Waukesha County · about 4 miles west-southwest of Muskego
Roofing, gutters and exterior painting in Big Bend
Big Bend is a small incorporated village on the banks of the Fox River, a few minutes from C&L's Muskego base. Its houses are older than most of its neighbors', and 91.1% are lived in by their owners.
- Population (2020 Census)
- 1,483
- Median year built
- 1968 (ACS 2020–2024, ±11 yrs)
- Homes built before 1940
- 22.5%
- Owner-occupied homes
- 91.1%
- Drive from Muskego
- 3.8 mi west-southwest, about 7 min
- Re-roof permit
- Required per Village Ch. 6 § 6.06 (2016 ordinance)
Older than its neighbors, with a wide margin of error
Big Bend's housing is older than Muskego's or Mukwonago's. The Census Bureau's 2020–2024 estimates show 68.8% of homes built before 1980 and 22.5% before 1940, nearly one in four. The median build year is 1968, but in a village this small the margin of error is wide, plus or minus 11 years, so treat it as a rough center rather than a date.
A house from before 1940 has carried most of a century of paint and several roofs. Expect layered paint on wood trim and siding, walls built before housewrap and modern flashing, and attics never designed for today's insulation levels. Nearly every pre-1980 house here also falls inside Wisconsin's 1978 lead-paint cutoff, so exterior scraping and window replacement are regulated lead-safe work. None of those older houses is governed by the state dwelling code, which reaches only construction begun from mid-1980 onward.
The Fox River runs along the village, and on any lot near a river, where roof water goes after the gutter matters: University of Minnesota Extension advises discharging downspouts at least 4 ft from the foundation and grading soil away from the house at 1 in. per foot for at least 6 ft.
What homeowners in Big Bend most often need
Gutters and fascia, possibly on the permit
Big Bend's fee schedule groups "Re-Roofing, Siding, Fascia, Gutter, etc." on one line at $11.25 per $1,000 of valuation, so ask the village whether a gutter replacement needs a permit rather than assuming it doesn't. On older houses, gutters and fascia are often replaced together, because overflowing gutters rot the fascia board behind them.
GuttersTear-off on a century-old roof
Re-roofing needs a Big Bend permit. On a prewar house, a roof replacement starts with a tear-off and a look at the deck: board sheathing, old patches, and whether the attic is vented at all. Ice dams come from heat leaking into the attic, so air sealing and insulation are the fix; ice-and-water membrane at the eaves limits the damage.
RoofingPaint prep on old wood
Exterior painting on a pre-1940 house means washing, scraping, wood repair, spot-priming and feathering, done under Wisconsin's lead-safe rules. Paint fails first at board ends and edges, and the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory warns that wood painted above 20 percent moisture content is likely to blister and peel, so prep and timing matter more than the topcoat.
Exterior PaintingWindows: check the permit, follow the lead rule
Big Bend's posted rules don't address window replacement, so confirm with the village inspector. On a pre-1978 house, every window replacement is lead-safe work regardless of the permit answer, and ENERGY STAR's Northern-zone windows must reach a U-factor of 0.22 or better.
Windows & DoorsVillage of Big Bend permits
Big Bend's building code (Chapter 6, § 6.06) lists "Re-roofing and residing" among the permits required. The fee schedule charges $11.25 per $1,000 of valuation for "Re-Roofing, Siding, Fascia, Gutter, etc." and the same rate for "Re-modeling, Addition, Alteration."
The village notes that its posted ordinances are the original ones adopted in 2016, so confirm the current version with the Clerk. Big Bend contracts planning and building inspection to a third party; the inspector can be reached at 262-364-6969. There is no online portal, and applications are paper forms.
Big Bend is its own incorporated village, not an unincorporated area and not part of Muskego, so permits go through the village office.
Village of Big Bend Planning & Development (opens in a new tab)
Sources
- 1.Village of Big Bend, Planning & Development (opens in a new tab)
- 2.Village of Big Bend, Ordinances (opens in a new tab)
- 3.Village of Big Bend, Our Village (opens in a new tab)
- 4.U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 (opens in a new tab)
- 5.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year, B25035 (opens in a new tab)
- 6.OSRM route from Muskego City Hall (approximate) (opens in a new tab)
On the Fox River, next door to Muskego
Big Bend describes itself as located along the banks of the Fox River. It lies about 3.8 miles by road from Muskego City Hall, roughly 7 minutes, and like Muskego it is part of Waukesha County.
Questions from Big Bend
Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Big Bend?
Yes. Re-roofing and residing both need a village permit, charged at $11.25 per $1,000 of valuation. The posted ordinance dates from 2016, so confirm the current fee with the village.
Do gutters need a permit in Big Bend?
Possibly. The village fee schedule lists gutters and fascia on the same line as re-roofing and siding. Call the inspector at 262-364-6969 before replacing them.
Is Big Bend part of Muskego?
No. Big Bend is its own incorporated village with its own permit office, about 3.8 miles west-southwest of Muskego City Hall. C&L is based in Muskego and serves Big Bend. Estimates are free.
Does lead paint matter on a Big Bend house?
On most of them, yes. 68.8% of the village's homes were built before 1980, and houses built before 1978 fall under Wisconsin's lead-safe renovation rule for paid painting, siding and window work. See the lead-safe renovation guide.
Free estimates · Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–6 p.m. · Sat 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
A free estimate in Big Bend.
What needs doing, roughly how old the house is, and when you would like it done. C&L will set up a time to look at it in person.