Repair vs. Replace
The three factors that actually decide it: age of the roof, extent of the damage, and how many more storms you plan to weather. A leak isn't always a replacement — but a 22-year-old roof usually is.
Read the full guide Learning Center
Roofing answers, from a family that's roofed NJ for 24 years
51 plain-English guides across 8 topics — repair vs. replace, storm claims, GAF Master Elite® warranties, NJ code, and what things actually cost.
Roofing Answers for North & Central New Jersey
51 topics · 8 clusters · Updated 2026
Browse every topic belowINTERACTIVE · 10 CARDS · 3 MINUTES
Spot the storm chaser.
After every big NJ storm, out-of-state trucks show up offering roof "help." Some are legit. Most aren't. Play 10 real scenarios grounded in NJ law and GAF policy — flip each card to see who's who, and why.
Your score
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Scenario 1 of 10
Tap GREEN if legit · RED if storm chaser
Repair & Replace
Repair, Replace, or Wait?
Every roof reaches a decision point. These guides help you understand what you're seeing and what your options actually are — from a single leak to a full tear-off.
Roof Leak Repair 101
Where NJ roofs leak most (flashings, vent boots, valleys, ice-dam back-up) and what a proper repair actually includes — not just a smear of caulk.
Read summaryEmergency Storm Tarp
When wind lifts shingles or a limb punches through the deck, a properly secured tarp keeps water out until permanent repairs. What we bring, how it's secured, and what your insurance covers.
Read the full guideMissing or Broken Shingles
A few missing tabs after a windstorm doesn't always mean full replacement — but leaving them is how deck rot starts. Here's when to patch vs. replace.
Read summaryOverlay vs. Full Tear-Off
NJ allows two layers of shingles, but almost every situation calls for a full tear-off. Why an overlay is usually a short-term save with long-term costs.
Read summaryWhen a Roof Is Beyond Repair
Widespread granule loss, curled or cupped tabs, sagging deck, daylight in the attic — the honest signals that no repair is going to hold, and why patchwork wastes money.
Read summaryMaterials & Systems
What's Actually on Your Roof
The words on a shingle wrapper matter less than the whole system underneath. These guides walk through what LGM installs, what the code requires in NJ, and what upgrades are worth it.
Asphalt Shingles Explained
Fiberglass mat, asphalt saturation, ceramic-coated granules — the anatomy of the shingle you see 95% of NJ homes wearing, and why quality varies wildly between brands.
Read summaryGAF Timberline HDZ® Overview
The best-selling shingle in North America — StrikeZone™ nailing area, LayerLock™ technology, StainGuard Plus™ algae protection, and the wind warranty when installed by a Master Elite® contractor. The backbone of our Standard package.
Read summaryStandard vs. Premium vs. Economy Shingles
How LGM's three shingle tiers compare — Economy for budget-conscious resale roofs, Standard (GAF Timberline HDZ) with 25-year workmanship and algae coverage, and Premium (GAF Timberline UHDZ) with 30-year workmanship and algae warranties.
Read summaryMetal Roofing for NJ Homes
Standing seam metal costs 2–3× as much as asphalt and lasts 2–3× as long. Why it's a good fit for low-slope additions and a hard sell on traditional NJ colonials.
Read summaryRidge Vent & Attic Ventilation
Bad ventilation is why NJ homes get ice dams. How balanced intake (soffit) + exhaust (ridge) vent works, and why fixing it during a re-roof matters more than any shingle upgrade.
Read the full guideIce & Water Shield (NJ Code)
NJ requires self-adhered ice-and-water membrane at eaves, valleys, and penetrations — how far up depends on your roof pitch. What a code-compliant install actually looks like.
Read summaryStorm & Insurance
Storm Damage, Claims & Adjusters
Nor'easters, wind events, hail, and fallen limbs — LGM handles hundreds of insurance claims a year across North Jersey. These guides demystify a process most homeowners face once or twice in a lifetime.
Filing a Wind Damage Claim
The 72-hour timeline from windstorm to filed claim — what to document, what to say to your adjuster, and what a Master Elite® damage report adds to the conversation.
Read the full guideHail Damage Assessment
Hail bruising doesn't always crack a shingle — it fractures the mat underneath. How trained inspectors mark hits, when hail is a covered peril, and why timing your claim matters.
Read summaryMeeting Your Insurance Adjuster
LGM is on-site with your adjuster — not so we can 'sell them' but so nothing gets missed. What we point out (flashing, underlayment, drip edge) that adjusters commonly overlook.
Read summaryUnderstanding Your Deductible
Named-storm, wind/hail, percentage-based — NJ deductibles come in flavors and none of them can legally be 'waived' by a contractor. Straight talk on what you actually owe and why.
