Planning a roof or siding project

Permit rules change from town to town

Long Island towns draw the line differently. The Town of Babylon lists roof replacement where the plywood comes off among the projects that need a building permit. The Town of Southampton says replacing siding or roofing material generally does not need one, but that it may where buildings sit close together or in village business areas, so fire codes are met. Check your own town or village through our permit guides.

What a good estimate covers

• Tear-off or not, and what happens if rotted sheathing turns up.
• Underlayment, flashing at chimneys, walls and valleys, and roof ventilation.
• Gutters and how water leaves the roof.
• For siding: what goes under it, the trim, and how windows and doors are flashed.
• Disposal of the old material, and the manufacturer's warranty terms in writing.

Older houses

If the house was built before 1978, work that disturbs painted surfaces falls under the federal lead-safe rules, inside and out. The EPA says firms paid to do that work must be certified in lead-safe work practices, so ask for the certification before an old siding job starts.

Historic houses and districts

Some towns review exterior work on historic properties. The Town of North Hempstead, for example, says permits involving historic properties may require review by its Historic Landmarks Preservation Commission. Ask your building department early if your house or street is historic.

Before you sign with anyone

• Check the contractor's county home improvement license yourself: Suffolk or Nassau, plus any town license on the East End.
• Ask for a certificate of insurance sent to you by the insurance agent, not a photo of one.
• Get the contract in writing and signed. New York's home improvement contract law, General Business Law section 771, requires the contractor's license number, a description of the work and materials, the price, the approximate start and completion dates, and a schedule if there are progress payments.
• Know your two protections under that law: you can cancel until midnight of the third business day after you sign, and payments made before the work is finished must be deposited as the state's Lien Law requires, unless the contractor gives you a bond or similar guarantee instead.
• Match each payment to finished work. A payment schedule that runs ahead of the work leaves you carrying the risk.