Reroofing a Skaneateles house: village review, a tear-off and what the deck shows

In the Village of Skaneateles the median home dates to 1938, and over half were built in 1939 or before. That is an ACS proxy for age, not a reading of your roof. A house of that age may have collected extra layers, patched sheathing and past repairs.

Under the state residential code, a replacement removes the old covering down to the deck. A new layer over two existing ones is not allowed, and neither is covering a roof that is soaked or worn out. So ask how many layers the roofer expects.

If you know the history, put it in your request. A prior owner's story about a second roof changes the work and the estimate.

The village code office has required building and zoning permit applications through an online system since March 1, 2025, and its forms page includes a Roofing/Siding Permit. Onondaga County issues none. A house in the Town of Skaneateles, outside the village, goes through the Town's Building and Codes office instead.

The village also has a Historical Landmarks Preservation Commission, with design standards and guidelines for certificate of approval applications. Ask the code office whether your address is in the historic district and whether a roof covering change needs a certificate.

Ask the roofer who files, who pays any fee, and how long the review might take. Put the answers in the written estimate, so the start date is not a guess.

Ask each roofer whether the price includes tear-off, deck boards replaced by the sheet, an ice barrier along the eave and a drip edge. Write the answers next to each total. If one answer is no, the quotes are not the same job.

In a village where the median home value is well above the county, matching matters. Ask what the shingle will look like, whether a sample is available and whether the district's standards affect the choice.

Get the chosen estimate as a written contract. New York requires a notice that you have three business days to cancel, and a deposit should go into an escrow account. Workers' compensation coverage can be checked in the state's public search.