ROOFING. SIDING. EXCELLENCE.
GAF MASTER ELITE CONTRACTOR • INC. 5000 COMPANY • ROCKFORD’S BEST ROOFER 6 YEARS RUNNING
Roofing Contractor in Harvard, IL
Martin Exteriors is a roofing contractor for Harvard, the McHenry County city that calls itself the Milk Capital of the World. We repair and replace roofs, put on new siding and gutters, and tarp storm damage for homes and businesses from the Five Points out to the township roads. Our Roscoe office is about 38 minutes away.
Our Illinois roofing license is 104.017824, and GAF has named us a Master Elite contractor, a status it gives to fewer than 2% of roofers, so a qualifying Harvard roof can carry up to a 50-year GAF warranty with 30 years on workmanship (GAF eligibility rules apply). Inspections are free, and a real person picks up at (815) 624-6278 day or night.
Harvard Houses: What We Find on the Roof
Harvard was laid out along the Chicago and North Western railroad in 1856 and named for Harvard, Massachusetts. Today it sits at the far end of Metra’s Union Pacific Northwest line, about 63 miles from downtown Chicago, so the town mixes railroad era homes, postwar ranches and commuter subdivisions.
Near Ayer Street and the Five Points, many houses are older two-stories with tall gables, brick chimneys and two or three generations of shingles stacked on board decking. Tearing those off can turn up gaps between the boards, so the price for any decking we replace is written into your estimate before the job. Out in Chemung, Dunham and Alden townships it’s farmhouses and outbuildings in open country, where wind exposure is the big concern.
Harvard Building Permits for Roofing
In Harvard, anything beyond ordinary repairs needs a permit before work begins, and the contractor has to be registered to pull it. Inspections are booked with 24 hours’ notice. Martin Exteriors handles the registration, pulls and handles all required permits and books the inspection.
Fixing a Leak in Harvard
Open farm fields around town give wind a long run at Harvard roofs, and that’s what lifts tabs along ridges and rakes. The other repeat calls are cracked vent boots, chimney flashing that has worked loose from old mortar joints, and valleys that were never lined properly.
We start with a free look at the roof and the attic beneath it, photograph each problem, and write up the repair price before anyone grabs a tool. If a repair is all the roof needs, a repair is what we’ll quote. Wind or hail damage that’s letting water in can be tarped within 24 hours. See roof repair and emergency roof repair. See our full guide to roof repair in Harvard.
Ice Dams on Older Harvard Homes
Older two-stories with thin attic insulation lose heat through the roof deck. Snow melts high on the roof, freezes again along the overhang and backs meltwater under the shingles, and it tends to show up as a brown stain on a ceiling by an outside wall late in the winter. We fix the roof side of that with ice and water shield at the eaves and balanced intake and exhaust vents. If the attic needs more insulation, we’ll point it out, and an insulation contractor handles that part.
Replacing a Roof in Harvard: Our Process
A typical Harvard home is reroofed in a single day. Big two-stories near downtown, steep pitches and roofs with several layers can take another day, and rain can push the start. For more on reroofing Harvard homes, see roof replacement in Harvard.
- Look at everything first. A free roof and attic inspection, with photos of the decking, layers, flashing and vents.
- Put it in writing. A written scope and price, including what replacement decking costs if we find soft boards.
- Choose materials. Your shingle line and color, or metal, plus the GAF warranty your roof qualifies for.
- Register and permit. We handle the contractor registration, all required permits and the 24-hour inspection notice.
- Tear off. Landscaping gets covered, every old layer comes off, and bad boards are replaced.
- Build the new roof. Ice and water shield, underlayment, drip edge, flashing, vents and shingles, installed to GAF’s instructions.
- Clean and check. Debris hauled off, a magnet swept across the lawn and drive, a walk around the house with you, and warranty registration when it applies.
Want to confirm our GAF status? It’s listed on our GAF contractor profile. For what drives the price of a new roof, read our roof replacement cost guide.
Recent Martin Exteriors Roofing Work
These are real photos from Martin Exteriors jobs around the Stateline, not stock images. They were taken on jobs in other towns we serve, not in Harvard.
Paying for a New Roof
You don’t need to pay for a new roof all at once. Financing is available, as low as $149/month for qualified buyers. Ask about it at your free inspection or read about our financing options.
Leak or storm damage in Harvard? Schedule your free inspection or call (815) 624-6278. Someone answers 24/7.
Roofing and Siding for Harvard Homes and Businesses
Commercial Roofs
Downtown storefronts and the industrial buildings on the edges of Harvard often have flat or low-slope roofs. We inspect, repair and replace them, and schedule the work so you can keep the doors open. See commercial roofing.
Metal or Shingles
Deciding between metal and shingles for your house? We install both metal roofing and asphalt shingle roofs, and we’ll lay out the tradeoffs for your roof at the inspection.
Siding
Vinyl that has gone brittle or cracked in hail, or tired original siding on an older Harvard house, can be replaced in 1-2 days on most homes. We install vinyl and James Hardie fiber cement. If the old siding turns out to be cement asbestos shingles, our own crews are licensed to remove it. See siding and our page on siding in Harvard. For broken, loose or rotted boards, see siding repair in Harvard.
