Roofing in Lancaster and Lebanon counties
A roofing contractor who is on the roof, not in a sales office
Fox Gables Construction replaces and repairs roofs across Lancaster County and Lebanon County. Josh Fox inspects the roof, writes the estimate and installs the roof. Architectural shingles, standing seam and ribbed metal, flat roofs on row homes, and the repairs that keep an older roof going a few more years.
Roofing services
Roof replacement
Full tear-off, deck repair, new underlayment and a new roof with a real warranty.
Read moreRoof repair
Leaks, flashing, missing shingles, porch and sunroom roofs. Fixed right, not tarred over.
Read moreMetal roofing
Standing seam and ribbed metal for houses, farmhouses, barns and shops. Fifty-year roofs.
Read moreAsphalt shingle roofing
Architectural shingles from GAF, Owens Corning and CertainTeed, installed to the spec that keeps the warranty.
Read moreStorm damage roof repair
Tarping, repair or replacement after wind, hail or fallen limbs, and help documenting the claim.
Read more
In short
A roof in this part of Pennsylvania takes a beating: wet springs, humid summers, ice at the eaves in February, and wind coming across open farmland most of the year. A roof that is installed right handles all of that for twenty-five to fifty years depending on the material. A roof that is installed fast and cheap starts leaking at the flashing in five.
Fox Gables is a small, owner-operated company. That is a deliberate choice. Josh does not run a sales team or subcontract crews he has never met. He climbs the roof, looks in the attic, tells you whether you need a repair or a replacement, and prices exactly that. If a repair will get you five more years, he will say so, even when a replacement would be a bigger invoice.
The company is registered with the Pennsylvania Attorney General as a Home Improvement Contractor, number PA125031, and carries liability insurance. Every job over five hundred dollars gets a written contract, as Pennsylvania law requires.
What Fox Gables does on roofs
The roofing work breaks down into a few kinds of job. Each has its own page with more detail, materials and price ranges.
- Roof replacement: full tear-off, deck repair, underlayment, ice and water shield, new shingles or metal, ridge vent, flashing and trim.
- Roof repair: leaks, missing or lifted shingles, chimney and skylight flashing, pipe boots, valleys, sunporch and porch roofs.
- Metal roofing: standing seam and ribbed panel roofs on houses, farmhouses, barns, sheds and shops.
- Asphalt shingle roofing: architectural shingles from the major manufacturers, installed to the spec that keeps the warranty valid.
- Storm damage: emergency tarping, repair or replacement after wind, hail or fallen limbs, and documentation for an insurance claim.
- Flat and low-slope roofs: EPDM and TPO membrane on row-home rear roofs, porch roofs and additions.
Shingles or metal: which roof for which house
Architectural asphalt shingles are the right answer for most houses in Lancaster County. They cost the least, look right on everything from a Cape Cod in Ephrata to a colonial in Manheim Township, and a properly installed shingle roof lasts twenty-five to thirty years here. Josh installs shingles from GAF, Owens Corning and CertainTeed depending on color and what the supplier has in stock.
Metal makes sense when you plan to own the house a long time, when the roof is simple enough that panel layout is clean, on farmhouses and rural properties, and on any barn, shed or shop. A metal roof costs roughly twice what shingles do and lasts roughly twice as long. It sheds snow, never loses granules, and is what most people in the county grew up seeing on the farm.
Flat and low-slope roofs on row homes in Lancaster, Lebanon and Reading and on many porches and additions need a membrane, not shingles. Shingles on a roof under about a 2-in-12 pitch will leak. Josh uses EPDM rubber or TPO over insulation board with proper terminations at parapets and party walls.
| Material | Typical life | Installed cost per square (100 sq ft) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural asphalt shingles | 25 to 30 years | $450 to $650 | Most houses |
| Ribbed metal panels | 40 to 50 years | $750 to $1,100 | Farmhouses, barns, simple roofs |
| Standing seam metal | 50 years and more | $1,000 to $1,500 | Houses where appearance matters, porch roofs |
| EPDM or TPO membrane | 20 to 25 years | $600 to $900 | Flat and low-slope roofs |
What a good installation includes
The difference between a roof that lasts and one that does not is mostly in things you cannot see from the street. Josh's standard on every roof replacement includes a full tear-off to the deck, replacement of any soft or rotted decking, ice and water shield at the eaves, in the valleys and around every penetration, synthetic underlayment over the rest of the deck, new drip edge, new pipe boots, new step flashing and counter-flashing at walls and chimneys, and a ridge vent sized for the attic.
