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Master craftsmen in slate, copper, cedar, and clay. Est. 1952 · Boston, MA
Serving Boston since 1952

The art of the heritage roof, preserved.

Slate, copper, cedar, clay tile. Three generations of master craftsmen for New England’s most distinguished homes. When your home has history worth keeping, it deserves a roof built to match.

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Heritage specializes in

Slate · Copper · Cedar · Clay tile

Materials most modern roofers can’t source, let alone install. Ours every day since 1952.

Featured by & accredited with
Boston Globe Magazine New England Home Historic New England Partner National Slate Assn. Copper Development Assn. A+ BBB (since 1987)
Our Crafts

Four materials. Mastered.

Most roofing companies wouldn’t know where to source a piece of Vermont unfading green slate. We keep 40 tons of it in our Somerville shop.

I.

Slate

Vermont, Virginia, Pennsylvania — we know every quarry in North America and source by color, density, and provenance. Installed with copper nails and copper flashing, a slate roof lasts 150 years.

Specialties: graduated roofs, bonneted hips, ornamental ridge caps, historical matching.
II.

Copper

Standing seam, flat seam, ornamental work. We hand-form on-site from sheet stock for historically correct profiles. Our copper develops the verdigris patina New England was built on.

Specialties: bay window caps, conical turrets, decorative finials, full roofs on Greek Revivals.
III.

Cedar Shake & Shingle

Red and white cedar, hand-split and resawn. We finish with Cabot bleaching oil to age to the warm silver New England coastal homes are known for. 50-year lifespan with proper maintenance.

Specialties: wave-course shingles, imbrication patterns, fancy cuts (fishscale, octagonal, diamond).
IV.

Clay Tile

Ludowici, Imerys, and restored historical stock. Spanish barrel, French flat, Ludowici Imperial. When your home was built for clay tile, nothing else will feel right. We keep it that way.

Specialties: historic tile matching, hand-glazed repairs, mortar-set installations.
The Heritage Promise

“Your home has stood here longer than most of us have been alive. It deserves more than a ladder-crew and a day rate. It deserves craftsmen who understand what came before — and who will still be here when the next generation needs us.”

James Whitmore III Third-generation owner · Master craftsman
Selected Work

A century of New England rooftops.

A small selection from the past five years. Full portfolio available on request.

Completed 2025

Beacon Hill Townhouse

Vermont unfading green slate · Full restoration
Completed 2024

Newport Summer Cottage

Hand-formed copper standing seam
2024

Brookline Tudor

Slate · ornamental ridge
2023

Back Bay Brownstone

Standing seam copper
2023

Marblehead Colonial

White cedar shake, bleached
Our Process

Unhurried. Thorough. Proper.

A Heritage roof is never a rush job. Expect a 6 to 10 month lead time from consultation to installation — and to be thoroughly prepared at every step.

I.

Consultation

A two-hour on-site visit with James or one of our senior craftsmen. We assess the home, discuss materials, and walk you through the history of what’s there and what’s possible. No pressure, no sales pitch.

II.

Written Proposal

Four to six weeks after consultation, we’ll deliver a written proposal with material samples, a scope of work, timeline, and a detailed price. Every line item explained. Firm for 90 days.

III.

Material Sourcing

We source from the quarries, mills, and manufacturers we’ve worked with for decades. For historic matches, we’ll send you a sample and wait for your approval. Most projects source for 8 to 12 weeks before work begins.

IV.

Installation

Typical projects run 3 to 6 weeks on-site. Our four-man lead crews do not subcontract. Ever. Daily clean-up. Dust containment. Minimal disruption to your household.

V.

Lifetime Stewardship

A Heritage roof is the start of a relationship, not the end. Annual complimentary inspections for the life of the roof. We remember every roof we’ve installed.

In Print · In Praise

What others have said of us.

“Heritage Roof Co. did what two other contractors said was impossible — they sourced and installed a matching Imperial clay tile for our 1912 restoration. The work is indistinguishable from the original.

Helen Whitford-MarshOwner, Brookline · project completed 2024

“If you have a historic home in Greater Boston and you care about doing it right, there is no one else to call. The Whitmores are the last of a breed.”

Boston Globe MagazineHome & Garden feature, September 2024
Begin a Conversation

Ready to discuss your home?

Heritage Roof Co. takes on a limited number of projects each year. If your home calls for a roof worthy of its history, we’d be honored to discuss it with you.

Call (617) 555-0194 →
Consultation response
Within 5 business days
Typical project timeline
6–10 months
Projects per year
24 (by invitation)
Shop hours
Mon–Fri, by appointment
Service area
Greater Boston & Coastal MA