Druid Hills was laid out in the early 1900s with design work by the Olmsted firm, and it's filled with large Tudor, Georgian, Colonial Revival and Mediterranean homes. A lot of those houses were built with premium roofs — natural slate, clay tile, copper — and many of those roofs are still there.
Part of Druid Hills is in the City of Atlanta and part is in unincorporated DeKalb County, and both sides have historic protections. Which rules apply depends on your exact address, so we confirm that before we design the job.
What we see on Druid Hills roofs.
- Aging slate and tile fasteners. Slate and clay tile can outlast several owners, but their nails, hooks and flashing don't. Most leaks here are repairable without replacing the roof.
- Copper flashing and gutters. Copper valleys, bays and built-in gutters eventually crack at seams and solder joints. We repair and rebuild copper by hand.
- Previous bad repairs. We often find shingles, tar or caulk patched into slate and tile roofs. Removing those and repairing in kind is usually the first step.
- Tree canopy. Large hardwoods drop limbs that can crack slate and tile — which need careful replacement, not a walk across the roof.
Before you re-roof in Druid Hills.
Don't let anyone walk a slate or tile roof without roof ladders and a plan — careless foot traffic breaks more slate than storms do. Get a repair-versus-replace opinion from a crew that actually installs these materials.
Frequently asked questions
Is Druid Hills in Atlanta or DeKalb County?
Both. Part of the neighborhood is inside City of Atlanta limits and part is in unincorporated DeKalb County. Permits and historic review depend on which side your home is on.
Should I replace my slate roof with shingles?
Usually not. A well-maintained slate roof can last generations, and in a historic district a change in material may not be approved. Repair is typically the better value.
Can you insure-claim a slate or tile roof?
Yes. Hail and falling limbs can damage slate and tile, and replacement in kind is expensive — which makes accurate documentation for the adjuster especially important.