Roof Replacement
Older roofs here often hide a second layer or plank sheathing that only a full tear-off reveals.
DetailsRoof and exterior work in Lakewood, where most houses date from 1950 to 1979
Lakewood sits just southwest of Tacoma beside Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and more than half its houses went up between 1950 and 1979. That age bracket shapes almost every roof we look at here.
- Answering 24/7
- From our Puyallup office
- Pierce County
Short answer
We work on roofs throughout Lakewood, and one number shapes most jobs: 51.5% of the city's homes were built between 1950 and 1979. Houses that age have often been reroofed before, so we check for stacked layers, tired decking and undersized vents before we price anything. Permits run through the City of Lakewood, not the county.
What a 1950 to 1979 house usually needs at reroof time
Half of Lakewood's housing, 51.5% by the census estimate, was built in the three decades after 1950. A house that old has usually been through at least one reroof, and sometimes the last roofer laid new shingles straight over the old ones. When we tear off, we count layers, look hard at the boards underneath, and check whether the original builder used plank sheathing with gaps between the boards.
Ventilation is the other thing that has changed. Many houses from that period got a few small gable vents and little or no intake at the eaves. Modern shingles expect a vented attic, so we look inside before the tear-off and plan intake at the soffits and exhaust at the ridge. Otherwise the new roof sits over the same damp air that wore out the old one.
Low-slope sections need their own decision. Carports, porch roofs and shallow additions were sometimes finished with roll roofing on a pitch too flat for it. Where the slope calls for a membrane, we say so and quote flat roof work separately from the shingle roof.
Wind off the base: what the 2006 storm showed
During the December 2006 Hanukkah Eve windstorm, gusts reached 69 mph at McChord, right on Lakewood's edge. Tacoma Power lost 60,000 customers and PSE lost 80,000 in Pierce County. Storms like that find the weak spots: ridge caps that were face-nailed, shingles whose seal strips never stuck down, and loose metal around chimneys.
After a big blow, walk the yard before you climb anything. Shingle tabs on the lawn, a strip of ridge cap in the gutter or a pile of granules at a downspout tell us where to look. If you see daylight or water inside, call any hour and we can tarp the opening until the weather breaks. Our windstorm guide covers what you can safely check from the ground.
Siding, gutters and permits through the City of Lakewood
Lakewood incorporated in 1996, so permits for work inside city limits run through the City of Lakewood rather than Pierce County. Requirements for reroofs, decks and window changes can differ from the county's. We confirm what the city wants for your job before material is ordered, and we tell you plainly if a permit applies.
Older wood siding and trim take a beating from roughly 39 inches of rain a year measured at nearby Sea-Tac. We look hardest at window sills, the lowest siding courses and the fascia behind the gutters. A gutter that spills over its front edge every November soaks the same boards each winter, which is why we often fix gutters and rot in the same visit.
Jobs that come up most on Lakewood houses
Storm & Wind Damage Repair
Open ground near McChord lets winter gusts work on ridges, rakes and loose flashing.
DetailsAttic Ventilation
Houses from the 1950s to 1970s often have too little intake at the eaves for today's shingles.
DetailsFlat Roof Repair
Carports and porch roofs with very little slope need a membrane, not shingles.
DetailsDry Rot Repair
Sills, fascia and the bottom siding courses are where decades of rain show up first.
DetailsGutter Repair
Sagging runs and leaking corners keep pouring water onto the same boards every winter.
DetailsQuestions from Lakewood homeowners
Lakewood is an incorporated city with its own permit rules. We check the current requirements for your roof type and layer count before work starts and tell you what applies.
On a house this age we rarely recommend it. A tear-off lets us see the decking and the vents, while a second layer adds weight and hides whatever is failing underneath.
Lakewood is a straightforward drive west from our Puyallup office, and we work across the whole city. Call any hour and describe what you are seeing.
From the ground, look for missing tabs, lifted ridge caps and shingle pieces in the yard. Inside, check ceilings under the attic. Stay off a wet roof and call us instead.
Below 2:12, shingles are not an option. We usually recommend a membrane such as TPO, flashed properly where the carport meets the house.
Nearby areas we cover
Or see the full South Sound coverage overview.
Roof trouble in Lakewood?
Call any hour. Tell us the street and what you are seeing, and we will set up a visit.
Talk to us about your roof
Calls are answered around the clock. Tell us what you are seeing and where the house is, and we will set up a visit.
- Phone
- (253) 449-1922
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, 7 days a week
- Office
- 16115 58th Avenue East, Puyallup, WA 98371
- Coverage
- Tacoma, Pierce County and the South Sound. See coverage
Our office sits in Puyallup, and our crews work across Tacoma and Pierce County. The map loads only when you ask for it.