Parapet and Roof Repair in Uptown, Chicago
Large vintage apartment buildings with terra cotta and complex parapet work, where masonry and roofing meet.
What goes wrong on roofs in Uptown
Uptown carries some of the largest and most architecturally ambitious vintage apartment buildings in the city: 1920s courtyard and high-rise apartment structures, many with terra cotta ornament, elaborate cornices and complex parapet geometry. Alongside them are six-flats, walk-ups, and a stock of frame and brick single-family homes and two-flats on the side streets. Lakefront high-rises from the mid-century onward add fully adhered and mechanically attached membrane systems on large roof areas.
Parapet and cornice work is the specialty here. Terra cotta and ornamental masonry make the roof-to-wall termination complicated, and surface-sealing a counterflashing against decorative masonry is a temporary fix at best. Internal drains on the large vintage buildings are the other constant. On the high-rises, membrane condition and perimeter termination are the focus.
Uptown sits on the North Side, covering 60640 and 60613, so the roof detail above is specific to these blocks rather than to Chicago as a whole.
What gets called in around Uptown
Parapet and cornice work is the specialty here. Terra cotta and ornamental masonry make the roof-to-wall termination complicated, and surface-sealing a counterflashing against decorative masonry is a temporary fix at best.
Roofing questions from Uptown
Why is terra cotta ornament a problem for the roof?
Terra cotta and ornamental masonry make the point where the roof meets the wall complicated. Sealing counterflashing against decorative masonry is a temporary fix at best. Doing it properly means working the flashing into the masonry around the ornament, which is slow, skilled work.
Who works on large historic apartment buildings in Uptown?
A roofer experienced with large vintage buildings, parapet and cornice work, and often alongside a mason. These are some of the largest and most ornate apartment buildings in the city, and the roof and the masonry are tied together. Ask for examples of similar buildings they have done.
Do internal drains cause leaks on these buildings too?
Yes. Like other vintage apartment buildings, many in Uptown drain internally, and blocked drains or failed drain bowl seals cause leaks in the top floors. Regular drain clearing is cheap insurance on a building this size. Have them cleared each spring and fall.
Should the cornice be repaired at the same time as the roof?
If it is failing, often yes. The cornice and the roof meet at the same joint, and water that gets past one usually damages the other. Repairing them together means the flashing goes into sound material and you avoid opening the same area twice.
Adjacent neighborhoods
- AndersonvilleNorth Side
- EdgewaterFar North Side
- LakeviewNorth Side
- Rogers ParkFar North Side
Roofing estimate in Uptown
Give us the address and what the roof is doing. 60640 and 60613 and the rest of the North Side are covered, and the estimate is free.