Licensed & Insured — NJ HIC #13VH13359900
njgoldstarconstruction@yahoo.com · 24/7 Emergency · (862) 271-1225
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Roofing, Chimney, Siding & Masonry Contractor in Elmwood Park, NJ
NJ Gold Star Construction serves Elmwood Park from our Totowa shop with roof repair and replacement, chimney work, siding, seamless gutters, masonry and decks. Licensed under NJ HIC #13VH13359900, insured, free written estimates, and 24/7 emergency response.
Elmwood Park is one of our closest towns, minutes from the Totowa shop, which makes same-day emergency response realistic here. Low-slope porch and addition roofs are a common repair on these blocks.
Homeowners in Elmwood Park get the same process we use everywhere: a hands-on inspection, a written itemized scope before anything starts, our own crew on site rather than subcontractors, and a satisfaction guarantee on the finished work. We have been doing this in North Jersey for more than 25 years.
If you are comparing quotes in Elmwood Park, call (862) 271-1225 and we will tell you plainly what the work needs — repair when repair is the right answer, replacement when it is not.
What the work includes
- Roof repair, replacement and 24/7 emergency leak response in Elmwood Park
- Chimney repair, repointing, rebuilds, liners and cleaning
- Siding installation and repair — vinyl and fiber cement
- Seamless gutters, guards, screens and cleaning
- Masonry: steps, walkways, patios, sidewalks and retaining walls
- Deck construction, structural repair and restoration
Permits for roofing, siding and deck work in Elmwood Park
Elmwood Park’s Construction Official and Zoning Officer, based at the Municipal Building on Market Street, issue permits for roofing, siding, decks and other home improvement work. The Building Department tells residents to call before starting any project, since unpermitted work can draw high fines and complicate a later home sale.
In Elmwood Park, permit review runs through the Building Department at the Municipal Building. The department’s own guidance is direct: call and ask whether a permit is required before a contractor starts, rather than assuming a small repair is exempt. That matters most for roofing and siding, where a full tear-off or a reside is treated differently than a spot repair.
What we handle on your behalf
- Confirming whether the scope needs a construction permit, and pulling it under our NJ HIC registration.
- Scheduling the inspections the Construction Official requires before the job is signed off.
- Keeping the paperwork with your file in case a future buyer’s attorney asks for it at closing.
If you are ready to get the process started, request a free written estimate and we will tell you plainly what your Elmwood Park project needs.
Why Elmwood Park's spot between two rivers still matters for drainage
Elmwood Park grew up on land the borough’s own history describes as sitting between the Passaic and Saddle Rivers, with the Passaic backing up into Dundee Lake behind a dam just downstream. That low, flat riverside geography is why gutters, downspouts and foundation grading carry more weight here than on higher ground.
The Borough of Elmwood Park’s own history page notes the area was attractively situated between two rivers later known as the Passaic and Saddle Rivers, and that the Dundee Water Power and Land Company’s dam, completed in 1860 just south of the borough, backed the Passaic up into what became Dundee Lake. Land that sits close to a dammed, slow-moving river tends to stay flatter and wetter longer after a storm than land upstream of a dam.
What that means for the exterior of the house
- Downspouts need a clear path away from the foundation, not a discharge point a few feet from the wall.
- Gutters undersized for the roof area back up faster where the ground already drains slowly.
- Cracking or bowing in a foundation wall after a wet season is worth a look before it is patched over.
A gutter system sized correctly for the roof, with downspouts extended well clear of the house, is the cheapest insurance against a wet Elmwood Park basement.
Chimneys on Elmwood Park's early borough housing stock
Elmwood Park incorporated in 1916 as the Borough of East Paterson, and many of its houses predate the chimney-liner requirements common in codes today. An unlined masonry flue was standard construction in that era, and the Chimney Safety Institute of America treats an unlined chimney as a real fire and carbon-monoxide risk, not a cosmetic issue.
According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America, a chimney fire in a masonry chimney can reach roughly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to melt mortar, crack clay tile and, in an older unlined chimney, damage the masonry itself — opening a path for flame or heat to reach the wood framing next to the flue.
Signs worth a chimney inspection
- Visible daylight or gaps between bricks on the inside of the flue.
- Soot or moisture staining on the ceiling or wall next to the chimney chase.
- A chimney that has never had a liner installed and has not been inspected in several years.
We install stainless steel liners sized to the appliance or fireplace, and offer deep chimney cleaning and creosote removal for chimneys that have gone unattended for a while.
Low-slope porch and addition roofs on Elmwood Park's tight lots
Elmwood Park’s blocks were built out fast after the 1916 incorporation, leaving many homes with narrow side yards and porch or addition roofs pitched too flat for standard shingles. New Jersey’s residential code only allows asphalt shingles at 2:12 slope or steeper, so flatter porch and mudroom roofs need a membrane system instead.
| Roof section | Typical slope | What it needs |
|---|---|---|
| Main house roof | 6:12 to 9:12 | Asphalt architectural shingles, standard underlayment |
| Porch or breezeway roof | 2:12 to 4:12 | Asphalt shingles allowed, but a double underlayment layer is required |
| Flat addition or mudroom roof | Under 2:12 | Low-slope membrane, not shingles, with sealed seams at the house wall |
Additions built onto older Elmwood Park houses often tie a new flat or low-slope roof directly into the original steep roof, which is exactly where leaks start if the flashing at that transition is not done correctly. We handle both halves of that job: roof repair at the tie-in point and membrane work on the flat section itself. Where an addition traps warm, moist air under a flat roof deck, adding proper attic or roof-deck ventilation keeps that moisture from condensing and rotting the sheathing from underneath.
