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Roofing, Chimney, Masonry & Exterior Contractor in Essex County, NJ
NJ Gold Star Construction serves Essex County, NJ, including Montclair, Nutley and Verona, with roofing, chimney work, masonry steps, gutters, siding and decks. Historic districts and local permit rules vary by town, so we confirm them before quoting. We are licensed (NJ HIC #13VH13359900) and insured.
Essex County sits just east of our Totowa base. We work in Montclair, Nutley and Verona, three towns with three different sets of rules: a long-running historic preservation commission, a published permit process and a precise roofing line.
The pages below cover how those rules differ, what local conditions mean for roofs, chimneys and masonry, and how to hire for work in the county.
What exterior work does NJ Gold Star do in Essex County?
NJ Gold Star Construction serves Essex County, NJ, with town pages for Montclair, Nutley and Verona, and handles roofing, chimney repair and rebuilds, masonry steps and stone walls, poured concrete walks, gutters, siding and decks. We work from Totowa, to the west, so we schedule Essex County jobs in blocks and answer emergency leaks 24/7.
Essex County is next door to our home county, and the three towns we have built out so far, Montclair, Nutley and Verona, are good examples of why a county page is not enough: each one has its own permit office, its own rules and, in two cases, its own historic districts.
- roofing services: repair, replacement, attic ventilation and roof maintenance.
- chimney services: chimney repair, chimney liner installation, chimney caps, chimney rebuilds and deep chimney cleaning.
- masonry services: masonry steps, poured concrete sidewalks, natural stone walls and foundation repair.
- gutter services, siding and deck building.
We are licensed as a New Jersey home improvement contractor (HIC #13VH13359900), fully insured, and use our own crew. We reach active leaks the same day whenever possible and promise no response time.
Three Essex County towns, three different rulebooks
Essex County has no countywide permit office. Montclair runs a Historic Preservation Commission alongside its Building Office, Nutley publishes a seven-step permit process and reviews landmarks through its own committee, and Verona says shingle-only re-roofs need no permit while sheathing work does. The right answer always depends on the town and the house.
| Town | What its pages say | Our page |
|---|---|---|
| Montclair | A Historic Preservation Commission established in 1994 reviews work in designated districts and on landmarks; the Building Office recommends calling ahead | Montclair |
| Nutley | A published seven-step permit process, and a Historic Preservation Committee that reviews certificates of appropriateness for landmark properties | Nutley |
| Verona | No permit for shingle replacement only on a one- or two-family home; sheathing repair or replacement needs one; unlicensed contractors not allowed | Verona |
The State’s Uniform Construction Code is the common framework, but each township enforces it in its own office. These are the differences we have verified from each town’s own pages.
Historic districts in Essex County: Montclair's commission and Nutley's Enclosure district
Montclair’s Historic Preservation Commission, established in 1994, covers four locally designated historic districts and 64 individually designated landmarks, and Nutley’s Enclosure Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 31, 1974. If your house is in or near a district, confirm review requirements before re-roofing, re-siding or masonry work.
Historic review is the Essex County factor that most often surprises a homeowner. Montclair’s page describes a commission established in 1994 with four locally designated historic districts, 64 individually designated landmarks and more than 100 state and national register listings. Nutley’s historical society describes the Enclosure Historic District as listed on the National Register on December 31, 1974, and Nutley’s Historic Preservation Committee reviews certificates of appropriateness for designated landmarks.
We do not know whether your house is in a district, and we do not guess. The towns’ pages did not say which categories of roofing or siding trigger review and which count as routine maintenance, so we ask the town, and we put the answer in the estimate.
Questions to ask before work on a house in or near a district
- Is the property designated, or inside a district, and who reviews changes?
- Does a roof, siding, chimney or masonry job need a certificate of appropriateness?
- Are the materials we propose acceptable, or does the review expect a closer match?
Our Montclair and Nutley pages go into each town’s process. See also masonry services for matching masonry materials.
Frost depth and chimney crowns: two Essex County details that decide how long exteriors last
The New Jersey edition of the International Residential Code sets a 36-inch minimum frost line depth for the northern New Jersey zone, which includes Essex County, so footings for decks and steps go below it. The Chimney Safety Institute notes that water does more damage to masonry chimneys than fire and that a good crown overhangs the brick.
Two details explain a large share of the exterior problems we repair.
Footings below the frost line
The New Jersey edition of the 2021 International Residential Code, as published on UpCodes, lists a minimum frost line depth of 36 inches for the northern New Jersey zone, which includes Essex County. Footings for decks, masonry steps and stone walls need to sit below that depth, or frost heave moves them every winter. See new deck installation and masonry steps.
Water and chimney crowns
The Chimney Safety Institute of America notes that water causes more damage to masonry chimneys than fire does, and that a properly built crown overhangs the brick by about two inches with an expansion joint. A cracked crown lets water into the brick every time it rains. See chimney repair and chimney caps.
Neither detail is glamorous, and both are the kind of thing that a quick inspection finds long before it becomes expensive. The Rutgers State Climatologist reports that northern New Jersey averages 40 to 50 inches of snow a year, which is why these details get tested every winter.
What Verona's shingle-only line teaches about any Essex County re-roof
Verona says a permit is not required for roof shingle replacement only on a one- or two-family home, but sheathing repair or replacement needs one. The lesson applies across Essex County: the cost and paperwork of a re-roof depend on what is under the shingles, so an inspection of the roof deck before quoting is the honest way to price it.
