Natural Slate · Cedar Shake · Historic Restoration · PA Peach Bottom Slate
Slate and cedar shake roofing in Bucks and Montgomery County, PA — natural slate installation and restoration, individual tile repair, and cedar shake systems for historic homes in Doylestown, New Hope, and across Bucks County's historic districts.
Bucks County has one of the highest concentrations of historic slate-roofed residential properties in Pennsylvania. The stone farmhouses of Solebury and New Hope townships, the Victorian row homes of Doylestown Borough, the colonials of Newtown and Yardley — a significant portion carry original slate roofs installed between 1880 and 1940. Many of these roofs are not at end of life. They are suffering from two repairable conditions: failed flashings and slipped tiles.
A slate tile doesn't wear out — it either cracks under impact, or it slips when the original nail holes elongate with age. Slipped tiles are rehung; cracked tiles are replaced with matching salvage or quarried material. The flashings — the galvanized steel or lead originally used around chimneys, dormers, and valleys — do have a finite lifespan and are the most common cause of leaks on otherwise sound historic slate roofs. Replacing flashings with new 16-oz copper while retaining the original slate field can extend a Bucks County historic roof another 30–50 years at a fraction of the cost of full replacement.
Right Deal Construction recommends full replacement only when structural tile loss exceeds 30–35% of the field, when the decking is saturated and requires replacement, or when soft slate tiles have delaminated beyond the point where individual replacement is cost-effective.
Pennsylvania is one of the most historically significant slate-producing regions in North America. Peach Bottom slate — quarried from the Peach Bottom formation along the PA–Maryland border — is classified as hard slate with water absorption below 0.25% and a documented field lifespan exceeding 150 years. It was used extensively on Philadelphia's oldest civic and residential buildings and remains the benchmark for premium slate performance in the Mid-Atlantic climate.
Pennsylvania soft slates (red, green, and Buckingham grey, quarried from Northampton and Lehigh counties) are a different material category: sedimentary rather than fully metamorphic, with higher water absorption and a typical lifespan of 50–75 years. Many 1920s–1940s homes in Lansdale, Hatboro, and Abington carry soft slate that is approaching or past its service life. Right Deal Construction assesses each job by material type — not calendar age — because a 90-year-old Peach Bottom roof may have decades of service remaining, while a 50-year-old soft slate may be at end of life.
Western red cedar shake remains the premium organic roofing choice for Bucks County's wooded communities — Solebury, New Hope Township, Buckingham — where the warm brown tones and irregular texture of natural shake are architecturally consistent with heavily landscaped, tree-surrounded properties. Cedar's natural oils provide inherent rot and insect resistance, and the material's rough surface texture creates significantly more visual depth and shadow play than any asphalt shingle profile.
Right Deal Construction installs No. 1 Blue Label cedar shake — the highest grade, sawn on both faces for consistent thickness and installed over spaced sheathing that allows the shake to breathe and dry from below, which is critical for longevity in Pennsylvania's humid summers. Fire-treated cedar meeting Class B requirements is specified for all jobs in areas with current Bucks County fire code provisions.
This service does not cover: asphalt shingle roofing (see Residential Replacement), commercial flat membranes, or roofs requiring structural rafter reinforcement exceeding 20% of the framing without a separate structural engineering engagement.
Step by Step
We perform a tile-by-tile assessment: counting cracked, slipped, and delaminated slates; probing flashings for corrosion; and inspecting the decking from the attic interior. For cedar shake, we assess splitting, cupping, moss colonization, and fastener corrosion. You receive a written condition report distinguishing repairable damage from replacement-level deterioration.
Properties in New Hope Borough, Doylestown Borough, or other Bucks County historic overlay zones require a Certificate of Appropriateness before roofing material changes. We document the existing material, source comparable replacement specifications, and assist with the application submission to the local Historic Architectural Review Board.
Natural slate weighs 750–1,500 lbs per square (100 sq ft) — three to five times heavier than asphalt shingles. Before installing new slate on a home that previously had asphalt, a structural assessment of rafters and ridge beam is required. We review existing framing and specify any necessary sistering or blocking before material is ordered.
For restoration projects, we source replacement slates from the same geological region as the original — matching thickness, color range, and surface texture. For new installations, we present quarried options (Vermont, Welsh, Chinese soft slate) with samples. Cedar shake is specified by grade (No. 1 Blue Label, Preservative-treated, or fire-treated Class B) based on your county's current fire code requirements.
New slate is installed over solid decking with copper nails — never galvanized, which corrodes within 20 years in PA's acidic rainfall environment. All flashings are 16-oz copper or lead-coated copper; no aluminum or galvanized on a slate roof. Cedar shake is installed over spaced sheathing or solid decking depending on system and ventilation design.
Every completed slate or shake installation is photographed tile-by-tile. Permits are closed with Bucks or Montgomery County. For historic district projects, we provide the completion documentation required by the local review board. A maintenance schedule — specifying inspection intervals and minor repair protocols — is provided in writing to every client.
