial buildings, along with chimney flashing, skylights and seamless gutters. The sections below walk through the problems we see most often on North Jersey roofs and how we handle each one.
What we do
Roof repair, replacement and leak work for Clifton, NJ homes
Shingle, flashing, slate and flat roof repairs that fix the actual source of the problem, with a straight answer on repair versus replacement.
A roof inspection that checks the attic as well as the shingles, with photos and a written condition report you can act on or hand to a buyer.
Full tear-off roof replacement with new flashing, balanced ventilation and an itemized scope you can compare against any other bid.
Leak tracing that starts in the attic, so the repair goes where water actually gets in rather than where the ceiling stain happens to appear.
Seamless aluminum gutters and leaders sized to your roof, hung at the right pitch and fastened into sound fascia so water leaves the house.
Standing seam and metal shingle roofs for whole houses, porches and low additions, with the panel, gauge and finish matched to the building.
Low-slope roof repair, replacement and maintenance for storefronts, offices, mixed-use and multifamily buildings, planned around occupied space.
Tarping, temporary leak stops and storm documentation when wind, a fallen limb or a sudden leak opens your roof to the weather.
Repairs for rubber, TPO and modified bitumen flat roofs on porches, rear additions, two-family kitchens and small commercial buildings.
Step and counter flashing rebuilt course by course, cut into the brick and backed by a cricket, so water goes around the chimney instead of in.
Broken and slipped slates replaced with matching stone on copper nails and hooks, and worn flashing rebuilt, so a sound slate roof keeps going.
New and replacement skylights flashed into the roof as part of the roofing, so the extra daylight never comes with a leak attached.
Clifton Elite Roofing has more than 20 years of experience on the roofs of this part of New Jersey. That time has been spent on the housing stock that defines Clifton: 31.2 percent of the city’s homes were built in 1939 or earlier, and 69.1 percent predate 1960, so board decking, tall brick chimneys and several generations of patched flashing are the normal starting point for a job here rather than the exception.
No leak gets priced until we have looked at it from inside the attic as well as from the roof, so the repair goes where the water actually enters rather than where the stain appeared. That matters on older Clifton houses, where water can run along a rafter or board decking for several feet before it drips.
Every replacement estimate lists tear-off, decking, underlayment, flashing and ventilation as separate lines. You can compare our roofing proposal against another bid item by item, so a lower total that quietly skips new flashing or ventilation shows up on paper rather than on your ceiling two winters later.
Once the old roof is off, any rotted or delaminated decking is photographed and shown to you before a single sheet goes down, at a per-sheet price fixed in the contract. Older North Jersey roofs often hide soft boards under two layers, so this keeps the hidden-damage line honest rather than open-ended.
Step, counter and chimney flashing is replaced with the roof, never reused under new shingles. On the tall brick chimneys common in Clifton’s prewar neighborhoods, worn flashing is where most leaks start, so carrying it over would undercut a new roof rather than protect it.
Our contracts follow New Jersey’s home improvement contract requirements, including the written three-business-day cancellation notice. We also schedule two-family jobs with both floors in mind, so a tenant upstairs knows when the crew arrives and where access is needed rather than finding ladders at the door.
The yard, driveway and gutters are cleaned at the end of every work day, including a magnet sweep for roofing nails. On the tight Clifton lots where a driveway is shared or a dumpster sits close to a neighbor, this keeps nails out of tires rather than leaving cleanup for the last afternoon.
Some water stains are not roof leaks at all: a bathroom fan venting into the attic, a sweating pipe or condensation on cold nails can all leave the same mark on a ceiling. We check the attic, the plumbing runs and the timing of the stain against recent rain, so you are not paying for a roof repair when the problem is a duct or a drain line.
A stain that grows after a storm usually means water is getting past the shingles, flashing or a fastener and traveling along the framing before it drops. We follow the trail from the stain back to its entry point and photograph what we find. That way the roof leak repair targets the source rather than resealing a random spot nearby.
Penetrations account for a large share of leak calls because each one depends on flashing, sealant or a rubber boot that wears out faster than the shingles around it. We replace cracked pipe boots with lead or long-life boots, rebuild step and counter flashing at chimneys, and reflash skylights so the fix lasts as long as the surrounding roof.
The joint between a main roof and a porch, garage or later addition is a classic leak point, especially where the addition was built with a lower pitch or by a different crew. We look at how the two surfaces tie together, then rebuild the valley, apron or kick-out flashing so water is carried past the joint instead of into the wall.
Shingles that lift or tear off in a wind event leave nail holes and bare underlayment exposed to the next rain. We replace the missing pieces with a matching product where one exists, check the shingles around them for broken seal strips, and tell you plainly whether the roof is sound enough to keep repairing.
Ice dams form when heat escaping from the house melts snow higher on the roof and the water refreezes at the colder overhang, backing up under the shingles. We look at attic insulation and ventilation as well as the eave itself, and we can add a self-adhering ice barrier when the roof is redone so the next freeze does not find the same path.