Whatever the town, a re-roof has a hidden half. The visible half is the shingles. The hidden half is the deck, the underlayment and the flashing, and the condition of those decides whether the job is a simple replacement or a larger one.
Verona draws the permit line exactly there. We use the same logic everywhere in Essex County: inspect the deck from the attic and the roof before the estimate, photograph what we find, and state in writing what happens if sheathing has to be replaced. Our Verona page covers the township’s rules in detail, and roof replacement explains what a replacement includes.
How do you choose a contractor in Essex County?
Check the home improvement registration on the state’s license verification system, ask who files the permit and whether a historic review applies, get a written itemized scope, and hold the last payment until the final inspection passes. Verona’s township page says exactly that about final payments, and it says unlicensed contractors are not allowed.
- Registration. Look up the contractor on the Division of Consumer Affairs license verification system. Ours is NJ HIC #13VH13359900.
- Permit and review. Ask who files the permit, and whether the property needs historic review.
- Written scope. Materials, areas, tear-off, underlayment, flashing, cleanup and what happens if hidden damage appears.
- Payment. Verona’s page says contractors should not be paid final installments until final inspections pass; the principle applies everywhere.
- Record. Keep the scope, permit, inspection sign-offs and dated photos.
On older houses, also ask about lead-safe work: the EPA requires contractors paid to disturb paint in homes built before 1978 to be lead-safe certified. Our project gallery shows finished work.
Which Essex County town page covers my area?
We have town pages for Montclair, Nutley and Verona. Each covers that town’s permit office, local rules and the services we provide there. If your Essex County town is not listed, we may still serve it; call and ask, and we will confirm what we know about the local office before we quote.
- Montclair: historic districts, landmarks and the Building Office.
- Nutley: the seven-step permit process and the Enclosure Historic District.
- Verona: the shingle-only line, licensing and construction hours.
Essex County borders our home county, so our Passaic County page covers the towns nearest the shop. For everything else, see all service areas, or request a free estimate to book a hands-on inspection.
Exterior services in Essex County
Roof repair, full replacement, attic ventilation and maintenance, with 24/7 emergency leak response.…
Repairs, rebuilds, stainless liners, caps, chase covers and deep cleaning.…
Masonry steps, poured concrete sidewalks, natural stone walls, stone veneer and foundation repair.…
Seamless gutters, guards, screens, repairs and cleaning.…
Vinyl and fiber cement siding, installed and repaired with the flashing behind it done right.…
New decks and structural repair, built to code on proper footings.…
Essex County service area map
Request a free estimate
Tell us about the project and we will call or text you back. For an active leak call (862) 271-1225 now.
Frequently asked questions
Does NJ Gold Star Construction work in Essex County?
Yes. We have town pages for Montclair, Nutley and Verona, and we take on projects elsewhere in the county. We work from Totowa and schedule Essex County jobs in blocks. We answer 24/7 for active leaks and reach them the same day whenever possible.
Do I need historic approval to re-roof in Montclair or Nutley?
It depends on whether the property is in a district or is a designated landmark, and on what work is involved. The towns’ pages do not say which categories trigger review, so we ask the town first and put the answer in the written estimate.
Does a roof replacement need a permit in Verona?
Not for shingle replacement only on a one- or two-family home, per the township FAQ. Sheathing repair or replacement does need one. We inspect the roof deck before we quote and state which situation applies.
How deep should deck footings be in Essex County?
The New Jersey edition of the IRC sets a 36-inch minimum frost line depth for the northern New Jersey zone, which includes Essex County. Footings go below that depth. We confirm the town’s own requirements before building.
What damages masonry chimneys most?
Water, according to the Chimney Safety Institute of America. A cracked or flat crown lets rain into the brick. A proper crown overhangs the masonry and has an expansion joint. We inspect crowns, caps and mortar joints as part of any chimney visit.
How do I check an Essex County contractor?
Use the state’s license verification system to confirm the home improvement registration, ask who files the permit and whether historic review applies, get a written scope, and hold the last payment until the final inspection passes. Ours is NJ HIC #13VH13359900.
- Historic Preservation Commission — Township of Montclair, NJ
- Building Office — Township of Montclair, NJ
- Permit Process in a Nutshell — Township of Nutley, New Jersey
- Historic Preservation Committee — Township of Nutley, New Jersey
- Enclosure Historic District – the Nutley historic district that almost wasn’t — Nutley Historical Society
- Chapter 3 Building Planning: New Jersey UCC One- & Two-Family Dwelling Subcode 2021 — UpCodes (New Jersey edition of the 2021 IRC)
- Four Low-Cost Recommendations to Prevent Major Water Damage — Chimney Safety Institute of America
- General Information (Building FAQs) — Township of Verona, NJ
- Overview of the Climate of New Jersey — Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist, Rutgers University
- License Verification System — NJ Division of Consumer Affairs
- The Uniform Construction Code (NJAC 5:23) — New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Division of Codes and Standards
Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Edgar Lopez Gonzalez, owner · NJ HIC #13VH13359900
Licensed & insured. 25+ years in North Jersey. We answer 24/7 for leaks and storm damage.
- County
- Essex County, NJ
- License
- NJ HIC #13VH13359900
- Emergency service
- 24/7 — call (862) 271-1225
- Estimates
- Free, written and itemized