Lehigh Valley · two counties
Roofing contractor in Bethlehem, PA
Moravian stone, steel-era brick rows and a postwar ring of houses, split across Lehigh and Northampton counties. Bethlehem's historic district has its own written guidance for roofs.
- 5.0 on Google
- PA HIC #201201
- NJ HIC #13VH14078100
Roofing in Bethlehem
Bethlehem’s houses and their roofs.
The city spans two counties: the West Side lies in Lehigh County, and the South Side, Center City, East Side and North Side in Northampton. It grew by annexation, taking in West Bethlehem in 1904 and South Bethlehem in 1917, and its housing shows each layer. On the South Side, brick row homes went up for the workers at the steel plant, which closed in 1995.
Census estimates count about 32,300 homes. Thirty-one percent were built before 1940, and the 1950s were the busiest single decade after that, with roughly 5,900 homes. Detached houses are 36 percent of the stock and single-family attached houses about 28 percent.
In the north-side historic district, a review board created in 1961 still looks at exterior changes, and its design guidelines spell out how roofs, gutters and chimneys should be handled. We're based in Newtown, about 40 miles off, but Bethlehem is on our service list, and the free inspection is the same here.
Know the house
Roofs you’ll find around Bethlehem.
Historic district houses on the north side
Mostly 2½-story brick or stone buildings from the mid-1700s to the early 1900s. HARB encourages repair, matching replacement and keeping chimneys, cornices and built-in gutters, so a roof plan here starts with what has to stay.
South Side brick row homes
Built for mill workers, sharing walls and often a common roof line. Party-wall flashing and the rear roof sections are where we find most leaks on houses like these.
1950s houses
The city's biggest postwar decade left thousands of asphalt-roofed homes now on their second or third covering. A tear-off to the deck lets us replace any soft boards, each one photographed.
Mount Airy's larger houses
Ornate residences from about 1910 to 1930 on the West Side, with dormers, valleys and several chimneys. Every penetration gets checked, and the area has its own conservation review.
What a Lehigh Valley winter asks of an old roof
Snow that sits on a roof for a week melts from the warm side and freezes again at the eaves. On older houses with built-in gutters or box gutters, the meltwater has nowhere to go but back under the roofing. HARB's guidelines ask owners to keep built-in gutters and open valley flashing; keeping them working means clearing and resealing them, not covering them.
Chimneys take the most freeze-thaw punishment of anything on the roof. The guidelines' own maintenance sketch shows a cracked chimney rebuilt from the roof line with new flashing. That repair is common in an old city.
Services in Bethlehem
What we do for Bethlehem homes.
Roof Repair in Bethlehem
Chimney and party-wall flashing, built-in gutter leaks and storm-lifted shingles on Bethlehem's older homes, with before-and-after photos and a written warranty on the area.
Roof Replacement in Bethlehem
Full tear-offs on the city's postwar houses with Owens Corning Duration shingles, new drip edge, ridge vents and flashing, most homes done in one day.
Free Roof Inspection in Bethlehem
A free inspection that starts in the attic and includes every chimney, valley and gutter, with a written photo report.
Commercial Roofing in Bethlehem
Churches and larger buildings, run with one named project manager, progress photos and the same cleanup as a house.
Also available in Bethlehem: Storm Damage & Insurance Claims · Siding
Google reviews · 5.0★
From our Google reviews
“I am very pleased with my roof. It was a great quality job. Dave and Lori were wonderful to work with. Loved everything about the whole experience. I would recommend them to anyone. They go above and beyond.”
Bethlehem questions
Roofing in Bethlehem, answered.
Something else? Call or text (484) 647-7466, or read the full questions & answers.
Does a new roof in the Bethlehem Historic District need HARB review?
HARB reviews exterior alterations visible from a public way in the district. Its guidelines favor repair and, when replacement is needed, matching the original color, pattern, material and texture. We check what the board will expect before you sign anything.
What about the South Side and Mount Airy?
Those areas fall under the city's Historic Conservation Commission, which needs a certificate for visible exterior changes; ordinary maintenance and repair is not reviewed. Whether a full re-roof needs review there is best confirmed with the city, and we do that before scheduling.
Can I add a skylight or solar panels on a historic house?
HARB's guidelines discourage adding skylights, solar collectors and similar rooftop features where they are visible from a public way. On a slope that can't be seen from the street, it may be a different conversation with the city.
Is my house in Lehigh or Northampton County?
The West Side is in Lehigh County; the rest of the city is in Northampton. Either way the house is in the City of Bethlehem, and we pull whatever permit the city requires.
Near Bethlehem
See every town we serve.
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Free roof inspection
Let’s take a look at your roof.
Anywhere in Bethlehem and the towns around it. Pick a time online, call, or send us the basics here and we’ll get back to you to set it up. No pressure, and the quote is good for 30 days.
(484) 647-7466That’s (484) MISSION · team@mission-roof.org
- Hours
- Mon–Sat 8 am – 4 pm
- Office
- 41 University Dr, Suite 400
Newtown, PA 18940