Metal Roofing in Gorham, Maine

Standing seam metal sheds Gorham's heavy snow instead of holding it, which prevents the buildup that feeds ice dams and relieves the load on older roof framing. The catch is where the snow lands. A metal roof over a front door, a walkway, a driveway or a deck can drop a winter's load at once, so snow guards are installed above those areas and roof planes are matched to how the house is actually used.

Without salt air, steel panels with a quality paint system do well here, and metal lasts long enough to suit owners who plan to stay put, which fits a town where about 82 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied. Metal is also a natural choice for barns, garages and outbuildings on Gorham's rural properties. Metal shingles give a traditional look that can sit better on an older house, while standing seam reads clean and modern on a newer one. Condensation control matters under metal, so the underlayment and attic ventilation are specified along with the panels. Cardinal installs standing seam and metal shingle roofs and lists the metal, gauge and finish in the written proposal.

Gorham counts about 6,800 housing units in the 2020 to 2024 Census estimates, with a median year built of 1988. Roughly a third of homes, about 33 percent, were built in 2000 or later, and about 29 percent date from the 1980s and 1990s, so most of the town's houses are under 45 years old. The older layer is substantial: about 14 percent of homes predate 1940 and about 21 percent predate 1960, including the wooden 19th-century houses of the Gorham Village historic district. Another 17 percent or so went up between 1960 and 1979. About 80 percent of homes are single-family detached and about 82 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied. The estimates show essentially no seasonal housing, so nearly every house here is lived in year-round.

Gorham is an inland town, about 200 feet above sea level, drained by the Presumpscot, Stroudwater and Little rivers, and out of reach of the salt spray that wears on coastal houses. What it does get is a full southern Maine winter. The Portland International Jetport, the nearest long-term weather station, averages close to 69 inches of snow a year, with seasons ranging from far lighter to far heavier. Nor'easters bring high winds and storms that often exceed a foot of snow, and roofs carry that load for weeks at a time. Spring and fall bring repeated freezing and thawing, which drives water into siding joints, window sills and roof edges, and heaves deck footings that were set too shallow.

Permits in Gorham are handled by the Code Division of the town's Community Development department, and applications are now filed online through the SmartGov system. The town lists a Building Permit for Minor Projects that covers decks, sheds and pools, so a new deck or a deck replacement is permitted before construction; ask the Code Division whether a roofing, siding or window job needs one. Lots along the Presumpscot and other rivers fall under shoreland zoning and need a Shoreland Zoning Permit for work in that zone. Gorham also has a Historic Preservation Commission, which issues Historic Preservation Certificates for designated historic properties and districts.

Metal roofs shed snow, shrug off wind, and outlast most other roofing. Standing seam panels run from eave to ridge with raised, concealed-fastener seams; metal shingle systems give a more traditional look. The site lists metal roofing systems among its roofing options. Because snow slides off metal in sheets, planning where it lands, over doors, walks, decks and lower roofs, is part of the design.

• Tear-off to the deck and repair, or preparation of the existing deck as the system requires.
• High-temperature underlayment and ice and water protection where needed.
• Panels or metal shingles installed with clips or fasteners that allow thermal movement.
• Trim, ridge, eave and valley flashings formed and installed.
• Snow guards placed where sliding snow would land on entries, decks or lower roofs.

• You want the last roof you put on the house
• Heavy snow loads and ice dams on a low-pitch or shaded roof
• A camp, barn or outbuilding where low upkeep matters most
• Repeated shingle blow-offs in wind

• Standing seam versus metal shingle, and gauge and finish
• Roof area, pitch and number of penetrations
• Tear-off and deck preparation
• Snow guard layout
• Trim, valley and flashing detail

Every job is priced from a free on-site visit. Typical ranges for the trade are on our roofing page, and the details of this service are on the metal roofing overview.

Back to the Gorham exterior services overview, or see every town on our Cumberland County service areas page.