Siding work and the lead-paint rule on Elmwood Park's older homes
Many houses in Elmwood Park’s original East Paterson-era neighborhoods were built before 1978, which puts siding, trim and window work under EPA’s lead-safe renovation rule. Disturbing painted surfaces on a pre-1978 home requires lead-safe certified work practices, not just a general contractor’s license.
The U.S. EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting program explains that common siding and trim work — cutting, sanding or removing old painted material — can create lead dust in a pre-1978 home, and that homeowners should look for a Lead-Safe Certified firm rather than assume any contractor is qualified. We follow lead-safe containment and cleanup practices on Elmwood Park siding jobs where the house age calls for it.
Vinyl and fiber cement, side by side
- Vinyl siding costs less up front and needs no repainting, but dents and can fade with direct afternoon sun.
- Fiber cement siding holds paint longer and resists impact better, at a higher installed cost and more labor to cut and finish.
Either material only performs as well as the water-resistive barrier behind it. Read our guide on what drives siding repair costs for a fuller breakdown, and see our siding repair page for common failure points.
Building a deck that holds up on Elmwood Park's low, flat ground
A new deck in Elmwood Park needs footings engineered as an approved structural system that carries the deck’s full load down to solid, frost-protected soil, the same standard New Jersey’s residential code applies to house foundations. On flatter, poorly drained lots near the river, footing depth and drainage around the posts deserve extra attention.
Deck failures we get called out for are rarely the decking itself — they are a post base that was never lifted clear of wet soil, or a ledger that was lag-bolted straight through siding with no flashing. Our deck building work in Elmwood Park starts with the ground, not the boards. For an existing deck showing soft framing or a sagging ledger, see new deck construction if a rebuild makes more sense than a repair.
Site and soil check
We look at grading, existing drainage and how close the ledger board sits to grade before laying out footing locations.
Footing layout and depth
Footings are sized and set as an approved structural system under the New Jersey residential code, carried down to undisturbed soil.
Ledger and flashing
The ledger attaches with proper fasteners and flashing so water sheds away from the house band board, not behind it.
Framing and decking
Joists, beams and decking go in to the written scope, with post bases kept clear of standing water.
Final walk-through
We review railing, stair and fastening details with you before calling the job finished.
Services available in Elmwood Park
NJ Gold Star Construction repairs and replaces asphalt shingle, flat and metal roofs across Berg…
We repair, repoint, reline and fully rebuild masonry chimneys throughout North Jersey, and we cl…
We install seamless aluminum and copper gutters, add guards and screens, and repair or clean exi…
We build and repair steps, walkways, patios, sidewalks, retaining walls and stone veneer across …
We install and repair vinyl, fiber cement and wood siding across North Jersey, including the wat…
We build new decks and repair existing ones across North Jersey — footings, framing, decking, ra…
Frequently asked questions
Do you serve Elmwood Park?
Yes. Elmwood Park is part of our regular service area for roofing, chimney, siding, gutter, masonry and deck work.
How fast can you get to Elmwood Park for an emergency?
We answer 24/7 and reach active leaks in Elmwood Park the same day whenever possible, tarping to stop water before the permanent repair is scheduled.
Are you licensed to work in Elmwood Park?
Yes. We hold New Jersey Home Improvement Contractor license #13VH13359900, carry full insurance, and pull permits with your municipality where the work requires them.
Do I need a municipal permit for a roof replacement in Elmwood Park?
Yes, in most cases. Elmwood Park’s Building Department asks residents to confirm permit requirements before work starts rather than assume a project is exempt, and a full roof tear-off and replacement is the kind of work that typically needs a construction permit and inspection. We pull the permit for you as part of the job.
What depth does a deck footing need to reach in Elmwood Park?
New Jersey’s residential code requires deck footings to be built as an approved structural system carried down to undisturbed, frost-protected soil, matching the same frost-depth standard used for house foundations. We size and set footings to that standard rather than guessing at a shortcut depth on softer, low-lying lots.
Does an older Elmwood Park chimney need a stainless liner?
If the chimney was built before liner requirements were standard, or has never had one installed, a liner is worth adding. The Chimney Safety Institute of America treats an unlined masonry flue as a real fire and carbon-monoxide risk, and a stainless liner sized to your appliance addresses both.
My Elmwood Park home was built before 1978. Does that affect a siding job?
It can. EPA’s lead-safe renovation rule covers work that disturbs painted surfaces on homes built before 1978, which includes a lot of siding and trim replacement. We use lead-safe certified containment and cleanup practices on older Elmwood Park homes rather than treating it like a standard job.
- Building Department — Borough of Elmwood Park, NJ
- Elmwood Park History — Borough of Elmwood Park, NJ
- Preventing Chimney Fires — Chimney Safety Institute of America
- Renovation, Repair and Painting Program: Consumers — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Chapter 5 Floors (R507 Decks): New Jersey UCC One- & Two-Family Dwelling Subcode 2021 — UpCodes (New Jersey edition of the 2021 IRC)
Updated September 2026 · Reviewed by Edgar Lopez Gonzalez, owner · NJ HIC #13VH13359900
Licensed & insured. 25+ years in North Jersey. We answer 24/7 for leaks and storm damage.
- Town
- Elmwood Park, Bergen County
- License
- NJ HIC #13VH13359900
- Emergency service
- 24/7 — call (862) 271-1225
- Estimates
- Free, written and itemized