Water running behind a gutter usually means a missing or short drip edge, a gutter hung too low, or rotted fascia that has pulled away from the house. We correct the drip edge, repair or replace the fascia board and rehang the gutter at the right pitch, so the overflow goes into the leader instead of down the inside of the wall.
Frost on the tips of roofing nails, damp sheathing and mildew spots in winter point to moisture trapped in the attic rather than water coming through the roof. We trace it to blocked soffits, a missing ridge vent or exhaust fans dumping into the attic, then fix the airflow so the deck can dry out between cold spells.
When a storm or a falling limb opens up the roof, the first job is keeping water out of the house. We secure a tarp over the damaged area, photograph the damage before and after, and keep the receipts and notes you will need for your claim, then schedule the permanent repair once the roof can be properly assessed.
A tear-off starts with protecting landscaping and siding, positioning the dumpster where the town allows, and stripping the roof to the deck one section at a time. The crew then replaces damaged decking, installs drip edge, underlayment and flashing, lays the new shingles with starter strip and ridge cap, and finishes with a full cleanup and a magnet sweep of the yard.
The residential code New Jersey applies to re-roofing does not allow a new layer over a roof that already has two or more layers, or over slate, clay or cement tile. A roof that is water-soaked or too deteriorated to be a sound base has to come off as well. When an overlay is ruled out, we explain the reason before you see a number.
For a detached one- or two-family house, replacing the roof covering is ordinary maintenance under N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7, so no permit is required. That exemption stops at structural work such as rafters, and it does not cover attached homes, larger multifamily buildings or commercial roofs, which go through the local construction office. We tell you which category your building falls in.
Houses built before the Second World War often have plank decking with gaps between boards, steep pitches and tall brick chimneys. We check whether the boards can hold a modern nailing pattern or need a sheathing layer, plan fall protection for the pitch, and rebuild chimney flashing and crickets so the oldest parts of the house are not the weak point of a new roof.
The shape of the house changes the roofing job as much as its size does. A Cape Cod’s dormers add step flashing and valleys, a center-hall colonial is mostly open field, and a split-level has several short roof planes and wall transitions, which means more edges, flashing and labor per square than a ranch of the same area.
Many North Jersey two-families pair a pitched front roof with a flat or low-slope rear section over a kitchen, porch or back stair. We roof each part with the right material, a membrane on the flat portion and shingles on the pitch, and detail the transition between them so the joint does not become the next leak.
A roof that cannot breathe cooks its shingles in summer and collects condensation in winter. On every replacement we check the net free area of the soffit intake against the ridge vent exhaust and balance the two, rather than cutting in a ridge vent with blocked soffits feeding it nothing.
In New Jersey a full roof replacement is generally a capital improvement, and the owner signs Form ST-8, the Certificate of Exempt Capital Improvement, so no sales tax is charged on that job. A repair is a taxable service. We make sure the paperwork matches the work, so the tax on your invoice reflects what was actually done.
Solar panels have to come off before the roof underneath can be replaced, and detaching and resetting them involves electrical work that sits outside ordinary roofing. We build the panel removal and reinstall into the schedule with your solar provider from the start, so the job is not stalled with half a roof stripped while someone tries to book an electrician.
Architectural, or laminated, shingles are the standard on most new roofs today, with a thicker profile and better wind ratings than older flat 3-tab shingles. Designer lines imitate slate or shake. We install products such as GAF Timberline HDZ, Owens Corning Duration and CertainTeed Landmark built to the ASTM D3462 asphalt shingle standard, and name the exact line in your scope.
Impact-resistant shingles are tested under UL 2218, where Class 4 is the highest rating, and wind performance is rated under ASTM D3161 Class F or ASTM D7158 Class H. We explain what each rating means for an exposed roof in this region and whether an upgrade makes sense for your house, rather than selling the premium line by default.
Roof color is the largest single surface on most houses, and it has to work with brick, siding, trim and the period of the home. We bring full-size samples to look at against your actual walls in daylight, and point out how darker and lighter blends read on a steep prewar roof versus a low split-level.
The dark streaks running down many North Jersey roofs are usually algae feeding on limestone filler in the shingles, worst on shaded, north-facing slopes. On a new roof we recommend shingles with algae-resistant granules, and on an existing roof we explain what gentle cleaning can and cannot fix without stripping granules.
Sound old slate is worth keeping, and we repair it the traditional way: matching slate such as Pennsylvania Black or Buckingham, copper nails, slate hooks and bibs where a piece cannot be nailed. Following the approach in NPS Preservation Brief 29, we replace broken pieces and failed flashing instead of tearing off a roof that still has decades of life in it.
Where real slate is too heavy for the framing or the budget, synthetic slate and composite shake products such as DaVinci give a similar look at a lighter weight. We go over how each product is fastened and flashed, and whether it suits the pitch and style of your house before you commit.
Standing seam metal roofing runs in continuous panels with raised seams that hide the fasteners, while metal shingles mimic shingle or slate patterns. We install both on houses, porches and low additions, and explain the tradeoffs in expansion, noise, how snow slides off the panels and flashing details compared with an asphalt roof on the same building.
