Levittown houses are about 70 years old, so most roofs are on a second or third covering. Typical problems are deck rot under old layers, leaks at the flashing of dormers and rear additions, and shallow attics with poor airflow. A written scope should cover tear-off, deck repair, flashing and ventilation, with Pennsylvania registration checked.
Key takeaways
- Levittown, Pennsylvania, was built by Levitt and Sons starting in February 1952, and 17,477 homes were completed by 1958 in six single-family models, none with a basement. The houses are now about 70 years old.
- The original roof design or materials are not documented here, so no claim is made about them. What matters is the condition of the roof you have: how many layers, how old, and what the deck beneath looks like.
- Additions, dormers and rear extensions are where leaks concentrate on this stock. Each created a new roof-to-wall joint that was often detailed quickly and has been sealed over since.
- Shallow attics make airflow and insulation a design problem. A re-roof is the cheapest time to open the soffits, add a ridge vent and install baffles, but the vents must match the intake.
- Pennsylvania has no roofing licence. Roofers doing home improvement work register with the Attorney General, and the number should appear on the estimate and contract. Ask your township or borough about permits.
What makes a Levittown-era house different to roof?
Scale and age. Thousands of similar single-family houses were built in a few years, so thousands of roofs now reach the same stage together. They are low, compact roofs on houses with shallow attics, and many have been added to over the decades. Each of those features affects the repair or replacement plan.
Levitt and Sons began building Levittown in February 1952 and completed 17,477 homes by 1958, in six single-family models. The development covers parts of Bristol Township, Falls Township, Tullytown and Bristol Borough, and Fairless Hills, next door, was laid out in the same period alongside the U.S. Steel Fairless Works.
That history means a roofer working there sees the same kind of house over and over, with variations from the decades of owner changes. The first question is not what the house was built with, since the original materials are not documented here, but what it has now.
How many roofs have these houses already had?
Most have been roofed at least once or twice since the 1950s. A house about 70 years old is on a second or third covering, and some roofs carry two layers. That matters because each layer adds weight, hides the deck and adds to the tear-off, so a roofer needs to count layers before quoting.
An owner often does not know. Previous owners may have laid a new roof over the old one to save money, and the paperwork may be gone. A roofer can count the layers at the edge of the roof or in the attic.
If you can see two layers, the job is a tear-off down to the boards. The roof replacement page explains what that involves, and the asphalt shingle roofing page covers the choices for the new surface.
What is hiding under the old layers?
The deck. After decades of repairs, the boards around chimneys, vents, valleys and eaves may be stained, soft or split. The roofer cannot know until the old roof is off, so a fair quote names an allowance for deck repair and says how extra boards are priced. Photographs of what was replaced keep the bill honest.
Damp that reached the deck through a failed flashing years ago leaves soft wood behind. The surface looks fine, but nails will not hold. On houses of this age, a few damaged sheets are common and a large area is possible.
Ask the roofer for the unit price of an extra sheet, and ask to be called if more than expected turns up. The guide on what moves a roof replacement price explains how an allowance works.
| Trouble spot | Why it fails | What to ask the roofer |
|---|---|---|
| Deck around chimney and vents | Years of small leaks soak the boards | How much deck do you expect to replace, and how is extra priced? |
| Dormers and rear additions | A roof-to-wall joint added later, often sealed rather than flashed | Will the flashing be replaced or reused? |
| Eaves and rakes | Old drip edge, rotted fascia, poor eave waterproofing | Is drip edge and an eave membrane included? |
| Valleys | Old metal or shingle valleys wear through | What valley type is proposed? |
| Attic airflow | Shallow attic with narrow or closed soffits | How will intake and exhaust be balanced? |
| Extra layers | An earlier overlay left in place | How many layers of roofing come off, and who hauls them away? |
Why do additions and dormers leak on these houses?
Each addition or dormer created a new joint between a roof and a wall, and many were built or roofed at different times from the house. The flashing may be short, reused or covered in sealant. These joints are the first place water finds on a postwar house, long before the open shingles fail.
Owners in Levittown and neighboring Croydon, Fairless Hills and Bristol Township have often added dormers or rear extensions over the decades. A rear extension tying into the original roof is a small valley that collects water, and a dormer has side walls, a front wall and two valleys to flash.
The pages on roof flashing repair and roof leak repair explain how a roofer finds the cause. A re-roof is the best time to replace that flashing with new metal.
