A roof leak in the middle of a storm doesn't wait for business hours. We tarp it properly the same day, find the real entry point in the attic — not just where it drips — repair it when the roof is dry, and rebuild the ceiling with the same crew. Price approved before we start, even at 2am.
Call or text us a photo of the stain · storm and wind damage documented for your insurance
Licensed & insured · 2,000+ NJ projects · 7 years · a real person answers 24/7
A roof leak in the middle of a storm doesn't wait for business hours. Typical price: $350 – $2.5K. Licensed & insured, written itemized price before work starts, no deposit, one dedicated crew. Serving all 21 New Jersey counties from Paramus. Call (201) 676-3099 or book a free estimate.
Put a bucket or a bin under the drip. If the ceiling is bulging, poke a small hole in the center with a screwdriver and let it drain — that saves the ceiling from coming down all at once. If water is anywhere near a light fixture or a fan, turn off the breaker for that room.
Furniture, rugs, electronics, the boxes in the closet. Throw a plastic sheet or a shower curtain over the bed and the couch. Do not go on the roof — a wet roof in the wind is how people end up in the hospital. Stay out of the attic in the dark, too.
Text a photo of the stain and, if you can see it from the ground, the roof. A real person answers, tells you what else to do, and sends the crew with the tarp.
First, the tarp — done properly. That means it runs from over the ridge down past the leak, so water can't get under the top edge, and it's held down with wood battens screwed into the roof, not sandbags and hope. A tarp thrown over the spot and nailed through the middle leaks by morning. Ours holds through the next storm.
Then we go into the attic with a flashlight and a moisture meter. Water rarely drips where it gets in. It runs down a rafter, along the top of the drywall, and shows up ten feet from the hole. We trace it to the entry point, photograph it, and pull out the soaked insulation so the ceiling doesn't collapse under the weight. If the ceiling's already soft, we open it in a clean square now rather than let it fall on its own.
You get photos of the damage and the cause before we leave, plus a written price for the permanent repair. We come back and fix it the first dry day. In the winter, that can be the same week.
A leak in one spot on a roof with life left in it is a repair, and we say so. Multiple leaks, shingles that crumble when you lift them, a roof over 20–25 years old, or wind damage across a whole slope — that's a replacement conversation, and you'll get the number on its own sheet. We won't tarp you three times and sell you the roof on the fourth visit. And we won't sell you a roof to fix a $450 pipe boot.
Heat leaking into the attic melts the snow on the roof; it runs down and freezes at the cold edge; the ice builds a dam and the next melt goes under the shingles and through your ceiling. We steam the dam off safely — never hack it with a hatchet — and stop the water. The permanent fix is in the attic: air-sealing and insulation so the roof stays cold, ventilation so it breathes, and ice-and-water membrane at the eave when the roof is redone. We do all three, and we'll tell you which one your house actually needs.
Wind and storm damage is usually covered. Wear and tear isn't. The difference is documentation: the date of the storm, photos of the lifted shingles and the entry point, the tarp invoice, and a written repair scope. We give you all of it and we'll meet the adjuster at your house.
One warning: after a big storm, roofers you've never heard of will knock on your door with a free inspection and a form to sign. Don't sign an assignment of benefits on your doorstep. Get the tarp on, get the photos, and take your time picking who does the permanent work.
Based in Paramus, serving all 21 New Jersey counties — 219+ towns. Often within the hour in Bergen, Passaic, Hudson, Essex and Morris; same-day dispatch with an honest arrival window everywhere else. The roofer who tarps it and the carpenter who rebuilds the ceiling are the same crew.
typical fixed-price range — your exact number goes in writing after a free visit
An emergency tarp on a one-story roof sits at the low end; a steep two-story or a large section runs $900 – $1.2K. Most leak repairs — a new pipe boot, reflashed chimney, a patch of wind-lifted shingles, a resealed skylight — land between $450 and $2.5K. Steaming an ice dam runs $600 – $1.5K. Rebuilding the ceiling below is a separate written line, usually $500 – $2K. If the roof is past saving, a full replacement gets its own itemized price — most New Jersey homes land between $12K and $28K — and you can shop it.
How we beat the big chains: The storm-chaser outfits knock on your door with a "free inspection," then bill your insurance for a whole roof you may not need. No franchise fees, no commissioned salesmen, no rented subcontractors — that's typically 15–30% under national-brand quotes for the same or better spec. Bring us any written quote and we'll match the scope line by line.
“The tarp blew off the second night. They wanted another $400 to come back.”
“They patched where it dripped. It kept leaking, because the hole was eight feet uphill.”
“The roofer fixed the roof. Then I spent two months finding somebody to do the ceiling.”
You found a crew that is actually near you. First Call Contracting is based in Paramus, in Bergen County, and our own licensed techs handle roof leak in all 21 New Jersey counties — no call center, no subcontractor sent from two states away. Most of Bergen, Passaic, Hudson and Essex is 15 to 30 minutes from our shop, and emergencies go to the nearest crew, 24/7.
Closest to us: Bergen CountyPassaic CountyHudson CountyEssex CountyMorris CountyUnion CountyAll 21 counties & 219+ towns →
Call (201) 676-3099, text us a photo, or book a free in-home estimate — you get a written price before any work starts.
We can stop it in the rain — that's the tarp and the interior work. The permanent repair needs a dry roof, both for safety and because sealants and shingles won't bond wet. We schedule it for the first dry day and the tarp holds until then.
A stain on the top floor that grows during rain is almost always the roof. A stain below a bathroom or kitchen that shows up regardless of weather is usually plumbing. Send us a photo — our plumber and our roofer are on the same crew, so we send the right one either way.
If a storm or wind caused it, usually yes, including the interior damage. If it's an old roof that wore out, usually not. We document honestly, and we'll tell you before you file which one you're looking at so you don't put a claim on your record for nothing.
A properly battened tarp holds for weeks, through wind and snow. It's a bridge to the repair, not a repair. We aim to be back for the permanent fix within days, weather allowing.
Yes. When the honest answer is replacement, you get an itemized price with the exact materials listed, permits included, the landscaping protected, and a magnet sweep for nails when we're done. Most homes take one to two days.
If you're anywhere in New Jersey, yes. First Call Contracting is based in Paramus and handles roof leak across all 21 counties with our own licensed crew. Most of Bergen, Passaic, Hudson and Essex is 15 to 30 minutes from our shop, and emergencies are dispatched to the nearest crew 24/7. Call (201) 676-3099 or book a free in-home estimate.
24/7 tarping · source found, not guessed · ceiling rebuilt by the same crew
Or call Alex direct: (201) 676-3099