Most Brooklyn brownstones and brick row houses went up between the 1860s and the 1910s. From the street you see the stoop and the cornice. Behind the cornice is a low slope roof, close to flat, built on wood joists and plank decking, with a parapet wall on each side that you share with the neighbors.
That layout decides where the leaks come from. Water sits longer on a low slope roof, so the drain or the rear scupper and leader carry the whole roof. The party walls on both sides are where your membrane has to turn up and seal against masonry you do not fully control. The bulkhead or roof hatch, the skylight over the stairwell and any old chimney stacks are all holes in the roof that have to stay flashed.
Then there is what is underneath. Many brownstone roofs have been covered over two or three times instead of torn off. Each layer hides the one below, adds weight, and traps moisture against the old wood. When we open one of these roofs we often find rotted planks near the parapets and the drain, which is exactly where the water has been sitting.
Finally there is the front. The cornice is part of the roof edge on most brownstones, and the box gutter or flashing behind it carries water away from the facade. When that fails, the damage shows up as rot in the cornice and stains on the front wall long before anyone looks at the roof.
What we find on Brooklyn brownstone roofs: leaks at the party wall where your roof meets your neighbor's, layered roofs hiding rotted planks at the parapets, rear drains and leaders clogged with leaves, rotted bulkhead and hatch curbs, skylights over the stairwell leaking at old flashing, and cornices rotting behind a failed gutter lining.
📞 Brownstone and row house roofing across Brooklyn. Call (516) 713-9199 or (917) 570-7311 for a free estimate.
A roof job on an attached house is as much about how the work is run as about the materials. This is what you can hold us to.
Related: flat roofing, roof replacement, roof repair, skylights, brick pointing, party wall leaks, cornice repair. Neighborhoods: Park Slope, Bed-Stuy, Fort Greene, Crown Heights, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill.
Typical 2026 ranges for the work we do most on Brooklyn brownstones and row houses. Your price depends on the roof size, how many old layers come off, the condition of the deck once it is open, and access. Every job gets a free inspection and a written price before any work starts.
| Work | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Roof inspection | Free |
| Single leak or flashing repair | $450 to $1,200 |
| Flat roof section repair (10 to 20 sq ft) | $800 to $2,500 |
| Emergency tarp, 24/7 | $500 to $1,500 |
| Full flat roof replacement with tear off, typical 1,500 sq ft brownstone or row house | $13,500 to $27,000 |
| Asphalt shingle roof replacement, 1,500 to 2,000 sq ft house | $11,000 to $18,000 |
| Flat roof coating | $3.50 to $7 per sq ft |
| Seamless aluminum gutters | $11 to $16 per linear ft |
| Front facade repointing, row house | $12 to $20 per sq ft |
Rotted decking found under an old roof is shown to you in photos and priced before it is replaced. See the full Brooklyn roofing cost guide.
Q: Do you specialize in brownstone roofs in Brooklyn?
A: Yes. Flat and low slope roofs on brownstones and brick row houses are most of our work. MLM Construction Group replaces and repairs them across Park Slope, Bed-Stuy, Fort Greene, Crown Heights, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill and the rest of Brooklyn, licensed under NYC DCWP HIC #2130570. Call (516) 713-9199.
Q: Why does my brownstone roof leak at the wall next to my neighbor?
A: The flashing where your membrane turns up the shared parapet is the most common leak point on a row house, especially when you and your neighbor reroofed at different times with different systems. It needs a proper transition detail, not roofing cement, and we check both sides of the line before we tell you the cause.
Q: Should an old brownstone roof be torn off or covered over?
A: In most cases torn off. Covering over hides wet material and rot, adds weight to old joists and makes leaks hard to trace. A tear off lets us inspect and replace the planks, and shows you what is under the roof before the new one goes on.
Q: Do I need landmarks approval to replace my brownstone roof?
A: Many brownstones sit in historic districts such as Park Slope, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill and parts of Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights. Work that is visible from the street can need a Landmarks Preservation Commission permit. We check your address at the estimate and tell you what applies.
Q: How do you protect the house when you work on a brownstone roof?
A: Most brownstone roofs are reached through the bulkhead or hatch at the top of the stairs, so we protect the stairs and hallway on the way up. Materials go up and debris comes down without going through your living space where possible, and the roof is made watertight at the end of every working day.
Q: How quickly can you come out for a brownstone roof leak?
A: We call back within 45 minutes during business hours and respond to active leaks 24/7. The same crew that gives you the estimate does the work, so nothing is subcontracted out.
MLM Construction Group works out of 1717 Avenue P in Brooklyn, NY 11229. Every brownstone neighborhood in Brooklyn is inside our regular service area, so estimates and emergency calls are handled by our own crew, not subcontracted out.
Unlike competitors who specialize in only one trade, MLM Construction Group handles roofing, stucco, EIFS, and gutters. One contractor for your entire exterior.
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