Guide
Historic cottage roofs in Mountain Lakes
Written by Ultra Power Construction. The credentials page states that this contractor is licensed and insured in New Jersey and lists GAF and Owens Corning programs. Updated 2026-09-27.
Mountain Lakes cottages are older and smaller than Mendham estates, and many sit in damp, shaded pockets near the lakes. Treating them as big cedar estates produces the wrong scope.
- Cottage scale
- Moisture
- Older materials
Cottage scale
Short rafters, several small planes, and chimneys close to the ridge are normal. Leak paths are the joints. A price per square copied from a large colonial overcharges the simple parts and misses the fussy ones.
Moisture
Lakeside shade keeps decks and shingles wet. Look for soft plywood at eaves and for moss. Ventilation has to be real intake and exhaust, not a single vent lost in the trees.
Older materials
Some of these roofs are slate or an early asphalt over a plank deck. Plank decks change how new sheathing is fastened. Write what you find. Historic appearance questions go to the borough.