What should be done about the attic and ventilation?
Check that soffit vents are open, that insulation does not cover them and that exhaust vents are matched to the intake. Shallow attics leave little room for airflow, so a roofer and an insulation contractor may need to plan together. A re-roof is the cheapest moment to open the soffits and add a ridge vent.
Ice dams, summer heat and early shingle wear can all trace back to the attic. The attic and roof ventilation page explains the parts, and the guide on ice dams and nor'easters in the Trenton area shows how winter weather uses the weak points.
Do not add more insulation without keeping a path for air at the eaves. Baffles hold insulation back and keep the channel open.
A final note on timing: when a whole street was built in the same few years, many roofs reach the end of their life together, and roofers in the area are busy after storms. Booking an inspection in the quiet part of the year, before a problem forces an emergency, gives you time to compare written scopes and choose calmly.
Repair, partial replacement or a full re-roof: how do I decide?
Look at the pattern across the whole roof. Isolated problems on sound shingles suggest a repair. One worn slope on an otherwise sound roof can suggest a partial job. Widespread granule loss, curling, repeated leaks and layers of old patches point to a full re-roof. A written comparison from the roofer should show each option.
On a house of this age, the temptation is to keep patching, and it is sometimes the right call. A roof with a few lifted shingles and a bad vent boot can run several more winters after a repair. A roof that leaks in three places, sheds granules into every gutter and has an earlier overlay is telling you that patching is buying time at a rising price.
Ask the roofer for both numbers in the same visit: the repair that would stop today's problem, and the replacement that would end the question. Seeing them side by side, with the same standard of flashing and ventilation in each, makes the decision a matter of arithmetic and not of pressure.
Also think about your plans. A family staying twenty years is in a different position from an owner selling in two. The roof repair page explains how repairs are scoped, and the roof inspection page explains how a written report helps you compare.
What replacement choices fit a small postwar house?
Architectural asphalt shingles are the usual choice because they suit the low, simple roofs of these houses and are widely installed. Metal can work on additions and porch roofs. Whatever is chosen, new drip edge, an eave membrane, fresh flashing and balanced ventilation matter more than the logo on the bundle.
Most Levittown-style houses have simple gable roofs, which are among the easiest and most economical to re-cover. That puts the money where it counts: the deck repairs, the flashing at the additions and the airflow in the attic.
Colors and styles are an owner's choice, though a homeowners association or a township can have a say in some neighborhoods. Ask for a full-size sample and look at it in daylight against the siding and the neighbors' roofs.
Ask the roofer to name the product in the contract and to explain how the work will follow the manufacturer's instructions. This line cannot state any workmanship terms on a roofer's behalf, and the written contract is where those belong.
What should I check about a Pennsylvania roofer and the permit?
Ask for the roofer's Pennsylvania home improvement registration number, check it with the Attorney General and make sure it is on the estimate and contract. Ask your township or borough office about permits, since rules vary by municipality. A written scope should cover tear-off, deck, flashing, ventilation and cleanup.
Pennsylvania has no general contractor or roofing licence, so the registration number is the thing to check. The guide on hiring a roofer on the Pennsylvania side explains what to ask for.
A house in Levittown may stand in any of four municipalities, so the office to phone depends on where the property line falls. Ask your municipal office, and keep a note of who you spoke to.
Frequently asked questions
How old are Levittown houses?
Construction began in February 1952 and 17,477 homes were completed by 1958, so the houses are about 70 years old. The roofs are rarely the originals.
What were the original roofs made of?
That is not documented here, and no claim is made about it. A roofer can describe what is on your house now and what lies beneath it.
Can a new roof go over the old one on a Levittown-style house?
Sometimes an overlay is possible on one layer, but a tear-off lets the roofer inspect and repair the deck. On a house this age, a tear-off is often the sounder choice. Check with your municipal office.
Do I need a permit in Bristol Township or Falls Township?
Rules vary by municipality, and no sourced details are given here. Call the township office for your address before work starts.
Do these houses have basements?
According to published histories, the Levittown models were built without basements. That has no direct bearing on the roof, but it does mean the attic and the roof framing deserve a good look when the house is inspected.
Sources
- Wikipedia – Levittown, Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia Encyclopedia – Levittowns
- Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General – home improvement contractor registration
- Wikipedia – Roof shingle
This guide is general information for Mercer County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.