Decatur, DeKalb County
Roofing in Decatur, historic districts included
Decatur is a city of old houses: bungalows, four-squares and cottages on tree-lined streets, five local historic districts, and a steady stream of renovations and additions. The roof work here is careful work.
- Calls answered 24/7
- Historic district reviews
- Bungalows and additions
Quick answer
Roofing in Decatur, Georgia is mostly repairs and replacements on older homes, many of them in the city's five local historic districts, and the phone is answered around the clock. We repair and replace shingle, metal and low-slope roofs, rebuild chimney flashing, and handle the Certificate of Appropriateness the city requires in a historic district before the building permit.
Decatur
Old houses, close together
Most of Decatur was built out early in the last century and right after the war: craftsman bungalows with deep porches, brick four-squares, small cottages and mid-century ranches, all under old trees on small lots. Many still have their original plank decking under several generations of shingles, and many have a porch or back addition with a low-slope roof that was never meant to hold up as long as it has.
The common calls are leaks at old chimneys and vent pipes, porch roofs that pond, and full replacements that take the roof down to the boards. Tight lots and close neighbors also mean we plan tear-offs carefully: tarps over the next driveway, magnet sweeps along the fence lines, and dumpsters placed where the street allows.
Historic districts
Five local historic districts
Decatur's Historic Preservation Commission reviews exterior work in the city's five local historic districts: Clairemont Avenue Corridor, McDonough-Adams-King's Highway, Old Decatur, Parkwood and Ponce de Leon Court. A Certificate of Appropriateness is needed before a building permit can be issued for covered work, with a $35 application fee, or a $10 Certificate of Exemption when staff can approve it administratively.
The districts have their own design standards, and the McDonough-Adams-King's Highway district has an adopted standard for metal roofs. Solar panels have also come before the commission, and on several houses the panels on the front slope were moved to the rear. We check the address, prepare the material details, and build the review into the schedule.
Additions and porches
Additions and porches
Renovation is constant in Decatur, and additions bring flat and low-slope sections, new valleys where an addition meets the original roof, and porch roofs tied into old walls. We replace low-slope sections with membranes built for them and flash the joints between old and new so the addition does not become the leak.
What we see on Decatur roofs
In Decatur's local historic districts, from Old Decatur to the Clairemont Avenue corridor, a roof replacement starts with a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission before the building permit, and some districts have their own standard for metal roofs. Outside the districts the same old houses need the same care: plank decking, porch roofs that pond, and chimneys flashed with tar decades ago.
Roof work in Decatur
What Decatur homeowners call us for
Six jobs that come up most on Decatur's older streets.
Asphalt Shingle Roof Replacement
Tear-offs down to old plank decking on bungalows and cottages.
See the serviceFlat & Low-Slope Roof Replacement
Low-slope porch and addition roofs replaced with real membranes.
See the serviceChimney Flashing & Cricket Repair
Step and counter-flashing rebuilt on old brick chimneys.
See the serviceRoof Decking Repair & Replacement
Soft plank and plywood decking replaced before shingles go on.
See the serviceMetal Roof Installation
Metal roofs that meet a historic district's standards.
See the serviceSolar Panel Removal & Reinstall
Panels lifted and reset when the roof under them is replaced.
See the serviceNearby
Neighboring areas we cover
FAQ
Decatur roofing questions
In the five local historic districts, exterior work covered by the ordinance needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission before a building permit, or a Certificate of Exemption that staff can approve. We check the address and prepare the details.
It depends on the district. The McDonough-Adams-King's Highway district has an adopted design standard for metal roofs, and the commission reviews the details. We match the profile and finish to the standard before submitting.
Yes, we lift and reset panels when the roof under them is replaced. In a historic district, the commission has asked some owners to keep panels off the front slope, so check before adding new panels.
Porch roofs on older houses are often low-slope sections covered with shingles or rolled roofing that cannot shed water fast enough. We replace them with a membrane made for low slopes and flash the joint at the house wall.
Roof work in Decatur?
Call any hour. A roofer answers, checks whether your street is in a historic district, and books the visit.