Service area · Racine County
Roof repair, painting and siding in Burlington, city and town
Burlington is two municipalities: a city on the Fox River, and a separate town that includes the Browns Lake and Bohners Lake communities. C&L Property Improvements, a family-owned company based in Muskego about 18 road miles to the north-northeast, serves both with roofing, painting, siding, window and remodeling work.
Covers the City of Burlington and the Town of Burlington.
- Population, City / Town
- 11,047 / 6,465 (2020 Census)
- Median year built, City
- 1970 (±5 years)
- City units built before 1940
- 19.2%
- Owner-occupied, City
- 56.7% of occupied homes
- Roof repairs in the City
- On the permit list
- Drive from Muskego
- About 18 miles, ~29 min
An old river town with newer edges
The City's history dates the first land claim to around December 1835, by the Fox River, and the downtown that grew there still sets the tone. Nearly one in five of the City's housing units (19.2%) was built before 1940, and 62.8% predate 1980. The median, 1970, sits between that older core and the newer subdivisions on the edges.
The two halves need different things. Older houses near downtown tend to have wood trim, porches and window casings with generations of paint, and they fall under Wisconsin's lead-safe rule for any paid work on a pre-1978 home that disturbs paint or replaces a window. Newer houses tend to call for roof replacement, gutters and interior updates. Owner-occupancy in the City is 56.7%, which means 43.3% of occupied homes are rented.
One detail surprises people: the City of Burlington crosses a county line. Most of it is in Racine County, and a part extends into Walworth County, though the state counts no residents in the Walworth part. The Town of Burlington is a separate municipality with its own board and its own rules, and it contains the lake communities of Browns Lake and Bohners Lake, which the Census counts as places with 1,879 and 2,374 residents in 2020.
What homeowners in Burlington most often need
Roof repairs that need a permit
The City's permit list includes “Roof repairs or re-roofing,” not only full replacement. Before a leak or storm repair is scheduled, ask the building inspector whether your repair needs one. See roof repair.
Roof RepairPaint on downtown's older houses
Older houses usually take the longest prep: scraping to sound paint, repairing sills and rails, and priming bare wood. Inside the downtown overlay district, ask the City whether a color or material change counts as an exterior alteration before work starts. See exterior painting.
Exterior PaintingSiding with a City permit
Siding is on the City's permit list. On a pre-1978 house, removing the old cladding is lead-regulated work, and in the overlay district a change of siding material is the kind of exterior alteration the Historic Preservation Commission reviews. See siding.
SidingWindows, same size or not
The City requires a permit for “Window replacements (if original dimensions are being altered).” A same-size swap does not need one, though on a pre-1978 house it is still regulated lead work. See windows and doors.
Windows & DoorsCity permits, the overlay district, and the Town
The City of Burlington's permit list includes “Roof repairs or re-roofing,” “Siding,” and window replacement when the original dimensions change. We did not find a published City rule for interior remodeling; ask before work starts. The City's building inspection contact appears to be a contracted firm, Municipal Services, LLC, and we found no online portal.
Downtown, the Historic Preservation Overlay District adds a step: work there needs a Certificate of Appropriateness, and the Historic Preservation Commission “oversees and approves the regulation of construction, reconstruction, and exterior alteration.” A dumpster in the City right-of-way needs a permit and is allowed only from March 15 to November 15.
For the Town of Burlington, we could not verify permit rules from published material. Call the Town before any roofing, siding or remodeling work. Rules differ from place to place across Racine County, and the permits guide explains why.
City of Burlington Building Inspection (opens in a new tab)
Sources
- 1.City of Burlington, Which projects require a permit (opens in a new tab)
- 2.City of Burlington, Building Inspection (opens in a new tab)
- 3.City of Burlington, Historic Preservation Overlay District (opens in a new tab)
- 4.City of Burlington, Historic Preservation Commission (opens in a new tab)
- 5.City of Burlington, History of Burlington (opens in a new tab)
- 6.WI DOA preliminary estimates, 1/1/2026 (county split) (opens in a new tab)
- 7.SEWRPC, Cities, villages and towns in southeastern Wisconsin (Jan. 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- 8.Wisconsin DHS, Lead-safe renovation FAQ (opens in a new tab)
- 9.2020 Census, P.L. 94-171 (opens in a new tab)
- 10.ACS 2020–2024 5-year, tables B25034/B25035/B25003 (opens in a new tab)
- 11.OSRM route from Muskego City Hall (opens in a new tab)
Questions from Burlington
Am I in the City or the Town of Burlington?
Your property tax bill names the municipality. The Browns Lake and Bohners Lake communities are in the Town.
Does a small roof repair need a permit in the City?
It may. The City lists roof repairs along with re-roofing on its permit list. Describe the repair to the building inspector before work is scheduled.
What does the Town of Burlington require?
We could not verify the Town's permit rules from published sources, so we will not guess. Call the Town before work starts.
My house is downtown. What is different?
If it is inside the Historic Preservation Overlay District, exterior work needs a Certificate of Appropriateness in addition to any building permit. Ask the City early, since approval can affect materials and timing.
Free estimates · Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–6 p.m. · Sat 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
A free estimate in Burlington.
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.