Roofing in Levittown, PA

Built all at once, changed one house at a time

Levitt and Sons started building here in 1952 and finished more than 17,000 houses across four municipalities. The neighborhoods are called sections, and the streets in each section start with the same letter as its name. There were only a handful of models, the Levittowner, the Rancher, the Jubilee, the Country Clubber and a couple of others, so on day one whole blocks had the same simple, low-pitched roof.

Seventy years later, very few of those houses look alike. Owners added bedrooms on the back, raised the roof for a second floor, enclosed carports, built family rooms off the side and put shed dormers on top. Each addition was done by a different builder in a different decade. So the typical Levittown roof today is an original low-slope main roof tied into one or more additions, each with its own pitch, its own shingles and its own idea of how the joint should be sealed.

Where Levittown roofs leak: the seams between old and new

Where an addition meets the original roof

The most common Levittown leak we see is right at the line where a newer roof butts into the old one. Sometimes the new shingles were just lapped over the old edge with a smear of cement. Sometimes the two roofs meet at a slight dip that holds water. Either way, the leak shows up inside along that line, often in the room that used to be the outside wall.

Roofs too flat for shingles

The original roofs are not steep, and some additions are even flatter, especially rear family rooms and enclosed carports. Shingles need enough slope to shed water. On the flattest sections, a flat roof membrane, properly tied into the shingled roof, will outlast any number of shingle patches.

Different shingles, different ages

When the main roof is 25 years old and the addition was re-roofed eight years ago, you get to decide whether to replace both at once. Doing them together usually gives you one roof, one warranty and no seam left over. Doing them apart can make sense if the newer section is in good shape. We'll show you both numbers.

Gutters on the long low side

Low roofs put a lot of water into gutters at head height, and the gutters along a long addition carry runoff from two roofs at once. Undersized or sagging gutters spill against the wall and the foundation. If yours overflow in a hard rain, see gutter installation.

Map your own roof in five minutes

Before you call any roofer, walk around the house and work out how many roofs you actually have. It makes every conversation and estimate clearer.

1. Find the original roof. It is the low gable over the original footprint of the house. Look at the shingle color and wear on it.
2. Find each addition. Look for changes in roof height, slope or shingle color. Each one is a separate section with its own seam.
3. Look at every seam from inside. Check the ceilings along the old exterior walls, where additions join. Stains or cracks along that line are the first sign of a seam leak.
4. Note anything nearly flat. If a section looks almost level from the yard, it probably needs a flat-roof material, not shingles.
5. Write down roughly when each part was done. Old permits or your closing papers may help. A roofer can tell you which parts are near the end and which have years left.

Bring the map to the inspection: On a free roof inspection we photograph each section and every seam so you can see what we see, and the estimate lists each section on its own line.

Who does the work

Armstrong Roofing is family-owned and based in Horsham. Owner Jim Armstrong personally oversees every job, and the team brings 50+ years of combined roofing experience. On a pieced-together Levittown roof, that means someone who knows how to tie old into new is watching each seam go down.

• 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
• Financing available through Hearth, our financing partner

We also work in Langhorne, Bensalem, Yardley and across Bucks County.

What it usually costs

An original-size Levitt house is a small roof, so it usually sits near the low end of the replacement range. Each addition, and any low section that needs a flat-roof membrane, adds to it, and we list each one separately.

• Roof Repair: $350 – $2,500
• Roof Replacement: $6,500 – $18,000
• Asphalt shingle roof, per square: $450 – $950
• Flat Roof Repair: $350 – $1,800
• Flat Roof Installation: $4,000 – $15,000
• Gutter Installation: $1,200 – $7,500

Questions we get asked

Do you work in every Levittown section?

Yes, in all four municipalities: Bristol Township, Falls Township, Middletown Township and Tullytown. We come from Horsham.

Why does my ceiling leak along the old outside wall?

That line is usually where an addition roof meets the original roof. If the joint was lapped and sealed with cement instead of properly flashed and tied in, it will leak there. Fixing the seam is usually a repair, not a full new roof.

Should I replace the addition roof and the main roof at the same time?

Often, yes, if both are near the end. One continuous roof has no old-to-new seam to fail. If the addition roof is much newer and in good shape, we can replace just the main roof and tie into it carefully.

How much does a new roof cost on a Levittown house?

Most roof replacements we do run between $6,500 and $18,000, and an original-size Levitt house is near the lower end. Additions, flat sections and a second story push it up. Asphalt shingles typically run $450 to $950 per square.

My back room roof is almost flat. Can it be shingled?

Not if it is too flat for shingles to shed water. That section should get a flat-roof membrane, tied into the shingled roof. Flat roof installations typically run $4,000 to $15,000.

Do you offer financing?

Yes, through Hearth, our financing partner. Hearth handles the application and terms directly.

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.
• Flat Roofing: Low-slope roofs over porches, additions and row homes, where ponding water is the enemy.
• Gutter Installation: Seamless gutters and downspouts sized to move water away from your foundation.
• Roof Inspection: A free, top-to-bottom look at your roof with photos, so you know what you actually need before you spend anything.
• Shingle Roofing: Architectural asphalt shingle repair and installation, the roof on most homes around here.
• Bucks County: Warminster, Doylestown, Newtown, Yardley, Chalfont and everywhere in between.
• Langhorne: Langhorne borough and Middletown Township neighborhoods.
• Bensalem: Bensalem Township singles, twins and townhomes.
• Yardley: River-town homes along the Delaware.
• Newtown: Historic borough and big suburban developments.
• Feasterville: Lower Southampton ranchers, Capes and twins.