Roofing in Horsham, PA, from a roofer based here

What Horsham roofs are like

Horsham was mostly farmland until the second half of the last century, so the township filled in fast and all at once. You get three kinds of roof here. Colonials, split-levels and ranchers from the 1960s through the 1980s along the older roads. Larger colonials from the late '80s and '90s in the developments off Limekiln Pike and Meetinghouse Road. And a lot of townhouse communities, more than most towns around us.

The single homes are mostly on their second roof now, and many of those second roofs went on in the '90s or early 2000s. That puts a lot of Horsham roofs in the 20-plus-year range at the same time. If the houses on your street are all getting new roofs, yours probably went on around the same year.

The other thing about Horsham is how open it is. Old farm fields, wide lots and the open ground around the air base mean a lot of houses have nothing breaking the wind. After a strong storm, we see more blown-off ridge caps and lifted shingle edges here than in the wooded towns to the south like Fort Washington.

Roofing a Horsham townhouse: check with your HOA first

In a townhouse community, the roof is often not entirely yours to decide on. Before you call any roofer, find out who is responsible for what.

1. Read your HOA documents. Some associations handle roofs for every unit; others leave each owner responsible for the roof over their own unit. It varies from one community to the next.
2. Ask about approved shingles and colors. Many communities require a specific shingle color so the row matches. Get that in writing before you get estimates, so every roofer prices the same thing.
3. Talk to your neighbors. Your roof is tied into theirs at the party wall. A row re-roofed together usually costs each owner less and gives a cleaner joint than one unit at a time.
4. If it is just your unit, ask how the joint will be handled. The seam where your new shingles meet your neighbor's old ones is where leaks start. We tie in to the existing roof and flash that line so neither side leaks.

Leak at the party wall?: Water showing up along the shared wall can come from either roof. We'll look at both sides from the outside, with your neighbor's permission, before anyone starts blaming anyone.

What usually goes wrong on Horsham houses

Wind on open lots

Ridge caps and the shingles along the rakes (the sloped edges at the gable ends) take the wind first. After a storm, walk the yard. A strip of shingle in the grass, or a ridge line that looks ragged from the street, means water can get in. Most of the time that is a small roof repair, not a new roof.

Ice dams on 1960s and 1970s homes

Houses from that era usually have thin attic insulation and few soffit vents. Heat from the house melts snow on the roof and it refreezes at the gutter edge. If you get heavy icicles in the same spot every winter, that is where water is backing up under the shingles. Better venting and insulation fix the cause; an ice and water barrier at the eaves goes on with the next roof.

Second roofs reaching the end

Bald, shiny patches on the south and west slopes, granules in the gutters, and curling tabs mean the shingles are worn out, even if nothing is leaking yet. That is the time to plan a roof replacement on your schedule rather than after a storm.

Gutters and wet yards

A lot of Horsham sits on heavy, slow-draining ground, so water dumped next to the foundation tends to stay there. Gutters that overflow or downspouts that empty right at the wall are worth fixing. See gutter installation if yours are undersized or sagging.

Why being based in Horsham matters

When a storm comes through, the first calls we answer are from our own township. We're close enough to come back and look again if something isn't right, and we know the township's permit office. Armstrong Roofing is family-owned, owner Jim Armstrong personally oversees every job, and the team brings 50+ years of combined roofing experience.

• PA license #PA164826, general liability and workers' compensation insurance
• BBB A+ rated, 5.0 across 200+ reviews on Google
• Free roof inspection with photos, and a written, line-item estimate before any work
• 24/7 for active leaks: we tarp it to stop the water, usually the same day

We also work all around Horsham: Hatboro and Willow Grove to the east, Maple Glen and Dresher to the south, and Warminster across the county line. See the whole Montgomery County area.

What it usually costs

A Horsham rancher or a single townhouse unit usually lands in the lower part of the replacement range. A large two-story colonial, two layers of old shingles or rotted plywood push it up.

• Roof Repair: $350 – $2,500
• Roof Replacement: $6,500 – $18,000
• Emergency Roof Repair: $550 – $3,250
• Storm Damage Roof Repair: $550 – $6,000
• Gutter Installation: $1,200 – $7,500

Questions we get asked

Where in Horsham are you located?

We're based in Horsham, PA 19044 and work all over the township, from Easton Road and County Line Road to Limekiln Pike and Welsh Road. Call (215) 824-6932 and we'll set up a time to come out.

How much does a new roof cost on a Horsham home?

Most roof replacements we do run between $6,500 and $18,000. Ranchers and townhouse units sit toward the lower end; big colonials, steep roofs, two layers of old shingles or rotted decking push it up. You get a free written estimate after we have seen the roof.

Can you replace the roof on just my townhouse unit?

Usually yes, if your HOA allows owners to do their own roofs. Check your association's rules on who is responsible and which shingle colors are approved first. We tie the new roof into your neighbors' at the party wall and flash that joint so it doesn't leak.

Wind blew shingles off my roof. Is it urgent?

If underlayment or bare wood is showing, get it covered before the next rain. Stay off the roof, take photos from the ground, and call us. A few missing shingles is usually a small repair, and wind damage is often covered by insurance; your insurer makes the call.

My roof is 20 years old. Repair or replace?

Look at the shingles, not just the age. If they lie flat and hold their granules and the leak is in one spot, repair it. If they're curling, bald or leaking in several places, plan a replacement. Our rule of thumb is to stop repairing once a fix costs more than about 30% of a new roof.

Are you licensed and insured?

Yes. PA license #PA164826, with general liability and workers' compensation insurance. We'll show you proof before any work starts.

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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Gutter Installation: Seamless gutters and downspouts sized to move water away from your foundation.
• Montgomery County: Where we do most of our work, from Horsham out across the county.
• Hatboro: Borough homes and older twins right next door to Horsham.
• Willow Grove: Post-war Capes, ranchers and splits on their second or third roof.
• Maple Glen: Established neighborhoods minutes from our shop.
• Roof Replacement in Hatboro, PA: Full roof replacement in Hatboro.
• Roof Replacement in Warminster, PA: Full roof replacement in Warminster.
• Dresher: Colonials and split-levels across Upper Dublin.
• Warminster: Our neighbor to the north; lots of 1950s-70s ranchers and splits.
• Ambler: Older borough homes with steep roofs and plenty of flashing.
• Upper Dublin Township: Dresher, Fort Washington, Maple Glen and the rest of the township.