Flat and low-slope roofs on rear additions, porches and two-family kitchens need a membrane rather than shingles. We install EPDM rubber, TPO and PVC single-ply membranes, and SBS or APP modified bitumen, choosing the system by the roof’s drainage, foot traffic and what sits on it, and pay particular attention to the edges and drains where flat roofs usually fail.
After a storm, photograph the damage from the ground and inside the house, stop further water entry with a temporary repair, and keep every receipt. Most homeowners policies expect you to prevent further damage. We photograph the roof itself, tarp what needs it and write up the condition for your records before anything is torn off.
You report the loss to your insurer, an adjuster inspects the roof, and the company issues a settlement based on your policy. New Jersey’s Department of Banking and Insurance publishes storm claims guidance for homeowners, and notes that it can help to have your contractor speak directly with the adjuster. We provide the photos and written scope, and meet the adjuster on site when you ask.
A replacement cost policy pays to replace the roof without deducting for age, sometimes holding back part of the payment until the work is done. An actual cash value policy pays the depreciated value, which can be a small fraction of the cost on an older roof. We cannot change your policy, but we can explain what each figure on a settlement letter refers to.
Insurers pay for sudden damage, not for a roof that wore out with age, and that distinction is behind many denied roof claims. Our inspection report separates fresh storm damage such as creased or missing shingles from long-term wear, so you know what is realistically claimable before you file and are not surprised by a denial.
Under New Jersey’s Public Adjusters’ Licensing Act, anyone who negotiates a property claim on your behalf for pay must be licensed by the Department of Banking and Insurance. A roofer is not a substitute for that. We document the damage and price the repair, and if you want an advocate in the negotiation, a licensed public adjuster is the person to hire.
The price of a new roof depends on its size and pitch, the number of layers coming off, the condition of the decking, the shingle line, and how much flashing, ventilation and chimney work the house needs. A steep prewar roof with two layers and a tall chimney costs more per square than a simple low ranch, and our itemized scope shows exactly where the money goes.
The age and condition of a roof affect what an insurer will cover and how a buyer’s inspector reads the house. Before a sale or a policy renewal, we can inspect the roof and give you a written condition report, so you know whether a repair, a replacement or nothing at all is the sensible step.
Under N.J.S.A. 56:8-151, a home improvement contract over $500 must be written and signed, and must show the contractor’s legal name, address and registration number, the liability insurance certificate and the total price. It must also give you the right to cancel before midnight of the third business day. We walk through every line before you sign.
Clifton Elite Roofing provides roofing throughout the greater Clifton area, with the same crews and the same standards on every job.
Good to know
For a detached one- or two-family house, replacing the roof covering is ordinary maintenance under N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7, so no permit, inspection or notice is required. Attached homes, buildings with three or more units, commercial roofs and any work touching rafters or other structural members are outside that exemption and go through the local construction office.
Most single-family tear-offs on a simple gable roof take one to three working days once materials are on site. Steep pitches, a second layer to remove, rotted decking, a flat rear section or solar panels to detach all add time, and we put the expected schedule in writing before the dumpster arrives.
Only when the existing roof has a single layer, is sound enough to serve as a base, and is not slate, clay or cement tile. A roof that already has two layers has to be stripped to the deck, and we explain which situation your roof is in before we write the estimate.
A full roof replacement is generally treated as a capital improvement, and the owner signs Form ST-8, the Certificate of Exempt Capital Improvement, so the contractor does not charge sales tax on it. A repair is a taxable service, so a patch or flashing fix carries sales tax on the bill.
Any home improvement contract over $500 has to be in writing and signed, with the contractor's legal name, address and registration number, the insurance certificate and the total price. It must also carry the consumer notice explaining your right to cancel before midnight of the third business day after you receive your copy.
We document the damage with photos and a written scope for your own claim, and we will meet the adjuster on the roof if you ask. Negotiating the settlement on your behalf for pay is the job of a licensed public adjuster under New Jersey law, so that part stays with you or a professional you hire.
New Jersey's code requires an eave ice barrier only in Sussex County, based on the January temperature trigger in DCA Bulletin 07-3. In Passaic and Bergen County it is a product choice, and we recommend it on low-slope eaves, north-facing pitches and anywhere a house has a history of ice dams.
We install architectural shingles from the major manufacturers, including GAF Timberline HDZ, Owens Corning Duration and CertainTeed Landmark. The written scope names the exact product line, color, underlayment and accessory components, so you know what is going on the house rather than a generic shingle description.
Often, yes. Slate that is still hard and rings when tapped can outlast several asphalt roofs, so we replace broken pieces with matching slate on copper nails or slate hooks and fix the flashing around it. We recommend replacement only when the slate itself is soft, flaking or failing across the whole field.
Damaged decking is photographed and shown to you before any sheet is replaced. The contract sets the per-sheet price in advance, so the decision is made with the evidence in front of you and the cost is not a surprise on the final invoice.
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