Roofing in Beacon Hill & Back Bay
We have worked on Beacon Hill since 1962, when our founder re-slated a Pinckney Street rowhouse from a borrowed ladder. Today roughly a third of our restoration work is within a short walk of the State House.
What we see on local roofs
Typical housing stock
1830s to 1890s brick and brownstone rowhouses, slate mansards, copper bay roofs and flat roof decks
Neighborhoods served
- Beacon Hill
- Back Bay
- Bay Village
- South End
- Charlestown
Tight access, careful staging
Narrow streets and shared party walls mean street occupancy permits, pedestrian protection and staging that never touches a neighbor's brick without written consent.
Visible from a public way
Most roof work visible from the street needs Beacon Hill Architectural Commission or Back Bay Architectural Commission review. We prepare the drawings and material samples.
Copper everywhere
Bay roofs, dormer cheeks, cornices and built-in gutters are often copper. We match profiles and solder seams rather than replacing with aluminum.
Common work in Beacon Hill & Back Bay
Permits and approvals: Beacon Hill Architectural Commission, Back Bay Architectural Commission, South End Landmark District Commission.
- Slate Roof RestorationHand-slated repairs and full restorations that keep 100-year-old Vermont and Welsh slate on the roof.
- Copper Gutters & FlashingSoldered copper half-rounds, built-in box gutters, bay roofs and chimney flashing made in our own sheet metal shop.
- Roof RepairLeak tracing and lasting repairs for slate, shingle, flat and metal roofs, usually scheduled within a week.
- Roof ReplacementFull tear-off and replacement in slate, architectural shingles, cedar-look synthetics or standing seam metal.
Local project, 2025
Louisburg Square slate
Salvaged 81 percent of the original slate on a four-story rowhouse and re-flashed every dormer in copper.
Read the case studyFrom neighbors
Two companies told us the slate was finished. Walter's crew saved most of it, matched the rest and the commission approved it without a hearing.
Eleanor Whitcombe, Beacon HillSlate restoration, March 2026
Tight street, shared walls and nosy neighbors. Everything was protected and permitted. Zero complaints from next door.
Kenji Watanabe, Back BayRoof deck membrane, July 2025
Beacon Hill & Back Bay roofing questions
Yes. Owner-occupied homes in Beacon Hill, Back Bay, Bay Village, South End, Charlestown get a free photo inspection. Inspections within 3 business days.
Beacon Hill Architectural Commission, Back Bay Architectural Commission, South End Landmark District Commission. Requirements depend on whether the work is visible and whether materials change. We confirm before you sign a contract.
We most often handle slate mansard restoration, copper bay and dormer roofs, roof deck membrane replacement, chimney flashing and cap repair.
Also serving: Cambridge, Brookline, Newton, Jamaica Plain, Milton
Book an inspection in Beacon Hill & Back Bay
A free photo inspection, a straight answer on repair or replacement, and a written estimate within the week.
Licensed and insured in Massachusetts. No-pressure estimates (sample).