Roofing in Laureldale, PA — Early-Postwar Homes on Their Third Roof
Laureldale is a 1951 borough — early-postwar detached homes with more twins than its neighbors, most of them on their third roof. Ten minutes from our Reading shop. Free estimates, financing, and insurance claims handled start to finish.
Laureldale is a borough of about 3,900 people along Kutztown Road on Reading’s northern edge, surrounded by Muhlenberg Township and served by the Muhlenberg schools. It is about ten minutes from our shop on N. Kenhorst Blvd, straight up the Fifth Street Highway.
Like the township around it, Laureldale is a product of the years just after the Second World War — but with a twist. It has a noticeably larger share of attached homes than Muhlenberg or Kenhorst, which means a Laureldale roofer needs to be comfortable with both the postwar Cape on its own lot and the brick twin sharing a wall with its neighbor.
Laureldale’s housing stock and roof age
The census housing table shows roughly 908 single-family detached homes and 477 attached — twins and rows are about a third of the single-family stock, a higher share than the detached-dominated boroughs to the south and west. The median home was built in 1951.
A 1951 median puts the typical Laureldale house at about 73 years old, which on a 20–30 year asphalt shingle life means it is on its third roof covering. Homes of the early 1950s were sheathed with solid wood planks, and we plan on assessing that deck at tear-off; their attics were rarely built with balanced ventilation, which we correct as part of the job.
On the twins, the details are the ones we see across Berks’s older boroughs: the party-wall flashing that keeps water out of two houses, and the low-slope rear kitchen roof that should never have been shingled.
What we see on Laureldale roofs
- Plank decking from the early 1950s. Board gaps and seventy years of nail holes have to be evaluated before a modern system can be installed to warranty.
- Party-wall flashing on twins. Done poorly it leaks into both homes; we coordinate with the neighbor where the work requires it.
- Low-slope rear roofs. Under about 3:12 shingles cannot shed water reliably; these sections need a membrane or modified-bitumen system tied into the main roof.
- Cape Cod dormers and knee walls. Dormer valleys leak; knee-wall condensation is mistaken for a leak.
- Inadequate attic ventilation. Gable vents only on most homes of this era.
Our work in Laureldale
We work in Laureldale regularly, but every photograph on this site is our own and geotagged to the job it came from — and we have not yet published a set shot in Laureldale itself. Rather than show you another town’s roof and call it Laureldale, here is the full project gallery and our featured projects, including work in neighboring Muhlenberg Township and Reading.
Services we provide in Laureldale, PA
- Roofing and roof replacement — asphalt shingle and standing-seam metal roofs, repairs, and full tear-offs.
- Siding and seamless gutters — vinyl siding, soffit, fascia, and custom seamless gutters.
- Replacement windows — energy-efficient windows that cut drafts and lower bills.
- Storm damage and insurance claims — we document the damage and manage your claim.
- Water, fire, and mold restoration — fast, thorough recovery after a loss.
Storm damage and insurance claims in Laureldale
Laureldale sits on the same corridor of northern Berks weather as Muhlenberg Township. On a low-pitch 1950s roof, hail bruising is nearly impossible to see from the ground, and on a twin the damage is on the slope over the shared wall. We inspect by drone, chalk-test suspected impacts, and document to carrier standards. Where a twin is involved we can document both halves so neighbors are not left with mismatched claims.
What a roof costs in Laureldale
Our typical Berks County replacement runs $12,000 to $16,000 for a 2,000 sq ft home. Laureldale’s Capes and small detached homes usually land at or below the middle of that range; twins come in lower on the main roof but add low-slope rear and party-wall scope.
The variable on a 1951 home is decking. We inspect the attic side first, tell you how likely an overlay is, and put a defined figure in the contract rather than an open-ended change order. Financing runs from about $189 a month with $0 down.
Why Laureldale homeowners choose The Helping Co.
We are a locally owned Berks County contractor based in Reading, not a national chain and not a storm-chaser. Every roof we install carries the manufacturer warranty plus our own Lifetime Workmanship Guarantee, transferable once if you sell. Estimates are always free, financing is available from around $189 a month with $0 down, and we offer a 10% discount to military and veteran households. Our owner Travis Frees is an IICRC Master and HAAG Certified contractor with 20+ years in construction and restoration.
We also serve nearby Muhlenberg Township, Temple, Reading, Blandon, Fleetwood, Kutztown, and the full Berks County service area.
What our customers say
"The entire team at The Helping Company are outstanding. From the first meeting for inspection, guidance through the insurance process, to completion of our new roof and gutter installation was excellent. We would recommend The Helping Company highly."
"Extremely helpful, professional, and easy to work with. What stood out was how smoothly they worked with our insurance company, making a stressful situation much easier. I would absolutely recommend The Helping Company."
"When you have a roof leak you are already on edge, but those worries were quickly quelled. The President, Travis, identified the problem using a thermal imaging camera and a drone, and within 24 hours had a crew out to patch the hole. A great experience start to finish."
Rated 4.9 out of 5 across 200+ Google reviews across our full Berks County service area.
Laureldale Roofing FAQs
How old is a typical Laureldale roof?
The median Laureldale home was built in 1951, so the typical house is about 73 years old and on its third roof covering. If the current roof was installed more than twenty years ago it is at or past the end of an asphalt shingle’s life.
My house is a twin. Can you replace only my half?
Yes, and we do it regularly. The critical detail is the flashing at the party wall, which has to be tied into your neighbor’s existing roof correctly or both houses leak. We inspect that junction before quoting and coordinate with the neighbor where the work requires it.
Why do you keep mentioning decking on older Laureldale homes?
Because homes built around 1951 were sheathed with solid wood planks rather than plywood or OSB. Plank decking can be perfectly sound, but board gaps, decades of nail holes and any past leak have to be assessed before a modern shingle system can be installed to manufacturer warranty. We inspect it and price it honestly up front.
Do you handle storm damage insurance claims in Laureldale?
Yes. We inspect and document the damage, meet your adjuster on the roof, and manage the claim through the finished repair. Our owner is HAAG Certified and an IICRC Master, and we write scopes in Xactimate — the same software your carrier uses. See how we handle insurance roofing.
What areas near Laureldale do you serve?
Along with Laureldale we serve Muhlenberg Township, Temple, Reading, Blandon, Fleetwood and Kutztown, and the wider Berks County area, plus surrounding Pennsylvania counties.
Laureldale, PA — Free Roof and Exterior Estimates
Serving Laureldale and all of Berks County. No-obligation estimates, financing available, and we handle insurance claims start to finish.