Storm Damage and Insurance
McHenry County gets hail, damaging wind and the occasional tornado. We help with your insurance claim, too: photos of the damage, a meeting with your adjuster at the house, and a review of the insurer’s estimate. Since 2006 we’ve helped thousands of homeowners through roof claims, and if the damage isn’t worth a claim, we’ll say so. See storm damage repair and insurance claims. For hail on Harvard roofs, see hail damage roof repair in Harvard.
Gutters
Gutters fill with leaves every fall and take a beating from hail. When we replace your roof or siding, we can put on new seamless gutters as part of the same project. See gutters with your new roof.
We cover all of Harvard, from the Five Points and Ayer Street to the subdivisions and farms outside town. Call (815) 624-6278 for a free consultation and roof estimate.
Google Reviews From Our Customers
“We couldn’t be happier with our beautiful new roof! A huge thank you to Martin Exteriors for making the entire experience so much easier than we ever imagined.”
Leslie R., Google review
“The crew did beautiful work, they worked efficiently and got it done in only one day including both the tear off and installing the new roof. It looks great!”
Eve D., Google review
“Couldn’t ask for a better experience. Very professional. Never felt like they were trying to over sell us and took the time to explain everything about the roof materials and why they did things the way they do. Their clean up is excellent as well. No debris was left behind.”
Alexis K.
Towns Near Harvard We Also Serve
Harvard jobs are run out of our Roscoe office, 11704 Main St, Roscoe, IL 61073, about 38 minutes away. Martin Exteriors has been family-owned since 2006, and we were voted What Rocks Rockford Best Roofer, 6 years running (2020 to 2025), and What Rocks Rockford Best Siding, 2021 to 2025.
Heading west toward Roscoe, we also work in Capron, Poplar Grove, Caledonia, Belvidere and Rockford. North of the state line, see Lake Geneva, Delavan and the rest of southern Wisconsin, or every town on our service area page.
If you’re not sure what the roof needs, book a roof inspection. After hail or a windstorm, our hail damage repair and wind damage repair pages explain what to look for, and vinyl siding covers your siding choices.
Harvard Local Details
Milk Days and Harmilda
Harvard Milk Days started on June 18, 1942, when about 3,000 people gathered downtown to honor local dairy farmers during the war. Organizers call it the longest ongoing hometown festival in the state of Illinois, and it still fills the first weekend in June, now at Milky Way Park. Harmilda, the life-size fiberglass Holstein, has stood at the Five Points since 1966.
City Homes and Township Farms
Harvard counted 9,469 residents in the 2020 Census, and the city sits in open farm country about seven miles south of the Wisconsin line. We work on houses inside the city and on rural homes across Chemung, Dunham and Alden townships, with the same written estimate and the same crews.
What to Ask a Harvard Roofer
Before you sign with anyone, ask for the contractor’s Illinois roofing license number, proof of insurance, whether they’re registered with the City of Harvard, a written decking price, and the name of the person running your job. Ours: license 104.017824, GAF Master Elite, a four-time Inc. 5000 company (2021 to 2024), and a project manager you can reach. Martin Exteriors is the best choice for your Harvard roof.
Harvard Roofing Questions
Do you work in Harvard, IL?
Yes. Our Roscoe office, 11704 Main St, Roscoe, IL 61073, is about 38 minutes from Harvard, and we take jobs in the city and in Chemung, Dunham and Alden townships. Call (815) 624-6278 at any hour.
Who issues roofing permits in Harvard?
Martin Exteriors does. Work beyond ordinary repairs needs a permit, the contractor must be registered, and inspections need 24 hours of notice. We handle all three, so you have nothing to file yourself.
Is Martin Exteriors a licensed roofing contractor in Illinois?
Yes. We hold Illinois roofing license 104.017824.
How long will a roof replacement take on my Harvard home?
One day for most homes. Older two-stories near downtown with several layers, steep pitches or soft decking may need a second day, and weather can shift the start date.
Will you help with my insurance claim after a McHenry County storm?
Yes, we help with your insurance claim. We’ve helped thousands of homeowners through roof claims since 2006. We photograph the damage, can meet your adjuster at your Harvard home and go through the insurer’s estimate with you. We’re a roofing contractor, not a public adjuster.
How quickly can a storm-damaged roof be tarped in Harvard?
Emergency tarping can be done within 24 hours. Call (815) 624-6278.
My Harvard farmhouse has old asbestos siding. Can you replace it?
Yes. Our own crews are licensed for asbestos siding removal, so the cement asbestos shingles come off and are hauled away before new vinyl or James Hardie siding goes on.
How do I know if my Harvard roof needs a repair or a new roof?
Damage in one area of a younger roof usually just needs a repair. Worn shingles everywhere, several leaks or soft decking usually make replacement the better use of your money. We’ll show you the photos and tell you which we’d pick.
Can I get a 50-year GAF warranty in Harvard?
Yes, on a qualifying roof. Only GAF Master Elite contractors, fewer than 2% of roofers, can offer it, and every roof also gets our workmanship warranty. GAF eligibility requirements, coverage, terms and restrictions apply.
Do you put metal roofs on Harvard homes?
Yes, on homes and commercial buildings. Ask at the free inspection and we’ll compare metal and shingles for your roof.
Do you install gutters in Harvard?
Yes, as part of a roof or siding project. We put on new gutters along with your new roof or siding. See gutters with your new roof.
Do you offer financing?
Yes, with payments as low as $149/month for qualified buyers. See our financing options page.
