Roofing in Plymouth Meeting, PA

Three-hundred-year-old stone next to modern townhomes

Plymouth Meeting isn't a borough. It's a community split between Plymouth Township and Whitemarsh Township, with Butler Pike running along the line between them. Its oldest part is the Plymouth Meeting Historic District, listed on the National Register in 1971, around the corner of Germantown Pike and Butler Pike. The Quaker meetinghouse there dates to 1708, and Abolition Hall went up in 1856. The district includes old houses, a former country store and a stone barn, several from the late 1700s and early 1800s.

Spread out from that corner, the area is much newer: single homes on suburban streets, garden apartments, and townhome and condo communities that grew up around the mall and the big highway interchange where the Blue Route meets the Turnpike. So in one afternoon we can be on a stone house with a deep-set chimney and then on a row of townhomes where the roof belongs partly to an association.

Those two jobs need different conversations. The rest of this page covers both.

Older stone houses: where the water really gets in

On an old stone house, the shingles are rarely the whole story. Most leaks we trace on houses like these come from where the roof meets masonry: the chimney, a stone gable wall, or a later addition built up against the original house.

Flashing that was caulked instead of cut in

Proper flashing at a stone or brick wall is two pieces. One lies under the shingles; the other is cut into a mortar joint and folds down over it. Over decades, a lot of that metal gets replaced with a smear of roof cement or a bead of caulk along the stone. It holds for a season or two, then cracks as the house moves through hot and cold. If the same spot by the chimney has been sealed more than once, the flashing needs to be redone, not sealed again.

Mortar and chimney caps

Water also gets into old chimneys from the top. Cracked crowns, loose caps and soft, sandy mortar let water soak down inside the masonry and show up as a stain on the ceiling or wall nearby, which looks exactly like a roof leak. We look at the whole chimney before blaming the shingles.

Board decking and old framing

Older houses usually have boards under the roof instead of plywood, and the framing is rarely perfectly straight. On a tear-off we check the boards and tell you up front if decking work is likely. Our price is $80 for each 1/2" 4x8 sheet replaced and $120 for 3/4".

Historic district homeowners: A National Register listing usually doesn't by itself stop a private owner from re-roofing, but local rules vary. Before choosing a material or color for a house in the historic district, ask the township whether any review applies. We pull permits whenever the township requires one.

Townhome or condo? Find out who owns the roof first

If you live in a townhome or condo community, the first question with a leak isn't which roofer to call. It's whose roof it is. Some associations own and maintain every roof. Some leave it to each owner. Some split it: the association replaces roofs on a schedule, the owner pays for leaks in between. Here is how to sort it out quickly.

1. Stop the damage inside. Put a bucket under the drip, move furniture, and take photos of the ceiling and anything wet.
2. Check your documents. Your community's declaration or bylaws say who is responsible for roofs. If you can't find them, call the management company and ask in writing.
3. Report it to the association right away. Even if the roof is yours, a leak in a row of attached homes can affect your neighbors. Most associations want to know before anyone goes up.
4. Get approval before a replacement. Most communities control shingle color and style so the rows match. Get the approved product in writing before you sign with any roofer.
5. If water is pouring in, call anyway. We can tarp it to stop the damage while the paperwork gets sorted. Emergency tarp service starts at $1,250 and depends on the size and cleanup.

We can give the association or management company photos and a written scope so the decision isn't made on a guess. For storm damage, we document it for the insurance company and can meet the adjuster at the house. See storm damage repair.

A family roofer who looks at the whole house

Armstrong Roofing is family-owned, and owner Jim Armstrong personally oversees every job. The team brings 50+ years of combined roofing experience. We're GAF certified, licensed in Pennsylvania (#PA164826), insured, BBB A+ rated, and we have a 5.0 rating from 200+ reviews on Google.

• Free inspection with photos, including the chimney and flashing
• Written, line-item estimate before any work starts
• Honest answer on whether a leak is the roof or the masonry
• 24/7 for active leaks: see emergency roof repair

We also work in nearby Conshohocken, Blue Bell and across Montgomery County.

What it usually costs

Flashing and chimney work on older houses is usually a repair, not a new roof. Full replacements on stone houses can run higher than average because of the masonry details and board decking.

• Roof Repair: $350 – $2,500
• Roof Replacement: $6,500 – $18,000
• Emergency tarp service: $1,250 and up
• Decking replacement, 1/2" 4x8 sheet: $80
• Decking replacement, 3/4" 4x8 sheet: $120

Questions we get asked

Do you work on both sides of Plymouth Meeting?

Yes. We work in the Plymouth Township and Whitemarsh Township parts of Plymouth Meeting, from the historic district on Germantown Pike and Butler Pike out to Ridge Pike, Chemical Road and the neighborhoods around the mall.

My old stone house leaks by the chimney. Do I need a new roof?

Usually not. Most leaks at a stone chimney or wall come from flashing that has failed or been caulked over, or from water getting into the masonry. New flashing cut into the mortar joints is a repair, and our typical repair range is $350 to $2,500.

I live in a townhome. Is the roof my responsibility or the association's?

It depends on your community's declaration or bylaws. Some associations cover every roof, some leave it to owners, and some split it. Check your documents or ask the management company in writing before hiring anyone.

Can I re-roof a house in the Plymouth Meeting Historic District?

Usually, yes. A National Register listing generally doesn't by itself restrict a private owner, but ask the township whether any local review applies before you pick materials. We pull permits whenever the township requires one.

How much does a new roof cost in Plymouth Meeting?

Most roof replacements we do run between $6,500 and $18,000. Townhome roofs sit at the low end. Older stone houses with chimneys, board decking and steep slopes sit higher. You get a free written estimate after we see the 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.
• 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 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.
• Flat Roofing: Low-slope roofs over porches, additions and row homes, where ponding water is the enemy.
• Montgomery County: Where we do most of our work, from Horsham out across the county.
• Conshohocken: Borough row homes and twins along the river.
• Blue Bell: Larger homes with complex rooflines and lots of valleys.
• Fort Washington: Wooded lots where trees and storms are the main roof threat.
• 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.