Roofing in Bucktown, Cottages Beside New Infill
Frame cottages tied into modern construction next door, and the joint between the two is the usual suspect.
What goes wrong on roofs in Bucktown
Bucktown is a mix of surviving 19th century frame cottages and brick two-flats and a high volume of newer infill: single-family new construction and small condominium buildings inserted onto the existing lot grid over the past twenty-five years. The older stock is low-slope behind parapets; the new construction is typically low-slope as well, frequently with roof decks, garage roof decks and rooftop mechanical. That combination of old and new, often sharing a party wall, creates flashing conditions that need to be worked out building by building.
Roof decks and garage-top decks are the biggest single source of calls. New construction penetrations, deck framing attachments and the terminations where a new building meets an older neighbor are where water gets in. On the surviving older buildings, parapet coping and membrane terminations against a taller adjacent structure are the recurring issues.
Bucktown sits on the West Side, covering 60647 and 60622, so the roof detail above is specific to these blocks rather than to Chicago as a whole.
What gets called in around Bucktown
Roof decks and garage-top decks are the biggest single source of calls. New construction penetrations, deck framing attachments and the terminations where a new building meets an older neighbor are where water gets in.
Roofing questions from Bucktown
Why are roof decks the biggest source of leaks in Bucktown?
A deck adds penetrations and framing attachments through or onto the roof, and each one is a place water can get in. Garage-top decks bring the same problem. On the newer construction here, decks are common, and the attachments are where most of the leaks trace back to.
My new-construction building leaks where it meets the old building next door. Who fixes it?
Usually the owner of the roof that terminates against the other wall, but it can need both owners. Where new infill meets an older neighbour, the termination against the taller wall needs proper counterflashing. If the wall is your neighbour’s, the repair may need their cooperation, so raise it early.
Can a garage-top deck be built without causing leaks?
Yes, if it is designed for it. Decks on pedestals that sit on top of the membrane, rather than fastened through it, avoid most penetrations. If yours is fastened through, every fastener is a potential leak. Ask the roofer how your deck is attached before deciding whether to repair or rebuild it.
Do the surviving frame cottages here need special care?
They are older and simpler, and their decking may need checking once the roof comes off. The bigger issue is usually where a cottage sits beside much taller new infill, and the joint that creates. On the cottage itself, the work is generally routine.
Adjacent neighborhoods
- Wicker ParkWest Side
- Logan SquareNorthwest Side
- Lincoln ParkNorth Side
- West TownWest Side
Roofing estimate in Bucktown
Give us the address and what the roof is doing. 60647 and 60622 and the rest of the West Side are covered, and the estimate is free.