Read summaryWhat If My Claim Is Denied?
Denied for 'wear and tear'? Insufficient documentation? Prior claim on record? Real options — supplemental filings, public adjusters, and when it's time to walk away from the claim.
Read summaryHow to Spot a Storm Chaser
Out-of-state license plates, door-to-door canvassing, 'we'll waive your deductible' promises, contracts on the hood of a truck. Why storm chasers are illegal in NJ and how they hurt legitimate claims.
Read the full guideGAF Master Elite®
Why the Certification Matters
Only 2% of roofing contractors in North America earn the GAF Master Elite® certification. LGM holds it (#1112549). Here's what it actually gets you as a homeowner.
What 'Master Elite' Means
GAF's top-tier certification requires ongoing verification of licensing, insurance and customer-service standards. What it takes to keep it, and why it decides which warranty you can even be offered.
Read the full guideGAF Golden Pledge® Warranty
The strongest warranty in residential roofing: 25 years of workmanship, 50 years on manufacturing defects, transferable, and only available from Master Elite® contractors. What it covers vs. what it doesn't.
Read summaryGAF System Plus Warranty
The mid-tier GAF warranty — 50 years on materials, 10 years on workmanship, non-transferable. When it's the right call vs. stepping up to Golden Pledge®.
Read summaryManufacturer vs. Workmanship Warranty
80% of roof failures are installation errors, not material defects — and a manufacturer warranty won't cover installation. Why the workmanship warranty is the one that actually matters.
Read summaryWhy Certification Matters for Your Claim
A GAF Master Elite® damage report carries evidentiary weight with insurance carriers. Adjusters know a Master Elite® contractor's inspection isn't padded — it's staking a certification on it.
Read summaryOur Master Elite ID #1112549
Verify LGM directly on gaf.com. The Master Elite roster is public, updated in real time — if a contractor tells you they're 'GAF certified,' this is what a real one looks like.
Read summaryMaintenance
Keeping the Roof You Have
A well-maintained roof lasts 25–30 years. A neglected one lasts 12–15. The delta is a handful of $200 tune-ups and one afternoon of gutter work per season.
Annual Roof Inspection: What to Expect
LGM's 27-point annual inspection — flashings, penetrations, valleys, ridge caps, deck, ventilation, gutters. Free for existing customers, $195 for new. Written report either way.
Read summaryGutter Cleaning & Guards
Clogged gutters cause 60% of the roof-water intrusion we repair. When cleaning is enough, when guards are worth it, and why the cheap plastic guards make things worse.
Read summaryMoss, Algae & Streak Removal
Those black streaks are gloeocapsa magma algae — cosmetic, but the moss that follows is destructive. How to kill both without ruining the shingle granule coating.
Read summaryWinter Prep for NJ Roofs
October checklist for the North Jersey winter: gutters cleared, attic ventilation checked, tree limbs cut back 8+ feet from the roof, any flashing issues addressed before the first ice.
Read summarySpring Post-Storm Checklist
The March/April walk-around — nailed and popped shingles, missing granules in the gutters, damaged vent boots, flashing separation. Catches problems before summer thunderstorms make them expensive.
Read summaryAttic Ventilation & Ice Dams
Ice dams aren't a gutter problem — they're a ventilation and insulation problem. Why heat cables are a band-aid and what a proper fix costs.
Read summaryCompare & Decide
Head-to-Head Comparisons
The comparisons homeowners actually ask about — with real numbers, real trade-offs, and honest answers about which choice fits which situation.
Asphalt vs. Metal Roofing
Asphalt: $8–$14/sq ft, 25–30 year life, familiar to every insurer. Metal: $18–$30/sq ft, 40–70 year life, harder to insure, quieter than you think. The honest side-by-side.
Read summaryStanding Seam vs. Corrugated Metal
Standing seam is the residential-grade metal roof — hidden fasteners, factory-formed panels. Corrugated is the barn-roof look — exposed fasteners, cheaper, shorter life. When each fits.
Read summaryRoofer vs. Handyman
A handyman's price on a repair looks great until the leak comes back or your warranty is void. What separates a roofer (license, insurance, manufacturer certification) from a general contractor.
Read summaryHow to Verify a NJ Roofer's Licence
Four checks any homeowner can run in about five minutes — the NJ HIC register, the actual liability limit, the manufacturer's own contractor directory, and the reviews that name a person. Our numbers are on the page so you can start with us.
Read the full guideGAF vs. Owens Corning vs. CertainTeed
All three make a quality shingle. The thing that actually changes your outcome is whether your installer holds that manufacturer's certification — because that decides which warranty is on the table.
