Roofing in Bensalem, PA

A big township with every kind of roof

Bensalem is one large township rather than a borough with a main street. It was mostly farmland into the 1950s, then filled in fast, and in 1979 villages like Andalusia, Eddington and Cornwells Heights were folded into a single Bensalem postal area. Today it has older singles and twins near Bristol Pike and the river, post-war ranchers and splits in the middle, and a lot of townhome and condo communities built later along Street Road, Route 1 and the roads in between.

That mix means two very common calls here: townhome owners trying to work out what part of the roof is theirs, and storm calls from the open, low-lying ground toward the Delaware River and the creeks. You can see one of our jobs in the Bensalem townhome roof replacement project: a compact two-story roof, new plywood where the old decking had worn out, and a solar attic fan.

Re-roofing a townhome: sort these out first

A townhome roof is one long roof shared by several owners, so there are a few questions to answer before anyone climbs a ladder.

1. Find out who owns the roof. In some communities each owner is responsible for the roof over their unit. In others, the association handles all roofs. Your HOA documents or management company will say which, and some require approval of shingle color and brand.
2. Talk to the neighbors on each side. If their roofs are the same age, replacing two or three units at once is usually cheaper per house and gives a continuous roof without a seam at each property line.
3. Ask how the property-line joints are handled. When only your unit is done, the new shingles must tie into the old ones on both sides. Ask your roofer to explain how, not just say it will be fine.
4. Plan access. Rows of townhomes often have small front yards and shared parking. Ask where the dumpster and materials will go, and give the neighbors a heads-up.
5. Look at the attic vents. Townhome attics are small and often run hot. A replacement is the time to fix ventilation, which is why the project above got a solar attic fan.

After a storm in Bensalem: what to do first

The parts of Bensalem near the Delaware, the Neshaminy and the Poquessing get hit hard by big storms. Flooding itself is a ground-level problem, not a roof one, but the wind and sideways rain that come with those storms lift shingles, peel back ridge caps and push water under flashing. Here is what to do once it is safe.

• Stay off the roof and off ladders in wind or rain. Look from the ground and from upstairs windows.
• Walk the yard for pieces of shingle, ridge cap or metal flashing.
• Look at the ridge and the roof edges for lifted or missing shingles, and at the gutters for dents or sections pulled loose.
• Go into the attic with a flashlight and look for wet spots or daylight.
• Take photos of everything, with the date, before anything is moved or cleaned up.
• Call your insurance company to report it, and call us if water is coming in.

For an active leak, we tarp the roof to stop the water, usually the same day, then schedule the permanent repair. Emergency tarp service runs from $1,250 depending on how much needs covering and the cleanup. We photograph and document the damage, write the scope, and can deal with your insurance company directly or meet the adjuster at the house. We can't promise a claim will be paid. See storm damage repair and emergency roof repair.

Be careful who knocks after a storm

After big storms, out-of-town crews often go door to door in lower Bucks. Before you sign anything, ask for a Pennsylvania contractor registration number, proof of insurance and a written estimate, and don't sign over your insurance claim on the spot.

Armstrong Roofing is family-owned and based in Horsham, and owner Jim Armstrong personally oversees every job. The team brings 50+ years of combined roofing experience.

• PA license #PA164826, general liability and workers' compensation insurance
• GAF certified and BBB A+ rated, 5.0 stars from 200+ reviews on Google
• 25-year workmanship warranty on asphalt shingle roof replacements
• Free, written, line-item estimate before any work starts

We also work in Feasterville, Langhorne, Levittown and across Bucks County.

What it usually costs

Bensalem townhome roofs are small, so a single-unit replacement usually sits near the low end of the range. Storm repairs vary with how much was lifted or torn off and whether water got into the decking.

• Roof Repair: $350 – $2,500
• Storm Damage Roof Repair: $550 – $6,000
• Emergency tarp service: $1,250 and up
• Roof Replacement: $6,500 – $18,000
• Decking replacement, 1/2" 4x8 sheet: $80

Questions we get asked

Do you work in all of Bensalem?

Yes, all of Bensalem Township, including Cornwells Heights, Andalusia, Eddington, Trevose and the neighborhoods along Street Road, Route 1, Bristol Pike and Hulmeville Road. We come from Horsham.

Can you replace the roof on just my townhome unit?

Yes, if your association allows owners to do their own roofs. We tie the new roof into the neighbors' roofs at each property line. If the units beside you are the same age, it is worth asking whether they want to do theirs at the same time.

How much does a new roof cost on a Bensalem townhome?

Most roof replacements we do run between $6,500 and $18,000, and a single townhome unit is near the low end. Worn decking adds $80 per 1/2" sheet replaced. You get a written, line-item estimate first.

A storm took shingles off my roof. What should I do?

Stay off the roof, take dated photos from the ground and the attic, report it to your insurer, and call us if water is getting in. We tarp active leaks, usually the same day, then document the damage for your claim.

Will my insurance pay for storm damage?

It depends on your policy and what the adjuster finds, so ask your insurer. We photograph the damage, write the scope, and can deal with the insurance company or meet the adjuster, but we never promise a claim will be paid.

Have you worked in Bensalem before?

Yes. You can see a Bensalem townhome roof replacement we did, with new plywood decking where it was needed and a solar attic fan.

Related pages

• Roof Repair: Leaks, missing shingles, flashing and vents. We fix the problem and tell you honestly how much life the roof has left.
• Storm Damage Repair: Wind, hail and fallen limbs. We document the damage with photos and work with your insurance adjuster.
• Emergency Roof Repair: Active leak or storm damage? Call any time, day or night. We tarp it to stop the water, then make the permanent fix.
• Roof Replacement: Full tear-off and new roof when repairs stop making sense. Written, line-item estimate before anything starts.
• Roof Inspection: A free, top-to-bottom look at your roof with photos, so you know what you actually need before you spend anything.
• Gutter Repair: Sagging, leaking or overflowing gutters fixed before they rot your fascia.
• Bucks County: Warminster, Doylestown, Newtown, Yardley, Chalfont and everywhere in between.
• Feasterville: Lower Southampton ranchers, Capes and twins.
• Langhorne: Langhorne borough and Middletown Township neighborhoods.
• Levittown: The planned post-war neighborhoods of lower Bucks.
• Roof Replacement in Bensalem, PA: Full roof replacement in Bensalem.
• Southampton: Upper Southampton neighborhoods next to Warminster.
• Huntingdon Valley: Lower Moreland and Abington neighborhoods with bigger lots and trees.