Shingles are nailed at the manufacturer's pattern, six nails per shingle in high-wind applications, which is most of the county. Metal panels are fastened on the flats with sealing-washer screws at the spec spacing. Nothing is sealed with a tube of caulk that should be flashed with metal.
The yard is tarped and magnet-swept for nails every day, and the roofing debris goes in a dumpster, not on the lawn. One HomeAdvisor customer noted the crew repaired a spot in the yard where the delivery truck went off the driveway. That is the standard.
Price guide
What this usually costs
Every roof is priced after Josh has measured it and looked at the deck and attic. These are the ranges most Lancaster and Lebanon county homes land in as of 2026, so you have a sense of scale before the visit.
- Asphalt shingle replacement, typical 1,600 to 2,400 sq ft house
- $9,500 to $18,500
- Metal roof replacement, same house
- $18,000 to $38,000
- Flat roof membrane, row-home rear roof
- $4,500 to $9,000
- Leak or flashing repair
- $350 to $1,500
- Decking replacement, per sheet
- $90 to $130
- Emergency tarp
- $250 to $500, credited toward the repair
Steep pitches, multiple layers to tear off, slate removal, many penetrations and hard access all push a job toward the top of a range. A simple ranch with one layer and easy access sits near the bottom.
Signs it is time to call about the roof
- Water stains on a ceiling or at the top of a wall
- Shingles missing, lifted, cracked or curling at the edges
- Granules piling up in the gutters or at the downspout outlet
- Daylight visible in the attic, or damp insulation
- A roof over 20 years old with no record of replacement
- Flashing at the chimney that has been tarred over
- Moss or algae streaks that have been there for years
- Ice dams at the eaves every winter
On the job
Ribbed metal on a farmhouse 
Rotted decking replaced before shingling 
New step and counter-flashing at a chimney 
Long-span metal on an agricultural building
How a job goes
From the first call to the walkthrough
- 1
Call or send the form
Josh calls back the same day, usually within a couple of hours. Tell him what is going on and he will ask a few questions.
- 2
Josh comes out and looks
On the roof, in the attic, under the deck. He measures, takes photos, and brings samples in the truck. No sales presentation.
- 3
You get a written estimate
Materials named by brand, the scope spelled out, a price that does not expire at midnight. Over $500 it is a written contract, as Pennsylvania requires.
- 4
The work gets done
Materials delivered, the job done by Josh with help as the job needs, the site cleaned every day, permits and inspections handled.
- 5
Walkthrough, then you pay
Josh walks the finished job with you. Anything on the list gets done. Final payment when you are satisfied.
Related projects
This work, on real houses
Northern Lancaster County · Lancaster County
Shingle roof replacement on a Cape Cod with dormers
Full tear-off and new architectural shingles on a Cape Cod with two front dormers, including new decking where the old boards had gone soft.
Lancaster County · Lancaster County
Metal roofing on a Lancaster County farmhouse and outbuilding
Dark ribbed metal panels on a two-story farmhouse, plus a large metal roof on an agricultural building.
Questions people ask
Do you do free roof inspections?
Yes. Josh comes out, gets on the roof, looks in the attic and tells you what he found and what it needs. There is no charge and no obligation.
Will you tell me if I only need a repair?
Yes. If a repair will buy you years, that is the recommendation. If the roof is at the end of its life and a repair is throwing money away, he will say that too and show you why.
How long does a roof replacement take?
Most houses are one to two days once the materials are delivered. Metal roofs and houses with a lot of decking to replace can run three or four.
Do you handle the permit?
Most roof replacements in Lancaster and Lebanon counties do not require a building permit, but some municipalities want one for structural decking work. Josh checks with your township and handles it if needed.
What warranty comes with a new roof?
Manufacturer warranties on the materials, which run 25 to 50 years depending on the product and the installation level, plus Josh's own workmanship warranty on the installation. The written estimate spells both out.
Are you licensed and insured?
Fox Gables Construction is registered with the Pennsylvania Attorney General as Home Improvement Contractor PA125031 and carries liability insurance through Frederick Mutual. You can verify the registration on the Attorney General's search site.
Free estimate
Get a number, not a pitch.
Tell Josh what the house needs. He will call back, come out, measure, and give you a written estimate with the materials named.
(717) 598-7728Calls and texts answered seven days a week. Estimates by appointment, Monday to Saturday.
PA HIC #PA125031 · Insured