Much of Rockford’s housing has real age on it, and replacing a roof on an older house takes more care than a quick reroof. Martin Exteriors Roofing & Siding has replaced roofs in Rockford since 2006 from our office at 6019 Fincham Dr on the east side. We are a GAF Master Elite contractor, a level GAF gives to fewer than 2% of roofing contractors. Inspections are free, and our Rockford line is (815) 209-9054, answered 24/7.
A City Built Mostly Before 1960
Census estimates for 2020 to 2024 put the median Rockford home at 1963. About 22% of the city’s roughly 67,400 homes went up before 1940, and close to half (46%) were standing by 1960. The 1950s alone account for about one home in six. Only about 8% of Rockford housing was built after 1999, and about half of the city’s homes are 60 years old or more.
That age is the biggest thing a Rockford roof estimate has to account for. A house from 1925 or 1955 may have been reroofed several times, and not every one of those jobs was a full tear off. What we find under the top layer decides how the new roof goes on, so we look before we price.
Rockford Neighborhoods and the Roofs on Them
- Churchill’s Grove and Edgewater. These north side blocks on either side of Auburn Street grew up mostly between 1890 and 1930. Victorian frame houses, Tudors, Dutch Colonials and a few Prairie houses mean steep slopes, gambrels, dormers and tall brick chimneys, all of which need careful flashing.
- Signal Hill. Just north of downtown along the river, many houses date to the 1900s and 1910s, with Craftsman and Colonial Revival homes filling in later. Houses of that age can have board sheathing under the shingles and porch roofs tied into the main roof.
- Brown’s Hills, Knightsville and Haight Village. Older streets near Sinnissippi Park and southeast of downtown. Where houses sit close together, we protect the house next door as carefully as your own during tear off.
- Postwar east and west side streets. The ranches and story and a half houses built in the 1950s and 1960s can be on a second or third roof by now. Simple gables make for a fast install, but low attics and dormer knee walls can need better airflow.
What Old Rockford Roofs Hide
Tear off is where an older Rockford roof tells its story. These are the things we plan for on houses built before the war:
- Plank decking. Older homes can have one by six or one by eight boards with gaps between them instead of plywood. We fix the soft boards and, where the gaps are too wide to hold nails well, we add a solid layer before anything new goes on.
- Extra layers. Two or three old roofs stacked up add weight and hide rot. Everything comes off so we can see the wood.
- Old chimney work. Tall brick chimneys on older houses can have tar patches where metal flashing should be. We install new step and counter flashing.
- Little or no ventilation. Attics from the 1920s often were not vented the way a modern shingle roof needs. We add intake and exhaust sized to the attic; see attic ventilation.
Your written estimate spells out how decking repairs are priced before we start, so a surprise under the shingles does not become a surprise on the bill.
Picking Shingles for an Older House
We lead with GAF. Timberline architectural shingles suit most Rockford houses, and GAF designer lines give a heavier, slate or shake look that sits well on a Tudor or a Victorian. If you want extra hail protection, ask about Class 4 impact resistant shingles. Martin is also a CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster and a CertainTeed 5-Star Contractor, and metal roofing is available on request. We bring samples to the house so you can see the colors against your brick or siding in daylight.
A Martin Replacement Day in Rockford
Most roofs are done in a day, including many in the older neighborhoods. A steep Victorian, a house with several layers or one that needs new sheathing can run longer, and we tell you that up front. We cover landscaping and the neighbor’s side yard, set ice and water shield on every eave and in the valleys, use a complete GAF system from underlayment to ridge cap, then sweep the yard with magnets and haul everything away. We install year round.
Warranty and Financing
As a GAF Master Elite contractor, we can register a lifetime GAF warranty with up to 30 years on workmanship on qualifying roofs (GAF eligibility rules apply). See our GAF warranty page. Financing is available as low as $149/month for qualified buyers; see financing options, and for what drives price, our Rockford roof replacement cost guide.
Why Rockford Homeowners Choose Martin
- A Rockford office on Fincham Drive and an open line 24/7.
- Best Roofer 6 Years Running (2020 to 2025).
- GAF Master Elite with 2-Star President’s Club recognition from GAF.
- Hundreds of roofs every year, and thousands of homeowners helped since 2006.
- Inc. 5000 Company.
- Free inspections for everyone, with photos of what we find.
More for Rockford Homeowners
Start with our Rockford roofing page, or see Rockford siding if the walls need work too. Nearby, read about roof replacement in Belvidere and roof replacement in Roscoe. For the full process, see our Rockford roof replacement page. Book a free inspection or call (815) 209-9054.
Rockford Roof Replacement FAQ
My Rockford house was built in the 1920s. What should I expect at tear off?
Homes from the 1920s can have board decking instead of plywood, more than one old layer and flashing patched with tar. We price decking repairs in writing before we start and show you photos of what we find.
Can you replace a roof on a steep Victorian or Tudor?
Yes. Steep and complex roofs take more setup and can run past one day, but they get the same full tear off, ice and water shield on every eave and complete GAF system as any other roof.
Do older Rockford attics need new vents with a new roof?
Many do. Houses from before the 1950s often were not vented for modern shingles. We add balanced intake and exhaust, which helps the shingles last and cuts down on ice at the eaves.
Is there a shingle that looks right on an older house?
GAF designer shingles give a slate or shake look, and Timberline architectural shingles come in colors that suit brick and older siding. We bring samples so you can see them on site.
Where is your Rockford office?
6019 Fincham Dr, Suite 4, on the east side. Call (815) 209-9054 any time, and someone will answer.