Read the full guideWarranty Comparison Chart
Golden Pledge® vs. System Plus vs. WeatherStopper® — a plain-English side-by-side of every GAF warranty tier, plus how they stack against Owens Corning Platinum and CertainTeed SureStart.
Read summaryRepair vs. Replace: The Real Cost
A $600 repair on a 20-year-old roof buys you 18 months, maybe less. A $16,000 replacement buys you 25 years. How to think about it in cost-per-year-of-service, not sticker price.
Read summaryCost Guides (NJ)
What Things Actually Cost
Real North Jersey pricing — not national averages. Costs vary by home size, pitch, layers of existing material, and access, but these ranges are what our estimators actually write on Bergen, Essex, and Passaic County proposals.
Roof Replacement Cost in North Jersey
Typical NJ colonial (1,800–2,200 sq ft roof): $11,000–$18,000 for our Standard package (GAF Timberline HDZ with Golden Pledge®). What drives the range: pitch, layers to remove, deck condition, ventilation upgrades.
Read the full guideRoof Repair Cost in North Jersey
Small leak fix (flashing, vent boot, a few shingles): $400–$900. Chimney reflash: $800–$1,600. Section repair (10–20 sq ft): $1,200–$2,400. When the repair cost starts approaching replacement.
Read summarySiding Replacement Cost in NJ
Vinyl siding on a typical NJ two-story: $10,000–$18,000. Fiber cement (James Hardie): $18,000–$32,000. Insulated vinyl adds ~15% and 3–4 R-value. What's included and what usually isn't.
Read summaryGutter Installation Cost in NJ
Seamless aluminum, 5": $8–$12 per linear foot installed. 6": $10–$15. Add $3–$6/ft for micromesh guards. What most NJ colonials work out to and when oversized gutters actually help.
Read summaryEmergency Tarp Cost
A tarp on a wind-damaged roof is usually covered by your insurance claim as loss mitigation — what that means, and how to make sure you're not paying for it twice.
Read summaryFinancing a New Roof
LGM offers financing through Service Finance Company, LLC. What you need to apply, how approval works, and what a roof looks like as a monthly payment instead of a lump sum.
Read summaryNJ Roof Replacement Permits
A replacement in New Jersey is permitted work. We pull the permit, the fee is passed through at what the town actually charges with no markup, and it generally takes one to two weeks.
Read the full guideSales Tax on a New Roof in NJ
Generally a full replacement is a capital improvement and exempt with a completed Form ST-8, while a repair is taxable. What ST-8 is, who fills it in, and why you should ask for a copy.
Read the full guideTools & References
Quick Answers & References
The reference material — glossaries, timelines, and the local-code sections you'll get asked about by an adjuster, an inspector, or a curious neighbor.
Roofing Glossary
The 60 terms that come up in a roofing conversation — from 'abutment flashing' to 'weep hole' — with plain-English definitions and photos of what each thing looks like on a real roof.
Read summaryInsurance Claim Glossary
'RCV,' 'ACV,' 'depreciation recoverable,' 'loss of use,' 'named-storm deductible' — the insurance vocabulary you'll hear during a claim, translated.
Read summaryRoof Age Estimator
Don't know when your roof was installed? Permit records, closing documents, and visual tells that reveal roof age within a few years — and why age matters for your insurance rate.
Read summaryRoof Life Expectancy Chart
Economy asphalt: 15–20 years. Standard asphalt (Timberline HDZ): 25–30 years. Premium asphalt (Timberline UHDZ): 30+ years. Cedar shake: 20–25. Standing-seam metal: 40–70. Slate: 75–100. Actual NJ conditions vs. manufacturer claims.
Read summaryNJ Permits & Code
Every roof replacement in NJ requires a building permit. What the town inspector actually checks, what UCC (Uniform Construction Code) requires, and how LGM handles the paperwork.
Read summaryFree Roof Estimate Request
Book your no-obligation estimate — a written, itemized estimate and an honest assessment of whether you need a repair, a replacement, or nothing at all. Serving all of North & Central New Jersey.
Read summaryWhere these answers come from
Written by the crew that actually installs the roofs.
Every article on this page is written from what LGM's estimators and installers see on New Jersey roofs, day in and day out, since 2006. If a claim on this hub feels squishy, it's because we couldn't find a straight number to back it up — and we'd rather say so than invent one. If you have a specific question we haven't covered, call us — we'll write it into the hub.
20
Years roofing NJ since 2006
2%
GAF Master Elite®: only 2% of contractors qualify. Ours: #1112549
24 yr
Family-owned in North Jersey since 2006
2 gen
Luis founded LGM; his son Darwin runs day-to-day today
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