Typical Investment
Slate and cedar roofing in Bucks and Montgomery County, PA. Partial slate repair and restoration starts at $3,500. Full natural slate replacement on a 2,000 sq ft residential roof runs $35,000–$65,000 depending on slate grade and roof complexity. Cedar shake installation ranges $18,000–$32,000. Synthetic slate (DaVinci, CertainTeed Belmont) falls between $22,000–$38,000. All pricing includes structural assessment and permit fees.
Prices vary by square footage, roof pitch, material selection, and existing damage. All estimates are free and provided on-site.
Backed by Our Guarantee
Natural hard slate — Welsh, Vermont, and Pennsylvania Peach Bottom — has a documented lifespan exceeding 100 years when installed with copper fasteners and copper flashings. The original slate roofs on Doylestown and New Hope's 19th-century stone buildings are the proof: many are still watertight after 100+ years with only periodic tile and flashing maintenance. No synthetic material matches this lifespan. Right Deal Construction installs exclusively with copper nails and copper or lead-coated copper flashings on every slate project.
What Homeowners Say
Choosing a roofer that is reputable, fairly priced, and manufacturer certified were my top priorities, and Right Deal Construction & Roofing is an amazing business. I called on Labor Day because we just found a hole in the roof — they came out immediately.
Competitive pricing. Excellent service. Flavio was our rep and was very professional in his presentation to explain the process and materials. Installation crew was efficient and did a GREAT job. I highly recommend Right Deal Construction & Roofing.
Right Deal Construction did a nice job on our roof storm repair. You can expect quality craftsmanship, along with the team working efficiently and very clean at a reasonable cost. I recommend Flavio and his team for your next project!
Flavio was very easy to work with and completed the work thoroughly and with quality. He delivered on what was needed quicker than any contractor I've ever worked with. This was really helpful, as we needed some roof work done.
Proof of Quality
BEFORE 
AFTER Full Replacement — Storm Damage
Doylestown, PA
BEFORE 
AFTER Storm Damage Repair
Norristown, PA
Have Questions?
A slate roof in good structural condition — sound decking, intact flashings, and less than 20% broken or slipped slates — is almost always worth repairing rather than replacing. Right Deal Construction assesses each tile individually: soft slates (Pennsylvania red/green) that have delaminated are replaced; hard slates (Welsh, Vermont, Peach Bottom) that are merely slipped due to failed nail holes are re-hung. A full replacement is only recommended when structural tile loss exceeds 30–35% of the field.
Hard slate (Welsh blue-grey, Vermont purple, and Pennsylvania Peach Bottom) has a documented lifespan of 75–150+ years in PA's climate. The original slate roofs on Doylestown Borough's 19th-century stone homes and New Hope's Victorian commercial buildings have in many cases lasted 100+ years. Soft slate (Pennsylvania red, green, and Buckingham grey) runs 50–75 years. The difference is mineral density — Peach Bottom slate has near-zero water absorption, making it one of the most durable roofing materials in the world.
Yes — slate repair is one of the most cost-effective roof interventions available to Bucks County homeowners. Individual tiles are removed using a slate ripper (a flat hook tool that cuts the old nails), and replacement slates are nailed with copper nails and secured with a copper bib. The key is sourcing matching slate — Right Deal Construction maintains a salvage inventory of Pennsylvania, Welsh, and Vermont slates and sources new quarried material to match existing profiles, thickness, and color range.
Hard slate (Welsh, Vermont, Peach Bottom PA) is a dense metamorphic rock with water absorption below 0.25% and a lifespan of 100+ years. Soft slate (Pennsylvania red/green/Buckingham) is a less metamorphosed sedimentary stone that absorbs more water and weathers faster — typically 50–75 years. The distinction matters for repair decisions: a 60-year-old soft slate roof near end of life should be replaced, while a 60-year-old hard slate roof with minor tile loss should be repaired and maintained.
Yes. New Hope Borough's Historic District and Doylestown Borough's historic overlay zone both require that roofing material replacements be "compatible in material, color, and texture" with the original historic character of the structure. In practice, this means natural slate, standing seam metal in historically appropriate colors, or high-quality synthetic slate — not standard asphalt shingles. Right Deal Construction has completed projects under both New Hope and Doylestown historic review boards and can assist with the Certificate of Appropriateness application process.
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Choosing GAF architectural shingles after slate? Our GAF Master Elite crew handles the structural transition and full asphalt installation with 25-year warranty coverage.
Annual slate inspections identify slipped tiles and flashing failures before they become interior leaks. Written condition report included for insurance and resale documentation.
Licensed, insured, and GAF certified. Serving Bucks County & Montgomery County, PA.
Our Coverage Area
Bucks County, PA
GAF Master Elite certified roofing serving Doylestown, Newtown, Warminster & all 54 municipalities across Bucks County.
Montgomery County, PA
Full residential & commercial roofing across Lansdale, Blue Bell, Horsham, Ambler & all of Montgomery County.
