Skip to content Philadelphia's housing stock isn't like a typical suburb. Block after block of attached brick rowhomes, flat and low-slope roofs on older commercial buildings, and twins that share a wall each come with their own roofing problems. Right Direction Contracting is a Philadelphia roofing company that has worked on these building types across the city for 32 years, from Center City to the Far Northeast.
Many Philadelphia rowhomes, especially older ones on the city's south and north sides, were built with flat or low-slope roofs instead of a pitched roof. That means membrane roofing (EPDM rubber, modified bitumen, or a built-up system) rather than asphalt shingles, and drainage has to be planned carefully since there's no slope to shed water on its own.
Properties in and around Center City and Society Hill can fall under Philadelphia Historical Commission oversight. Replacing a roof or changing visible exterior materials on one of these homes sometimes requires approval before work can start.
Twins, common in neighborhoods like Mount Airy and Roxborough, share a wall and often share flashing details along that wall. Work on one owner's side can affect the other.
Many rowhome streets have narrow alleys or no side yard at all. That limits how equipment and materials get onto the roof and changes how a crew stages a job compared to a standalone suburban house with a driveway.
As a local roofing company, we've worked on roofs across the Philadelphia area for 32 years — long enough to have handled most of what this city throws at a contractor: flat rowhome roofs, shared-wall twins, pitched single-family homes in the Northeast, and flat commercial roofs downtown.
We take roofing, siding, and gutter jobs across Philadelphia's neighborhoods, including:
We offer full roofing services for homes and small commercial properties across the city, along with siding and gutter work:
Full roofing project management for residential and commercial buildings across the city.
Learn moreLeak repair, shingle replacement, and flashing fixes for local roofs.
Learn moreFull roof replacement and new installation for homes and small commercial properties.
Learn moreVinyl and fiber cement siding installation and repair.
Learn moreGutter installation, gutter repair, and cleaning to keep water away from the foundation.
Learn moreA homeowner in South Philadelphia contacted us about water stains showing up on a ceiling. The flat roof was aging, the gutters were clogged, and water had been sitting on parts of the roof before it started coming through inside. We inspected the roof and found several spots where the membrane had failed, along with signs that the decking underneath was starting to soften in one area. We completed a full roof replacement and installed new seamless gutters sized for the property — handling both the roof replacement and the gutter repair in one project instead of patching the roof now and coming back for the gutters later.
One customer hired us for a full tear-off on a garage roof. Partway through, the job turned out to be more involved than the original scope — which happens on tear-offs, since you can't always see the condition of what's underneath until the old material comes off. We kept the homeowner updated as the scope changed instead of letting it become a surprise on the invoice, and finished the project to a standard that led him to leave a positive review afterward.
Our clients trust us because we deliver consistent results, reliable service, and lasting roofing solutions. From small roof repairs to complete installations, customer satisfaction drives everything we do. Our reputation is built on quality work, transparent communication, and long-term protection that homeowners and businesses can depend on.
Philadelphia requires permits for most roof replacements, and older neighborhoods sometimes go through additional review from the Historical Commission or L&I. A contractor who has pulled permits in the city before knows which properties usually need extra paperwork and roughly how long that process takes. Winters here bring ice and snow that sit on flat roofs longer than on pitched roofs, which makes proper drainage and maintenance more important.
We inspect the property first. Before any work is scheduled, we check whether the job requires a permit under Philadelphia's L&I rules.
We pull the permit. For most roof replacements in the city, we handle this directly rather than leaving the paperwork to the homeowner.
Historic district review, if it applies. Properties in Center City, Society Hill, and a few other designated districts may need sign-off from the Philadelphia Historical Commission. We flag this early so it doesn't hold up the schedule later.
We plan around the weather. Flat roofs need a dry stretch to install correctly, and winter ice and snow affect what's realistic for scheduling. We build that into the timeline instead of promising a date we can't hit.
Work starts, and we keep you posted. Once permits and weather line up, the crew gets started, and we update you as the job moves — not just at the end.
Yes. We're a licensed PA Home Improvement Contractor, #PA184068, and fully insured for both residential and commercial roofing work.
Yes. We pull the required permits for roof work in the city, and for properties in a historic district we walk you through what the Historical Commission review typically involves before we start.
The biggest difference is the roof itself. Most rowhomes in that part of the city have flat or low-slope roofs that need membrane roofing instead of shingles, and there's usually no side yard, so staging equipment and materials takes more planning.
Yes. Twin homes share flashing details at the party wall, so we check both sides of that wall before starting, even if we're only working on one owner's roof.
Response time depends on the day and our current schedule, but active leaks get priority. Call us directly for the fastest response.
Yes. Beyond roof repair and roof replacement, we work as a siding contractor and handle gutter repair as well, so rowhome and twin owners can get roofing, siding, and gutter work done through one contractor instead of three.
Whether it’s a leak in a Center City rowhome, an aging flat roof in South Philly, or gutter problems in the Northeast, we’ll come take a look and give you a straight answer instead of an upsell.
Call (215) 930-8390 or send a message below to schedule a free inspection. Licensed PA Contractor #PA184068.
RDC is the trusted name for residential and commercial roofing across the Greater Philadelphia area. From historic row homes to modern commercial builds, we provide durable solutions and expert craftsmanship you can count on.
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