Roof Replacement in Garfield, NJ

What We Find Under Old Garfield Roofs

The city’s housing stock was mostly built in three waves: 3,335 units in 1939 or earlier, 1,647 in the 1940s and 2,568 in the 1950s, according to the 2023 Census estimates in Garfield’s Housing Element. Each era tends to leave a different surprise for the tear-off crew.

Pre-war houses (1939 and earlier)

These usually have individual sawn boards for decking, sometimes with gaps between them. Many have been re-covered two or three times. Once everything is stripped, we check every board, replace the soft and split ones, and often recommend sheathing over the boards with plywood so the new shingles have a solid, even nailing surface.

1940s and 1950s houses

Postwar Garfield houses may have boards, early plywood or a mix where sections were repaired. Early plywood can delaminate where it has been wet for years, usually at the eaves and around chimneys. We note the condition with photos as the roof comes off, so there is no mystery about why decking was replaced.

Why we recommend a full tear-off

Laying new shingles over old ones hides decking problems, adds weight to old framing and makes the next replacement harder. On most Garfield roofs a full tear-off is the honest recommendation. You can see what a project like this involves on our roof replacement page.

Permits for Garfield’s Building Types

New Jersey’s construction code lists the replacement of the existing roof covering on a detached one- or two-family house as ordinary maintenance. Here is how that applies to the housing mix in Garfield:

Dumpsters, Driveways and Garfield Streets

A tear-off on a two-family produces a lot of debris, and where the container goes is a real planning question in Garfield. On older blocks lots can be narrow, driveways are sometimes shared, and side yards between houses can be just a few feet.

The city’s dumpster rules

Garfield regulates dumpsters under Chapter 287, Article V of its code. The rules say the city may remove a dumpster placed in a public road or right-of-way without a permit, and violations carry fines of up to $2,000. The City Council introduced an ordinance rewriting the dumpster section in January 2026 after residents raised concerns about containers in the street, so we check the requirement in force at the time of your job rather than assume.

How we keep the job tidy

• Where there is room, the container goes in your driveway on boards to protect the surface.
• We protect the neighbor’s side of a tight side yard with tarps and keep debris chutes pointed into the container, not over the property line.
• Shrubs, air-conditioning units and basement windows near the drip line get covered before the first shingle comes off.
• At the end of each day we run magnetic sweepers over the driveway, walk and lawn to collect roofing nails.

If you share a driveway, let your neighbor know the timing early. It is the single easiest way to keep a roofing project friendly.

Materials, Ventilation and Ice Barrier

Shingles

For most pitched roofs in Garfield we install architectural asphalt shingles. They are thicker than the old three-tab shingles found on many of the city’s houses, hold up better to wind, and their varied look suits both pre-war houses and 1950s homes.

Flat and low-slope sections

Rear additions, porch roofs and many storefront buildings along the city’s commercial streets have flat or nearly flat roofs that shingles cannot handle. These get a membrane roof instead. Our flat roof repair and replacement page covers the options.

Ventilation

Attics in older houses like Garfield’s pre-war and postwar stock often have little or no intake ventilation at the eaves, and sometimes a single gable louver doing all the work. A replacement is the right time to fix that, usually with soffit intake and a ridge vent. Good airflow keeps the attic cooler in summer, reduces the risk of ice dams in winter and protects the new shingles.

Ice barrier: what the code requires and what we recommend

New Jersey only requires an ice barrier membrane where the January average temperature is 25°F or colder, which the state defines as Sussex County. Garfield is not in that area, so it is not a code requirement here. On houses with a history of ice dams, low-pitch sections or long eaves over living space, we recommend it anyway at the eaves and in the valleys, and we will tell you where it is worth the cost on your roof.

Roof Replacement Questions from Garfield Homeowners

More Roofing Help in Garfield

Start with our Garfield roofing contractor page for an overview, or see the Bergen County service area and our statewide New Jersey roof replacement page.

In Garfield we also offer roof repair in Garfield, siding installation and repair in Garfield and Garfield gutter installation, which often goes on at the same time as a new roof.

Neighbors can read about roof replacement in Clifton, roof replacement in Lodi and roof replacement in Elmwood Park. Our roof cost calculator gives a starting budget, and the Bergen County roof replacement page covers the wider county.