A FORTIFIED Roof is a regular roof built to a stricter standard written by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), the research group funded by insurers. Call (201) 676-3099 or book a free estimate.
A FORTIFIED Roof is a regular roof built to a stricter standard written by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), the research group funded by insurers. It is the same shingles you would buy anyway, installed with a sealed roof deck, ring-shank nails, stronger edges and better attic vents so the roof stays on and stays dry in a nor'easter or a hurricane.
In New Jersey it adds about $1,500 to $4,000 to a roof replacement. Whether that pays back depends on your insurer and whether you are near the shore. Here is how it works and how to decide.
What FORTIFIED adds to a normal roof
- Sealed roof deck: tape or a full peel-and-stick membrane over every seam in the plywood, so wind-driven rain cannot get in even if shingles blow off
- Ring-shank nails at closer spacing, which hold two to three times better than smooth nails
- Locked-down edges: a wider drip edge and a strip of membrane along every eave and rake
- Attic vents and ridge vents rated for wind-driven rain
- Chimney flashing and gable ends secured to a stricter spec
- A third-party evaluator inspects and issues a certificate
What it costs in NJ
On a $16,000 roof replacement that is roughly 10 to 25 percent more. Skip the certificate and you still get the physical benefits; the certificate is what the insurance discount is tied to.
| Item | 2026 added cost over a standard roof |
|---|---|
| Sealed deck (tape method) | $800 – $1,800 |
| Ring-shank nails and edge details | $300 – $700 |
| Rated vents | $200 – $500 |
| Evaluator fee and certificate | $400 – $900 |
| Total added | $1,500 – $4,000 |
Does it lower insurance in New Jersey?
Some carriers writing coastal NJ policies offer discounts for a FORTIFIED certificate; inland carriers vary and some offer nothing yet. Call your agent before you decide, and ask for the discount in writing. Where the discount is 10 percent or more, the upgrade usually pays for itself in five to eight years. Where it is zero, you are buying peace of mind and a drier attic, which is still worth something in Monmouth, Ocean and Atlantic counties.
Who should get it
- Homes within about 10 miles of the shore or the Raritan Bay
- Any roof replacement where the insurer offers a discount
- Homes that have lost shingles in past storms
- Anyone replacing a roof they plan to keep for 20 years
How we do it
We build every roof with the sealed-deck details as an option and can add the evaluator so you get the certificate. It is a line item on the written price, so you see exactly what the upgrade costs before you decide.
Questions people ask next
Is FORTIFIED required in NJ?
No. It is a voluntary standard. Building code sets the minimum; FORTIFIED goes past it.
Can an existing roof be certified?
Usually not. The sealed deck has to be done when the shingles are off. It is a replacement-time decision.
How long is the certificate good for?
Five years, then a re-inspection renews it.
Does it change the look of the roof?
No. Same shingles, same color. The upgrades are underneath and at the edges.
Need roof repair near you?
If you searched “roof repair near me” anywhere in New Jersey, that's us. First Call Contracting is based in Paramus and sends its own licensed crew to all 21 counties — written price before work starts, no deposit, a real person on the phone 24/7.
Replacing a roof this year?
Ask for the FORTIFIED line on your written price. You see the added cost and decide with your agent's discount in hand.
Or call Alex direct: (201) 676-3099