Yes, we work all over Island Heights, from the riverfront streets up to Summit Avenue and the Route 37 edge of town. Our most frequent jobs here are roof repairs on older homes, wood shingle and trim restoration and gutter work on steep lots. It's only a short drive from our Toms River office, so call (732) 419-1462 any time.
Living high above the river has a roof cost
The view from the bluff is the reason many people love this town, and it's also why roofs here take a beating. Wind crossing the wide mouth of the Toms River has nothing to slow it until it hits the first houses on the rise. Ridge caps, rake shingles and upper-story siding on the river side feel those gusts first, especially during a nor'easter pushing water up the river.
Away from the edge, the problem flips. Big old trees shade many lots, so roofs stay damp, gutters fill with leaves and moss settles in on the north slopes. The historic district, listed on the National Register in 1980, covers a large share of town, and its homes often wear wood shingles, scrollsawn trim and steep, many-sided roofs that need a patient hand.
Patch the old shingles or start over?
Wood shingle walls can often be saved for years with targeted repairs: replacing split or rotted pieces, refastening loose courses with stainless nails and restaining to blend old and new. When a whole wall is soft, cupped and leaking behind the shingles, full replacement with new cedar siding is the better use of your money. We'll show you photos of both the worst and the best sections before you decide. Call (732) 419-1462 to set up a look at your walls and roof.
Details that matter on older Island Heights houses
Houses from the camp meeting and Victorian years have quirks that newer homes don't. These are the spots where we slow down.
Steep, cut-up roofs
Turrets, gables and wraparound porch roofs mean many valleys and wall joints. Each joint needs its own flashing, and we rebuild them one at a time rather than relying on sealant.
Decorative trim
Scrollsawn brackets and fancy fascia boards are part of the town's character. Where wood has rotted, PVC can be cut to the same profile so it won't need repair again soon.
Old plank decks
Many roofs sit on board decks rather than plywood. We check every board during a tear-off and replace soft ones before the new underlayment goes down.
Chimneys and dormers
Old brick chimneys and shed dormers are common leak points. Fresh step and counter flashing, sometimes with a cricket behind a wide chimney, puts an end to most of those leaks.
Gutters on sloped lots
Downspouts on the bluff need to send water where it won't wash out the slope or the neighbor's yard, so we plan discharge points with care.
Before we arrive at your Island Heights home
A little prep makes the first visit faster and more useful for you.
- Note which rooms show stains and after what kind of weather they appeared
- Clear a path to the attic hatch or knee-wall door if you have one
- Find any paperwork from earlier roof or siding work, even rough notes
- Point out decorative trim or shingle patterns you want kept exactly as they are
- Let us know about tight parking or steep driveways so we bring the right ladders
