Trusted Roofing Contractor
in Bayswater, NY

Bayswater is the quiet side of the east Rockaways. It sits on Jamaica Bay, between Mott Basin and Norton Basin, and Beach Channel Drive separates it from the busier, ocean-facing part of Far Rockaway. It was laid out back around 1878 as a summer place with hotels, and today it's year-round: modest one- and two-family ranches and Capes, mixed in with big prewar houses with oversized gables on larger lots. I'm Stavros Latos, the owner of REVMA Roofing, and I come out to every estimate myself, so the guy who looks at your roof is the guy who prices it.

Bayswater Streets We Serve

We work the whole neighborhood: the blocks along Mott Avenue and Bayswater Avenue, the old streets like Bailey Court and Trist Place that still carry the names of the man who laid the place out, the houses facing Mott Basin and Norton Basin, and the area around Bayswater Point State Park. The ZIP code is 11691, the same as Far Rockaway.

The bigger lots help. On most Bayswater jobs we can get a container in the driveway or on the property, which makes the tear-off cleaner and faster than on a tight block. On the big gabled houses, we plan the staging and the safety setup before the quote, because those roofs are tall and steep.

What Actually Damages Bayswater Roofs

The bay. Bayswater is almost surrounded by water and marsh, so the air is wet and salty most of the year, and the wind comes across Jamaica Bay with nothing to stop it. Moisture is the slow problem here. If the attic doesn't breathe, the damp air sits under the deck and the plywood goes soft from the bottom up. So ventilation is part of every Bayswater estimate.

Then the salt and the wind. Salt rusts out ordinary nails and steel flashing, and once the fastener goes, the wind lifts the shingle. We use corrosion-resistant fasteners and flashing and nail to the manufacturer's high-wind pattern, especially on the houses facing the basins. On the big prewar houses, all those gables and valleys are more places for water to get in, so the valleys get ice and water shield and new metal every time.

Insurance Claims in Bayswater: How We Approach Them

If a storm takes shingles off or a limb comes down, here's what we do: we document the damage with photos, we meet the adjuster on the roof, and we repair what's covered. We're the roofing contractor, so we don't negotiate your claim or speak for you with the carrier. Under New York Insurance Law §2101(g)(2), that's for you or a licensed public adjuster.

We file for storm damage, not wear. If the roof has just reached the end, I'll say so.

Mott Avenue, the Waterfront Blocks and the Ranches: A Few Specifics

Along Mott Avenue and the older streets, you find a lot of the big prewar houses with oversized shingled gables. Those are cut-up roofs with a lot of valleys and wall flashing, and they take the most planning and usually more than one day. On the waterfront blocks facing Mott and Norton Basins, it's all about wind and salt, so edges and fasteners come first. The ranches and Capes scattered through the neighborhood are simpler roofs, usually a one-day job, but they often have an older layer on them, so we strip to the deck and check the wood.

Bayswater Roofing FAQ

How much does a new roof cost in Bayswater?
A big gabled house and a ranch are very different jobs. Every job gets one written price after I've seen the roof. Our Queens roof cost guide explains what moves the number.

My attic smells damp. Is that the roof?
It can be a leak, but on the bay side it's often ventilation. Damp air with nowhere to go condenses under the deck. On a replacement, we fix it with a proper ridge vent and intake so the attic breathes.

Do you work on the big old houses with all the gables?
Yes. They take more planning, more flashing and usually two days or more. I walk the whole roof on the estimate, and the schedule is in writing with the price.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Bayswater?
Under 1 RCNY §101-14, replacing coverings and insulation above the deck doesn't need a DOB permit unless the Energy Code requires added insulation. Replacing deck or sheathing does, and when it does, we file it with DOB Queens.

Is Bayswater part of Far Rockaway?
It shares the 11691 ZIP code, but it's its own neighborhood on the bay side of Beach Channel Drive, and the roofs here deal more with bay moisture than ocean surf.

Shingle and Cedar Roofing in Bayswater

Most Bayswater roofs get architectural shingles, and on a big gabled house a good dimensional shingle looks right. Some of the older houses have wood shingle character on the gables, and if you want the roof to match that look, we can talk about cedar, with the ventilation it needs underneath, or composite shake, which gives you the look without the upkeep in salt air. See shingle roofing, cedar roofing and composite roofing.

Why Bayswater Homeowners Choose REVMA

You deal with me, from the estimate to the cleanup. One written price, no salesman. I don't carry a big company's overhead, so we usually come in 25 to 35% less than the big companies, and if you have a competitor's written quote for the same roofing system, we'll price match it. Our crews have 15 to 20 years on roofs, we're GAF certified, and three to five sheets of plywood are in the price.

For the full job, see roof replacement, or see our Far Rockaway page and our Queens page.

Ready for a free estimate? Call (646) 889-4529 or fill out the form above. Tell us your street, and I'll come walk the roof with you.