Yes. We work across Neptune Township, including Ocean Grove, Shark River Hills, Bradley Park and the West Neptune side near Route 66. Most of our calls here are porch and low-slope roof leaks on older cottages, wind-loosened siding near the Shark River, and shingle replacements inland. Call (732) 419-1462 at any hour; we answer 24/7.
Why a roof by the Neptune beach ages differently than one by Route 33
Ocean Grove sits at the township's eastern edge, a National Register historic district packed with Victorian cottages on narrow lots. Many have steep main roofs, porches with nearly flat roofs and layers of decorative trim. Salt air off the Atlantic works on every nail head and painted board, and wind-driven rain finds the joints where a porch roof meets the wall.
To the south, Shark River Hills homes sit on slopes above the estuary, open to every nor'easter. West of Route 35, bigger lots and taller trees mean roofs wear from shade and dropped limbs more than salt.
How we fix a leaking porch roof on an Ocean Grove cottage
Porch roofs are the leak we trace most often in Ocean Grove. Here's the order we work in.
Find where the water really enters
Porch ceiling stains rarely sit under the actual hole. We check the wall flashing, the gutter edge and the roofing seams before deciding what to open up.
First visit, about an hourOpen only what has to come off
On a historic cottage we remove the smallest area that lets us reach wet decking and failed flashing, so original beadboard ceilings and trim survive wherever they're still sound.
Morning of the repairReplace soft wood and flash the wall
Rotted boards come out, new decking goes in, and fresh step or counter flashing goes where the porch roof meets the house wall, which is where most of these leaks begin.
Half day to a full dayCover it with a true low-slope material
Nearly flat porch roofs need a membrane or modified bitumen rather than shingles. We pick the material by pitch and by how much of the roof shows from the street.
Same day in most casesRebuild the trim around it
Cornice, fascia and brackets are repaired or remade to the original profile where we can, then primed and left ready for whatever colors the cottage wears.
Final step
Working carefully on Ocean Grove's close-set streets
Ocean Grove streets are narrow and the houses sit almost shoulder to shoulder, so we plan deliveries, ladders and debris chutes before anything comes off the roof. Exterior changes in the historic district usually need township approval first, and we pull the township permit when the job requires one. If you're deciding between cedar siding and painted wood clapboard on a cottage, give us a call at (732) 419-1462 and we'll talk through what suits the house.
What Neptune homeowners call us about most
The same few problems keep coming up across the township, depending on the neighborhood.
Rusting flashing near the beach
Within a few blocks of the ocean, galvanized flashing and older nails corrode faster than they do inland. We swap them for aluminum, copper or stainless parts that hold up in salt air.
Loose siding in Shark River Hills
Vinyl panels on the estuary side pull apart along their seams when gusts come across the water. We re-fasten or replace the torn courses and check the house wrap underneath for tears.
Tired shingles on post-war capes
Plenty of capes and ranches west of the river are on their second or third roof. Granule loss, curled tabs and cracked pipe boots usually mean a roof replacement is close.
Overflowing gutters under big oaks
Inland streets near Route 33 and Route 66 have mature trees that fill gutters every fall. Wider gutters with larger downspouts, or guards on top, keep water off the fascia and away from the foundation.
