Trusted Roofing Contractor
in Utopia, NY

Utopia is a small square of houses: Utopia Parkway on the west, 73rd Avenue on the north, 188th Street on the east and Union Turnpike on the south. The name comes from a cooperative community that was planned here in the early 1900s and never got built. What did get built, around 1940, was a lot of the same house over and over: two- and three-bedroom Cape Cods and Colonials from builders like Gross-Morton, plus the Holliswood Homes tract near 188th Street. I'm Stavros Latos, the owner of REVMA Roofing, and I come out to look at every roof myself.

Utopia Streets We Serve Every Week

We work every block in here: along Utopia Parkway, the streets off 73rd Avenue near Utopia Playground, the 185th to 188th Street blocks of Holliswood Homes, and the houses just north of Union Turnpike. Utopia is ZIP code 11366. It's a quick drive from our shop in Bayside, past Fresh Meadows.

These houses sit on lots of around 4,000 square feet, so there's a driveway, but not a big one. We figure out where the container fits and how to protect the lawn and the neighbor's side before the quote.

What Actually Damages Utopia Roofs

The thing about Utopia is that the houses were built at the same time, by the same builders, the same way. So they wear out at the same time. If your neighbor on both sides just did their roofs, yours is probably close too, and it's worth having somebody look at it before the leak shows up inside.

On a Cape, the problem spots are the dormers. The dormer cheeks, the step flashing along the side walls and the valley where the dormer roof meets the main roof are where the water gets in. Then you have attics that were finished into bedrooms with little or no ventilation, so heat and moisture get trapped under the deck in summer and winter, and the shingles and plywood age faster. Add the street trees dropping leaves into the gutters every fall, and the freeze and thaw does the rest.

Insurance Claims in Utopia: How We Approach Them

If a storm blows shingles off or a branch comes through the roof, here's what we do: we document the damage with photos, we meet the adjuster at the house, 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 is just at the end of its life, I'll tell you, and you'll get one price for the replacement.

Utopia Parkway, Holliswood Homes and Union Turnpike: A Few Specifics

Along Utopia Parkway, it's a busy road, so deliveries and the container get scheduled carefully, and the houses facing it take more wind and dust. In Holliswood Homes, between 185th and 188th Streets, the houses were designed together around 1939, so when we do one, I already know a lot about what's under the shingles on the next. Up near Union Turnpike, the stores and the traffic make parking tight, so we plan the container and the crew's path through the yard before day one.

Utopia Roofing FAQ

My whole block is redoing their roofs. Is mine next?
Maybe. Houses built together usually age together. I'll come out, get on the roof and in the attic, and tell you honestly if it can wait.

How much does it cost to replace a Cape Cod roof in Utopia?
It depends on the size, the dormers and the condition of the deck. I give you one written price after I look at it, not over the phone. Our Queens roof cost guide explains what drives the number.

My upstairs bedrooms get really hot. Can a new roof help?
Often, yes. A lot of finished Cape attics have almost no ventilation. On a replacement we add ridge vents and make sure the air has a path in at the eaves.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof in 11366?
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 we file it when it's needed.

How long does the job take?
Most Utopia Capes and Colonials are done in one day. You get the date and the price in writing.

Cape Cod Roofing in Utopia

A Cape is a simple roof until you get to the dormers, and then it's all detail. We strip it down to the deck, replace any bad plywood, run ice and water shield at the eaves and in the dormer valleys, and put in new step flashing on every dormer wall instead of reusing the old pieces. Architectural shingles on top, new drip edge, and a ridge vent so a finished attic can breathe. If you want something different on a Colonial, look at composite or cedar. The details are on our shingle roofing page.

Why Utopia Homeowners Choose REVMA

You deal with me, the owner, from the first look to the last nail. No salesman, no three prices, no deal that expires when I leave. One written price for the work. I don't carry a big company's overhead, so we usually come in 25 to 35% below them, and if another company gave you a written quote for the same roofing system, we'll match it. Our crews have 15 to 20 years on roofs, we're GAF certified, three to five sheets of plywood are in the price, and every job carries our workmanship warranty.

For the full process, see roof replacement. For the rest of the borough, see our Queens page.

Ready for a free estimate? Call (646) 889-4529 or fill out the form above. Utopia estimates usually happen within a couple of days.