Natural slate. A roof measured in generations.
Installation, repair, and restoration of natural slate roofs for historic homes, estates, and custom builds across Northern Colorado.
Slate is a structural project, not a shingle job
A slate roof weighs 800 to 1,500 pounds per square. It demands a framing check, copper or stainless flashings, and installers who understand headlap, exposure, and how to walk a roof without breaking it. That is construction work, and it is why a company run by a commercial superintendent takes it on where most roofers will not.
- 75 to 150+ year service life. Hard slates from Vermont, Virginia, and Spain routinely outlast the buildings they cover. Soft slates last less. We specify by source and grade, in writing.
- Structural evaluation first. We confirm the rafters, decking, and bearing can carry the load, and bring in an engineer when the numbers call for it.
- Copper and stainless flashings. A 100-year roof deserves flashings that last as long. No galvanized shortcuts at valleys, chimneys, and walls.
- Class A fire rated. Stone does not burn, which matters in foothill and mountain WUI zones.
- Repair and restoration. Slipped and broken slates, failed flashings, and re-nailing on historic roofs, matched for color and thickness.
- Hail-conscious specification. Thicker, harder slates stand up better to Front Range hail. We will tell you plainly where slate is and is not the right call for your exposure.
Slate services
New Slate Installation
Full systems on new custom homes and additions: engineered framing review, solid decking, underlayment, copper flashings, snow retention, and standard or graduated slate layouts.
Slate Roof Repair
Replacing individual broken or slipped slates with slate hooks or copper bibs, repairing flashings, and stopping leaks without disturbing sound slate.
Restoration and Re-Lay
On older roofs where the slate is good but the nails or underlayment have failed, we salvage, sort, and re-lay the original slate on new underlayment and flashings.
Flashing Replacement
The usual point of failure on a slate roof is the metal, not the stone. We replace valleys, step flashing, and chimney saddles in copper or stainless.
Snow Retention
Pad-style and pipe-style snow guards laid out for your pitch, exposure, and the areas below that need protection.
Synthetic Slate Alternative
Where weight, budget, or hail exposure rule out natural stone, we install Class 4 polymer slate that keeps the look at a fraction of the weight. See our synthetic roofing page.
The honest tradeoffs
Slate is the most expensive roof covering we install, and the weight can require structural upgrades that add to the cost. Large hail can crack slate, particularly thinner or softer stone, and most roofers cannot repair it correctly, so you want a contractor you can reach years from now. If your goal is hail resistance on a budget, Class 4 synthetic slate or stone-coated steel will serve you better. If your goal is a roof that outlives you on a home worth the investment, nothing else compares.
Documented like a construction project
Every specialty roof starts with a walk-on inspection and a written scope: materials by manufacturer and model, underlayment, flashings, ventilation, snow retention, and schedule. You get photos of what we found, what we fixed, and what we installed, including the parts you will never see again.
- Free inspection and written scope. No pressure, no door knockers, no deposit before materials are ordered.
- Permits pulled and inspections passed. Closeout includes the approved inspection record.
- Insurance documentation. Class 4 and Class A product listings for your carrier.
- Warranty from people who answer the phone. Manufacturer and workmanship warranties in writing.
Compare your options
See where we work, from Loveland and Fort Collins to the mountain towns.
Slate Roofing questions
Can my house support a slate roof?
Many can, but it has to be checked. Slate weighs roughly 8 to 15 pounds per square foot. We evaluate the framing and decking and bring in a structural engineer where the span, pitch, or snow load warrant it.
How does slate hold up to Colorado hail?
Thick, hard slate resists most hail. Very large hail can crack individual slates, which are replaced one at a time. If your area sees frequent severe hail, we will show you the synthetic option alongside natural stone.
How do you repair a slate roof without breaking more slate?
With the right tools and footwork: slate rippers, hooks, and walking on the headlap, not the exposed slate. Repairs are made slate by slate and documented with photos.
Why do slate roofs fail if the stone lasts 100 years?
Nails and flashings. Steel nails rust and flashings wear out long before the slate does. Restoration usually means new flashings and re-laying the original stone on new underlayment.
Do you work on historic homes?
Yes. We match slate size, thickness, and color, and we coordinate with historic preservation reviews where a certificate of appropriateness is required, as in Fort Collins and Boulder.
Have a slate roof, or want one?
Start with an inspection and a straight answer about what it needs.